Rapper Huang Zitao spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Huang Zitao, the Chinese rapper and entertainer formerly known as Tao of K-pop group EXO, was recently spotted wearing one of Patek Philippe's most intellectually ambitious wristwatches — the Celestial reference 6104R in 18K rose gold, with a bezel set with 40 baguette-cut diamonds. The sighting underscores a collector sensibility that goes well beyond trophy buying.

The Patek Philippe Celestial 6104R is powered by the Calibre 240 LU CL C, an ultra-thin automatic movement measuring just 5.95mm in height. At its core is a 22-karat gold micro-rotor, a hallmark of the 240 family, combined with a lateral clutch and a self-compensating Spiromax balance spring in Silinvar. The movement simultaneously tracks mean solar time, sidereal time, the phases and orbit of the moon, and the apparent motion of the sky as seen from Geneva — all rendered on the deep blue enamel dial through a rotating sapphire disc. The 44mm rose gold case is substantial without being aggressive, and the baguette-cut diamond bezel on this reference lifts the retail proposition into genuinely stratospheric territory.

Within the collector community, the Celestial occupies a unique position. It is neither a grand complication in the traditional sense — no minute repeater, no perpetual calendar — yet its astronomical display demands a level of horological engineering that few manufactures can match. Patek Philippe introduced the modern Celestial generation in the early 2000s, and the 6104 series refined the concept with improved readability and the addition of the Geneva Seal. Annual production is extremely limited, and the watch rarely appears on the secondary market in unworn condition.

Huang Zitao has cultivated a reputation as one of China's most watch-literate entertainers, regularly photographed with references from Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, and Jacob & Co. His choice of the 6104R signals an appreciation for conceptual depth rather than complication count alone — a meaningful distinction in serious collecting circles.

The Patek Philippe Celestial 6104R carries a list price of approximately $442,700 USD. On the grey market, where supply is extraordinarily thin, current valuations have climbed to an estimated $700,000 USD, reflecting both the watch's intrinsic rarity and sustained demand from Asia-Pacific collectors. It is not a watch you stumble into — and Zitao clearly knows it.