Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Tommy Hilfiger spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Tommy Hilfiger, founder of one of the world's most recognizable fashion empires, was recently spotted wearing the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-18 — the Tiffany Blue limited edition that effectively closed the book on the most influential sports watch reference of the modern era. With only 170 pieces ever produced, sightings on the wrist of a known personality carry genuine weight in collector circles.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-18 shares the same 40.05 mm stainless steel case and integrated bracelet as the standard 5711/1A-010, designed by Gérald Genta and introduced in 1976. What differentiates it is the distinctive Tiffany Blue sunburst dial, signed 'Tiffany & Co.' above the 6 o'clock position — a deliberate nod to the 170-year commercial partnership between Patek Philippe and the New York jeweler, one of the oldest authorized retail relationships in American watch history. Inside beats caliber 26-330 S C, a self-winding movement with a 45-hour power reserve, running at 28,800 vph, and offering date display with a peripheral rotor for low winding noise.

From a collector standpoint, the 5711/1A-18 is in a category of its own. Patek Philippe announced the discontinuation of the 5711 reference in January 2021, making this Tiffany collaboration — unveiled later that same year — the final production variant. The first piece sold at a Phillips auction in December 2021 for $6.5 million, with proceeds going to charity, instantly cementing the reference's mythology. The remaining 169 examples were allocated through Tiffany & Co. boutiques at a retail price reported around $52,000, a figure that bears almost no relationship to what the market subsequently demanded.

Hilfiger, whose aesthetic has long bridged American sportswear and luxury, is a credible custodian for a watch that sits precisely at that same intersection. The Nautilus has always appealed to figures who understand design lineage as much as status signaling.

On the secondary market, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-18 Tiffany trades in a range that most grey-market platforms estimate between $500,000 and $800,000 depending on provenance, box, papers, and condition — making it one of the highest-premium stainless steel watches in circulation today.