Footballer Lionel Messi spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

On the night Lionel Messi accepted the FIFA Player of the Year award, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner arrived with something beyond trophies on his wrist: a Patek Philippe Grand Complication reference 5270P in platinum, featuring a lacquered green dial. It is the kind of choice that signals genuine horological awareness rather than a stylist's shortlist.

The Patek Philippe 5270P is a perpetual calendar chronograph — one of the most prestigious complication combinations in traditional watchmaking. It houses the in-house Caliber CH 29-535 PS Q, a manually-wound movement that debuted in 2011 after more than a decade of development. The movement integrates the chronograph mechanism directly with the perpetual calendar rather than stacking them as separate modules, resulting in a thinner, more cohesive architecture at 8.7mm. The platinum case measures 41mm, and the green lacquered dial — applied hour markers, moonphase at six o'clock, subsidiary dials for the chronograph and calendar — elevates an already serious watch into genuinely rare territory.

The reference 5270 replaced the iconic 5970 in 2011 and quickly established itself as the definitive modern perpetual calendar chronograph from Geneva. Within the 5270 family, platinum references with coloured dials are produced in extremely limited numbers, making secondary market appearances relatively infrequent. Collectors regard the 5270P with green dial as a serious acquisition — it combines the technical credibility of the movement with a dial configuration that ages well and photographs exceptionally.

Messi has demonstrated a consistent preference for high-complication Swiss watchmaking over the years, with Patek Philippe appearing regularly on his wrist alongside Jacob & Co. pieces associated with his personal brand. Choosing the 5270P for a global awards ceremony suggests a deliberate statement: one of football's greatest players reaching for one of watchmaking's most respected complications.

At a retail list price of approximately $195,000, the Patek Philippe Grand Complication 5270P already occupies rarefied air. On the current grey market, demand has pushed valuations to approximately $240,000, a premium that reflects both the general strength of high-complication Patek Philippe references and the specific scarcity of platinum cases with coloured dials. For collectors tracking the 5270 family, this sighting adds cultural weight to an already compelling piece.