Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Ben Chillwell spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Ben Chilwell made headlines for his move to Chelsea, but the England international also caught the attention of watch spotters for what was sitting on his wrist: a stainless steel Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 5712/1A, one of the most coveted complications in the entire Nautilus family.

Introduced in 2006, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A built on the original 5711 platform by adding a power reserve indicator and a moonphase display to the dial. The case measures 40mm in stainless steel, retaining the hallmark horizontally embossed blue-grey dial and the integrated bracelet that Gerald Genta sketched in 1976. Powering the watch is Calibre 240 PS IRM C LU — a micro-rotor self-winding movement decorated to Patek's exacting standards, offering a 48-hour power reserve and a moon phase mechanism engineered to require correction only once every 122 years. At roughly 3.88mm thick, the movement is a marvel of miniaturisation given everything it accomplishes.

For collectors, the 5712/1A occupies a distinct position in the Nautilus hierarchy. It delivers genuine complication credentials — not merely a date window — while preserving the clean, sporty proportions that define the line. The reference was discontinued in 2021 alongside the 5711/1A, a decision that immediately amplified demand and secondary-market prices. Unlike the plain 5711, the 5712 attracted a slightly more patient collector base even before discontinuation, appreciated for its mechanical depth rather than pure icon status alone.

Chilwell joining Chelsea with this on his wrist is consistent with a generation of Premier League players who treat serious Swiss watchmaking as a genuine passion rather than a status prop. The Nautilus 5712/1A is not a watch you accidentally stumble into — it requires either a strong client relationship with an authorised dealer or a confident move in the grey market.

At UK list price of approximately £31,430 before discontinuation, the 5712/1A was already aspirational. On the secondary market today the reference trades significantly above retail, with clean examples in full set regularly achieving multiples of the original list price — a reflection of Patek Philippe's enduring scarcity and the Nautilus name's undiminished pull among both footballers and seasoned collectors alike.