Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Marco Asensio spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Marco Asensio, the Spanish international winger who has built his career at Real Madrid, was recently spotted wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5990/1R — a rose gold flyback chronograph that sits firmly at the top of the Nautilus hierarchy. It is the kind of wrist choice that goes beyond brand recognition, signalling a genuine understanding of high horology.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5990/1R was introduced in 2014 as the rose gold iteration of the 5990 line, which itself debuted in 2006. Its 44.6mm rose gold case — larger than the classic 5711 — houses the calibre CH 28-520 IRM QA 24H, a movement of considerable complexity. That self-winding calibre combines a flyback chronograph with an annual calendar, day/night indicator, and a second time zone with a 24-hour display. It is a travel watch and a complications piece rolled into one Gerald Genta-inspired integrated bracelet design. Power reserve stands at approximately 45 to 55 hours.

From a collector standpoint, the 5990/1R occupies a unique position. Unlike the standard 5711 or 5726, it was never produced in overwhelming numbers, and the rose gold version commands a premium even within the 5990 family. The combination of a flyback mechanism — allowing the chronograph to be reset and restarted in a single pusher operation — with an annual calendar is technically demanding to produce and genuinely useful. Collectors regard this reference as an underappreciated workhorse of the Nautilus line, often overshadowed by the 5711 frenzy but no less desirable.

Asensio has long been associated with a refined, low-key aesthetic, and the 5990/1R fits that profile. Rose gold lends warmth without the stridency of yellow gold, and the blue-on-rose dial contrast is one of Patek's most elegant executions. For a footballer at the peak of his earning capacity, this is a considered choice rather than an impulse buy.

On the current grey market, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5990/1R trades well above its already substantial retail price, reflecting both the scarcity of rose gold complications and sustained global demand for anything bearing the Nautilus name. With an official retail around $230,000 USD and secondary market values climbing accordingly, this is unambiguously a six-figure wrist.