Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Joe Hart spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Joe Hart, the 33-year-old goalkeeper who keeps goal for Tottenham Hotspur and England, was recently spotted wearing one of the most sought-after sport chronographs in contemporary watchmaking: the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A, in stainless steel with a vivid orange tropic strap.

Introduced at Baselworld 2018, the ref. 5968A marked Patek Philippe's first foray into a steel integrated-bracelet sport chronograph — a segment the brand had conspicuously avoided for decades. The 42mm case houses calibre CH 28-520 C, a self-winding flyback chronograph movement built on a base developed in collaboration with Lemania. It features a column wheel, horizontal clutch for smooth engagement, and runs at 28,800 vph with a 45-hour power reserve. The embossed black dial with its characteristic 'Aquanaut' pattern sits behind a sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 120 metres.

From a collector standpoint, the Aquanaut Chronograph 5968A occupies a peculiar position: Patek Philippe has historically been extraordinarily reluctant to produce steel sport references in large numbers, which immediately turned the 5968A into a near-impossible allocation piece. The orange strap variant in particular has become a grail configuration, representing the watch's sporty DNA at full volume. Grey market premiums exceeding 100% above retail are not unusual, and the ref. 5968A has maintained those levels with remarkable consistency since its release.

Hart's taste here is notable. Footballers commonly gravitate toward Rolex or Audemars Piguet for sport watches, making his choice of a Patek Philippe — and a chronograph reference at that — a more considered move. The Aquanaut line positions itself as the younger, more relaxed sibling to the Nautilus, and the 5968A adds genuine complication to that proposition.

At an official retail price of $43,770 USD, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A is already a premium proposition. On the grey market, examples routinely change hands north of $93,000 USD — a premium that underlines both the scarcity Patek Philippe engineering and the enduring desirability of steel sport watches from Geneva's most storied manufacture.