Tennis player Gaël Monfils spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Gaël Monfils has never been shy about wearing serious timepieces courtside and off, but the Patek Philippe 5170P-001 spotted on his wrist signals a collector of real conviction. This is not a watch bought for visibility — it is a watch bought because its owner understands what is inside it.

The 5170P-001 was introduced in 2010 as the flagship expression of Patek Philippe's calibre CH 29-535 PS, a manually wound chronograph movement developed entirely in-house over nearly a decade. The calibre features a column wheel, a horizontal clutch for smooth start-stop engagement, a fly-back function, and a patented brake mechanism on the chronograph seconds wheel — a level of finishing and engineering that sets it apart from virtually every other rattrapante-free chronograph movement in production. The platinum 950 case measures 41mm, housing a silver opaline dial with applied baton indices and blued-steel hands, presenting a deliberately restrained aesthetic that lets the movement's pedigree speak first.

Among collectors, the 5170P occupies a specific and elevated tier. The white gold 5170G version is already considered a grail piece; the platinum 5170P, produced in far smaller numbers, is rarer still. Auction results consistently affirm its desirability — examples have appeared at Christie's and Sotheby's well above retail, and the reference is widely regarded as one of the few modern Pateks that serious vintage collectors will accept without reservation. It references the traditions of the 1463 and 530 chronographs without nostalgia-washing them.

Monfils, ranked as high as sixth in the world during his ATP career, has long cultivated a persona that blends athletic extravagance with genuine cultural curiosity. His watch choices have reflected that — he is not a brand ambassador working through contractual obligations, but a collector who buys what he finds compelling. The 5170P-001 is exactly the kind of piece a knowledgeable buyer chooses when status is irrelevant and quality is the only metric.

At retail, the Patek Philippe 5170P-001 was listed in the range of $95,000–$110,000 depending on market and year of purchase. On the secondary market, demand from both watch collectors and Patek completists has pushed values considerably higher, with clean examples trading between $130,000 and $170,000 depending on condition, papers, and box.