Footballer Mehdi Benatia spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Mehdi Benatia surfaced on Instagram Stories recently with a wrist shot that stopped collectors mid-scroll: the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167A-012 'Singapore Edition,' a limited release of just 500 pieces that has become one of the most aggressively traded Aquanaut references on the secondary market.

The 5167A-012 is built around the familiar 40 mm stainless steel Aquanaut case — water-resistant to 120 metres, fitted with the embossed 'Tropical' composite strap system — but its dial treatment sets it firmly apart. Where the standard 5167A delivers restrained khaki or black executions, the Singapore Edition pairs a matte black dial with red minute-track markers and a matching red central hand, all anchored by an exclusive red Caoutchouc composite strap. Inside, Patek Philippe's self-winding calibre 324 S C does the work: 28,800 vph, 45-hour power reserve, and the Gyromax balance with Spiromax spring — a movement whose finishing quality embarrasses watches at twice the price point.

The Aquanaut reference 5167 was introduced in 2007 as a larger successor to the original 5065A, itself launched in 1997 as Patek's more accessible, sport-casual alternative to the Nautilus. The 5167 line has since generated some of the most coveted limited editions in modern Patek history, with regionally exclusive variants — Singapore, Hong Kong, and others — driving fierce demand among both completionists and opportunistic flippers. The 5167A-012 specifically was produced for authorised dealers tied to the Singapore market, giving it genuine geographic scarcity rather than manufactured rarity.

Benatia's horological taste has always leaned toward statement pieces from the top of the market, consistent with a career that has taken him through AS Roma, Bayern Munich, and Juventus before landing in Qatar's Stars League with Al-Duhail. As a former Moroccan national team captain who reached the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, his profile remains global, and a watch sighting on his Stories carries real reach among football and watch audiences alike.

At an official retail of $22,400, the 5167A-012 was already priced at a premium over standard steel Aquanaut references. On the grey market it currently trades around $90,000 — roughly four times retail — placing it among the steepest Aquanaut premiums in circulation and reflecting a collector consensus that regionally limited Patek steel sport watches in unworn condition are simply not coming back down.