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Footballer Alberto Aquilani spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Alberto Aquilani, the former Italy international who built his playing career at Roma, Liverpool, and Juventus before transitioning to coaching Fiorentina's youth academy, was recently spotted wearing one of the most technically significant sport watches Patek Philippe produces: the Aquanaut Chronograph reference 5968A-001 in stainless steel, paired with its distinctive orange tropical rubber strap.

Introduced in 2019, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A represented a genuine milestone for the collection. The Aquanaut line, launched in 1997 as a more accessible and contemporary counterpart to the Nautilus, had for over two decades remained largely complication-free aside from a date function. The 5968A changed that emphatically, becoming the first Aquanaut to house a chronograph. Beating inside is the calibre CH 28-520 C, a self-winding flyback chronograph movement with column wheel control and a vertical clutch — the same architecture found in Patek's more formal complicated pieces. The 42.2mm steel case maintains the Aquanaut's signature rounded octagonal bezel and embossed 'Tropical' composite dial, here rendered in khaki green with applied luminous Arabic numerals and a tachymetre scale integrated into the bezel.

For collectors, the 5968A occupies an interesting position. Steel Patek Philippe sports references consistently trade at significant premiums on the secondary market, and the Aquanaut Chronograph is no exception. Its combination of a technically accomplished movement, sport-capable 120-metre water resistance, and the cachet of being a historic first within the Aquanaut family gives it enduring relevance. The dual-strap delivery — orange and black — adds practical versatility that more formal Patek references cannot match.

Aquilani's affinity for quality timepieces is well documented among Italian football circles, and the 5968A suits someone navigating both the demands of professional coaching and a polished public image. The orange strap configuration he wears is the more eye-catching of the two options, signalling a confident, deliberate choice rather than default conservatism.

At retail, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A-001 lists at around $52,860 USD, though on the grey market the steel sports Patek premium routinely pushes the real-world transaction price considerably higher, reflecting persistent demand and constrained supply across the entire Aquanaut and Nautilus family.