Zlatan Ibrahimovic Wears the Most Talked-About Watch in the World
StyleThe ex-striker wore Patek Philippe’s first new collection in 25 years.By Oren HartovNovember 9, 2024Photographs: Getty Images, Patek Philippe; Collage: Gabe ConteSave this storySaveSave this storySaveZlatan Ibrahimovic has secured a first-row seat on the hype train. The ticket? The new Patek Philippe Cubitus ref. 5822P-001, the recently launched flagship model from the maison’s brand-new collection. Spotted at a Monza vs. Milan match in Italy this week, the complicated, platinum-cased piece was clearly visible attached to his right wrist via its blue composite strap. The former AC Milan player is in famous company: Mark Walhberg, who snagged the green, time-only ref. 5821/1A-001, was among the other early adopters of the collection.A watch lover, Ibrahimovic counts all sorts of classics in his collection, from the Rolex “Rainbow” Daytona, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the “John Mayer” green-dial Daytona, “Hulk” Submariner, and even the MoonSwatch “Mission to Mars.” The Cubitus is on another level, though. The Patek is so new that few people beyond Marky Mark have been able to snag one yet.Claudio Villa/Getty ImagesIn case you’ve been living under a horological rock these past few weeks, the Cubitus is Patek Philippe’s first new collection in 25 years. Launched in Munich, it currently consists of three references: the flagship complicated ref. 5821/1A-001 in platinum, the time-only ref. 5821/1A-001 in steel, and the time-only ref. 5821/1AR-001 in two-tone steel and rose gold. The Cubitus was a personal project of brand President Thierry Stern and born from his desire for a square-cased watch. The new design takes clear inspiration from the Gérald Genta-inspired Nautilus of 1976. A “luxury sports watch” in the mold of many of Genta’s famous designs, it currently sits side-by-side with both the Nautilus and the Aquanaut within Patek’s collection.The collection has proved aesthetically contentious, with some accusing the dial layout on the complicated ref. 5821/1A-001 of being poorly balanced. Personally, having tried all three watches on in person during their debut in Munich, I prefer the time-only versions, though all are thin and beautifully finished. They’re also wide, and I’m no doubt not alone in hoping for a significantly smaller version in the future.The complicated ref. 5822P-001 worn by Ibrahimovic is capable of handling all sorts of tasks. Below 12 o’clock is an outsize date display, while a running seconds indicator sits between 4 and 5 o’clock and a combination day-of-the-week and moon phase display is parked between 6 and 8 o’clock. The horizontally embossed dial pattern, baton-style hands, and applied indices, make the dial not too dissimilar from, say, a Nautilus ref. 5712/1A. The watch is finished with a composite strap in blue with a platinum fold-over clasp.A brand-new collection from the world’s most highly regarded watchmaker is going to generate its fair share of both praise and controversy—indeed, everyone’s a critic, and most of them haven’t even tried the watches on yet. Clearly, Ibrahimovic is an early adopter, and unlike Wahlberg, prefers the complicated version. With other complicated references undoubtedly coming down the pike, the rest of us civilians will have to wait patiently to see what else Patek has up its cube-shaped sleeve.John Shearer/Getty ImagesLuke Combs’s Patek Philippe ref. 5935AWow! Combs, already a prolific watch collector, pulled out all the stops with his latest piece. The country singer was spotted with a Patek Philippe ref. 5935A, a gorgeous world timer/flyback chronograph from the brand’s Complications line. Housed in a 41mm case, it’s remarkable for its stainless steel construction, which is rare for a company whose primary focus is precious metals. The rose-gilt opaline dial features a world-time display. The elegant traveler’s complication was developed by Louis Cottier in the early 20th century and has long featured in Patek’s catalog. Combined with a flyback chronograph powered by an automatic movement, however, it takes on an entirely different flavor.Elsa/Getty ImagesFrancisco Lindor’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther Flying Tourbillon’It’s a great week for watches that stole headlines. While Patek’s Cubitus is currently taking up much of the horological oxygen, that status once belonged to Francisco Lindor’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther Flying Tourbillon.’ This limited-edition watch, which AP made 250 pieces of, puts the Marvel superhero front and center on the dial straddling Abraham-Louis Breguet’s famous gravity-compensating invention. Seen wearing it at the Knicks-Pacers game this week at Madison Square Garden, Lindor is far from the first celebrity athlete to rock the Black Panther: LeBron was an early adopter back in 2021 when the watch first launched, and Serena Williams strapped one on as well. (The Spiderman equivalent, meanwhile, has been worn by both John Mayer and Ed Sheeran, who dared each other to p
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has secured a first-row seat on the hype train. The ticket? The new Patek Philippe Cubitus ref. 5822P-001, the recently launched flagship model from the maison’s brand-new collection. Spotted at a Monza vs. Milan match in Italy this week, the complicated, platinum-cased piece was clearly visible attached to his right wrist via its blue composite strap. The former AC Milan player is in famous company: Mark Walhberg, who snagged the green, time-only ref. 5821/1A-001, was among the other early adopters of the collection.
A watch lover, Ibrahimovic counts all sorts of classics in his collection, from the Rolex “Rainbow” Daytona, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the “John Mayer” green-dial Daytona, “Hulk” Submariner, and even the MoonSwatch “Mission to Mars.” The Cubitus is on another level, though. The Patek is so new that few people beyond Marky Mark have been able to snag one yet.
In case you’ve been living under a horological rock these past few weeks, the Cubitus is Patek Philippe’s first new collection in 25 years. Launched in Munich, it currently consists of three references: the flagship complicated ref. 5821/1A-001 in platinum, the time-only ref. 5821/1A-001 in steel, and the time-only ref. 5821/1AR-001 in two-tone steel and rose gold. The Cubitus was a personal project of brand President Thierry Stern and born from his desire for a square-cased watch. The new design takes clear inspiration from the Gérald Genta-inspired Nautilus of 1976. A “luxury sports watch” in the mold of many of Genta’s famous designs, it currently sits side-by-side with both the Nautilus and the Aquanaut within Patek’s collection.
The collection has proved aesthetically contentious, with some accusing the dial layout on the complicated ref. 5821/1A-001 of being poorly balanced. Personally, having tried all three watches on in person during their debut in Munich, I prefer the time-only versions, though all are thin and beautifully finished. They’re also wide, and I’m no doubt not alone in hoping for a significantly smaller version in the future.
The complicated ref. 5822P-001 worn by Ibrahimovic is capable of handling all sorts of tasks. Below 12 o’clock is an outsize date display, while a running seconds indicator sits between 4 and 5 o’clock and a combination day-of-the-week and moon phase display is parked between 6 and 8 o’clock. The horizontally embossed dial pattern, baton-style hands, and applied indices, make the dial not too dissimilar from, say, a Nautilus ref. 5712/1A. The watch is finished with a composite strap in blue with a platinum fold-over clasp.
A brand-new collection from the world’s most highly regarded watchmaker is going to generate its fair share of both praise and controversy—indeed, everyone’s a critic, and most of them haven’t even tried the watches on yet. Clearly, Ibrahimovic is an early adopter, and unlike Wahlberg, prefers the complicated version. With other complicated references undoubtedly coming down the pike, the rest of us civilians will have to wait patiently to see what else Patek has up its cube-shaped sleeve.
Luke Combs’s Patek Philippe ref. 5935A
Wow! Combs, already a prolific watch collector, pulled out all the stops with his latest piece. The country singer was spotted with a Patek Philippe ref. 5935A, a gorgeous world timer/flyback chronograph from the brand’s Complications line. Housed in a 41mm case, it’s remarkable for its stainless steel construction, which is rare for a company whose primary focus is precious metals. The rose-gilt opaline dial features a world-time display. The elegant traveler’s complication was developed by Louis Cottier in the early 20th century and has long featured in Patek’s catalog. Combined with a flyback chronograph powered by an automatic movement, however, it takes on an entirely different flavor.
Francisco Lindor’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther Flying Tourbillon’
It’s a great week for watches that stole headlines. While Patek’s Cubitus is currently taking up much of the horological oxygen, that status once belonged to Francisco Lindor’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther Flying Tourbillon.’ This limited-edition watch, which AP made 250 pieces of, puts the Marvel superhero front and center on the dial straddling Abraham-Louis Breguet’s famous gravity-compensating invention. Seen wearing it at the Knicks-Pacers game this week at Madison Square Garden, Lindor is far from the first celebrity athlete to rock the Black Panther: LeBron was an early adopter back in 2021 when the watch first launched, and Serena Williams strapped one on as well. (The Spiderman equivalent, meanwhile, has been worn by both John Mayer and Ed Sheeran, who dared each other to pick up the piece.)
Colman Domingo’s Panthère de Cartier
It’s tough to argue with the Panthère de Cartier, one of Cartier’s most elegant collections. While the line is described as distinctly feminine by the brand and marketed to women, the zeitgeist of late has allowed for much more widespread adoption. Case in point: the ever-dapper Colman Domingo wearing the 18K yellow gold model in the Large size to the 2024 LACMA Art+Film Gala at Los Angeles County Museum of Art. When stacked with an assemblage of shiny Cartier jewelry—earrings, bracelet, and rings included—the Panthère de Cartier is undeniable as a masterpiece of unisex design.
Bruce Springsteen’s Rolex GMT-Master II
To poorly paraphrase the Springsteen jam “Land of Hope and Dreams,” “I don’t know where we’re (horologically) going, but I know we won’t be back.” Ever since The Boss wore a beat-up old Heuer Autavia a few years ago—the first time I had ever clocked the guy wearing a watch—my Spidey senses perked up. He’s since worn an old Breitling on a Rolling Stone interview, and my brain momentarily shut down. Now the guy is spotted outdoors wearing a Rolex? Needless to say, a $10,000+ dual-time Rollie was not on my Boss bingo card when I came up in Bergen County, N.J. Thoughts on what’s next? Asking because I need to mentally steel myself for the moment he turns up at the Prudential Center to play Darlington County wearing a Royal Oak.
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