Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Antonio Nocerino spotted wearing Patek Philippe

AC Milan's combative central midfielder Antonio Nocerino was caught on camera wearing one of the most recognizable — and most sought-after — wristwatches in the world: the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1R-001 in 18-karat rose gold. The sighting places Nocerino firmly in the company of footballers, musicians, and financiers who have made the Nautilus something close to a cultural currency.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus was conceived by the legendary Gerald Genta and launched in 1976, a steel sports watch with an integrated bracelet that challenged every convention of fine watchmaking at the time. The reference 5711 — introduced in 2006 as the modern evolution of the original 3700 — elevated the concept further, refining case geometry to 40mm and housing the manufacture Calibre 324 S C automatic movement. That movement beats at 28,800 vph, offers a 45-hour power reserve, and carries Patek's Gyromax balance wheel and Spiromax balance spring. The 5711/1R-001 variant swaps the more familiar stainless steel for an 18k rose gold case and bracelet paired with a warm brown horizontal-embossed dial — a combination that reads as quietly opulent rather than overtly flashy.

Among collectors, the 5711 family occupies a singular position. Patek Philippe discontinued the entire 5711 line in 2021, a decision that immediately sent grey-market premiums into the stratosphere. The rose gold 5711/1R had always commanded a significant premium over its steel sibling, but post-discontinuation demand has made acquiring any 5711 at retail a near impossibility. The reference is now a benchmark piece — the kind of watch that defines a collection rather than simply joining one.

Nocerino enjoyed some of the finest years of his career at AC Milan, becoming a key figure in the San Siro's midfield engine room during the early 2010s. His choice of the Nautilus 5711/1R-001 reflects a taste that is consistent across elite football: a watch that signals serious knowledge without resorting to ostentation.

On the secondary market, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1R-001 currently trades well above its original retail price, reflecting both the discontinuation premium and the rose gold variant's perennial desirability among collectors who prize precious metal sports watches.