Watch Paparazzi

Cricketer Mohammad Sheikh spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Mohammad Sheikh, Palestinian businessman and cricket figure, was recently photographed wearing a Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time ref. 5164A in stainless steel — a reference that sits at the intersection of sport-casual aesthetics and genuine horological substance, and one that currently trades on the secondary market at more than three times its official retail price.

The Aquanaut ref. 5164A measures 40.08mm in diameter and houses Patek Philippe's caliber 324 S C FUS, a self-winding movement featuring the manufacture's signature Travel Time mechanism. Two pushers at 10 and 2 o'clock allow the wearer to advance or retard the local time hour hand in one-hour increments while the reference time zone remains unaffected — a practical and elegant solution for frequent travelers. The black sunburst dial carries day/night indicators for both time zones and a date subdial positioned at 6 o'clock, all legible against the characteristic tropical-textured surface. The case is paired with Patek's composite strap in the matching embossed pattern, secured by a fold-over clasp.

Introduced as part of the Aquanaut line that debuted in 1997 — itself conceived as a younger, sportier sibling to the Nautilus — the 5164A has carved out a distinct collector identity. Steel Patek sports references are notoriously difficult to obtain through authorized dealers, and the Travel Time complication adds mechanical substance that pushes the 5164A well beyond simple dress-sport territory. Among Aquanaut references, it is consistently cited as the most technically interesting entry in the family.

Sheikh's choice signals a fluency in contemporary watch culture. The 5164A occupies a precise niche: casual enough for daily sport use, complex enough to satisfy serious collectors, and rare enough to read as a genuine statement rather than an off-the-shelf luxury purchase.

Retail is listed at $36,000 USD, a figure that has become almost academic given current market realities. Grey-market valuations place the Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5164A at approximately $125,950 — a premium that reflects persistent demand, constrained supply, and the enduring prestige of the Patek Philippe name in stainless steel sport configurations.