Footballer Son Heung-min spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Son Heung-min, Tottenham Hotspur's talismanic striker and one of the most decorated footballers in the Premier League, was recently spotted wearing a stainless steel Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-010 — a watch that needs no introduction in collector circles but whose cultural weight grows heavier every year since its discontinuation.

The Nautilus 5711/1A-010 houses Patek Philippe's Calibre 26-330 S C, a self-winding movement beating at 28,800 vph with a 45-hour power reserve. The dial is that iconic blue-gradient sunburst finish, horizontally embossed and framed by the ref. 5711's porthole-inspired integrated case — a silhouette Gerald Genta sketched in 1974, originally for the ref. 3700. The steel case measures 40mm, and the 9.7mm profile keeps it genuinely wearable under a cuff. Date display at three o'clock, luminous applied indices, and swept seconds complete a layout that has barely changed in half a century.

Patek Philippe officially discontinued the 5711/1A in January 2021, replacing it with the olive-dial 5711/1A-014. The blue-dial reference instantly became a collector's benchmark. It had already been among the most difficult watches to obtain at retail — authorised dealers routinely maintained multi-year waiting lists — but the discontinuation announcement transformed it into a full-blown collectible. The 5711 is frequently cited as the watch that taught a generation of new collectors what a premium over retail actually means.

Son Heung-min is no casual watch wearer. The South Korean forward has appeared publicly with several significant references, and his choice of the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-010 signals genuine horological awareness rather than simple brand recognition. At the top tier of European football, where luxury watches function as both personal reward and public statement, few references carry the quiet authority of a discontinued steel Nautilus.

On the grey market, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-010 currently trades around $124,000 — roughly four times its last official retail price of $32,400. That spread is extraordinary even by the standards of hyped steel sports watches. For a reference without precious metals, exotic complications, or limited-edition status, the 5711/1A-010 stands as one of the most financially significant watches a collector can place on a wrist.