Entrepreneur Luca Rubinacci spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Luca Rubinacci, the image-defining Creative Director of Rubinacci — the Neapolitan tailoring dynasty synonymous with the sprezzatura aesthetic — was recently photographed wearing a stainless steel Patek Philippe Aquanaut reference 5167A-001. The pairing is quietly deliberate: a watch that carries serious horological credentials without announcing them loudly, worn by a man who has built a career on exactly that philosophy.

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167A was introduced in 2007 as an enlarged evolution of the original ref. 5065, stretching the case to 40mm in stainless steel. The cushion-shaped case, with its rounded octagonal bezel, houses the calibre 324 S C — a self-winding movement with a 28,800 vph beat rate, 45-hour power reserve, and Gyromax balance wheel. The embossed black composite dial, matched by the tropical rubber strap with deployant clasp, gives the watch its signature texture and utility-forward character. Water resistance stands at 120 metres. It is, by Patek's own description, the first sports watch entirely conceived and designed within the maison.

The folklore surrounding the Aquanaut's origin adds a layer of intrigue. Though never officially confirmed by Patek Philippe, persistent industry lore holds that the model's development was influenced by a commission from senior military figures, which would explain the stripped-back, tool-watch sensibility sitting somewhat incongruously beneath one of horology's most prestigious names. Whether apocryphal or not, the story has only strengthened the model's collector narrative.

For Rubinacci, the choice of the 5167A reads as characteristically considered. The Aquanaut occupies a peculiar cultural space — it is simultaneously accessible in spirit and deeply inaccessible in practice, a tension not unlike the studied casualness of a Rubinacci linen suit. The reference has become a staple on the wrists of the discreetly stylish, precisely because it resists the more theatrical signals of the Nautilus.

On the grey market, the ref. 5167A-001 commands a significant premium over its already substantial retail price, reflecting continued supply constraints and sustained demand among younger collectors entering the Patek universe. The Aquanaut ref. 5167A remains one of the more liquid and reliably appreciated references in the entire Patek portfolio.