Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was photographed wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus Perpetual Calendar reference 5740G in 18KT white gold — a grand complication that sits at the very top of the sport-watch hierarchy and represents one of the Geneva manufacture's most technically ambitious pieces in its iconic integrated-bracelet line.

The Nautilus 5740G houses Patek Philippe calibre 240 Q, an ultra-thin self-winding movement measuring just 3.88mm in height. Based on the celebrated 240 micro-rotor architecture, the 240 Q adds a perpetual calendar module displaying date, day, month, four-digit year and moon phase — all visible through a clean, slate-blue dial finished with horizontal embossing, applied gold indices and a date display at 3 o'clock. The 18KT white gold 40mm case — sized identically to the standard Nautilus 5711 — wears the perpetual calendar with surprising restraint, keeping the dial legible despite the informational density beneath the sapphire crystal.

Launched in 2018 as the successor to the reference 5726 in steel, the 5740G in white gold marked Patek's commitment to bringing grand complication watchmaking into the Nautilus family without compromising the silhouette that Gerald Genta defined in 1976. Collectors responded immediately and decisively: waitlists at authorised dealers stretched for years, and grey-market premiums reflected demand that outpaced even the steel 5711 at its most fevered. The perpetual calendar mechanism is considered one of Patek's finest, requiring no correction until 2100 under normal use.

Ibrahimovic's watch choices have long mirrored his on-field persona — bold, expensive and technically serious. During his time with LA Galaxy, the Swedish striker built a public image as comfortable in luxury as he was in a penalty area, and the 5740G in white gold fits that narrative precisely. It is not a watch worn to blend in.

At UK list price of approximately £91,150 — translating to roughly $115,000 at prevailing rates — the Nautilus 5740G already occupies rarefied territory at retail. On the secondary market, examples regularly trade significantly above that figure, cementing the reference as both a horological achievement and a serious store of value.