Mr Wu, in Shenzhen, bought this 5980/1A-019 early and wore it over a long stretch. It has rarely left the house in the past two years, and he decided to sell. He had no ready sense of the pre-owned market and what he most wanted to establish was what actually sets the price of a chronograph more than a decade out of production. He has other watches too; this one went out first to test the water, and he wanted to see how an offer sheet is put together.
WatchesShenzhen
Patek Philippe Nautilus sold for CNY 690,000 — Shenzhen watch buy-back case, August 2026
At a glance
Final price
CNY 690,000
- City
- Shenzhen
- List price when discontinued
- CNY 347,300 (iwatch365.com, 2026-09)
The figure on this page is what this particular transaction settled at. It reflects the house, the model, the condition, how complete the accessories were and the market at the time, and is not a quoted price for a comparable piece.
The client
The model and the market
The 5980/1A-019 belongs to the Nautilus series, launched in 2012 and discontinued around 2014 — earlier than most chronographs in the same series. The opaline silver-white dial is known among collectors as the "Piano" white dial, and was made in smaller numbers than the deep blue version. The 5980 came with three dials — silver-white, black and deep blue — so confirm the suffix before comparing prices across them.
The reference list price is CNY 347,300 (iwatch365.com record, September 2026). More than a decade after production ended there is no current list price; the figure turns on how many survive, the condition and how willing buyers are at the time, and is not equivalent to the old list price.
What a watch is worth depends on how it is broken down. The house and the model set the range, condition and how complete the accessories are are each costed, and the market at the time fixes the landing point; differences within one reference come from case diameter, material, dial colour and generation.
How this price was set
Mr Wu’s watch sold at CNY 690,000, with three things holding the offer up. The reference went out of production around 2014 and the steel chronograph branch has long been out of supply, so the surviving stock only falls. The opaline "Piano" dial is specific to the -019, made in smaller numbers than the deep blue version of the same series, and buyers who want that dial tend to want it specifically. And the 40.5mm steel case carries the CH 28-520 C flyback chronograph movement, with the size sitting mid-family and the construction itself no mark against it.
It went out of production earlier than most chronographs in the series, and what is available has thinned year by year.
The price came out of bidding. After inspection the watch entered the platform, buyers across the country bid side by side, and Mr Wu picked one from the open offer sheet. This route in watch buy-back covers Patek Philippe references both in production and discontinued, and what a piece is worth follows only the market at the time. (Market figures reflect publicly available data.)
What we did
Competitive buy-back
The watch goes onto the bidding platform and trade buyers across the country bid live at the same time. The offer sheet is open for you to choose from, and the number is formed by market bidding
Watch authentication
An appraiser team of more than a hundred. Every item is signed off by three of them, and each check is recorded line by line and photographed
Credentials
Named in 2025 to the first cohort of pre-owned goods circulation pilot enterprises by MOFCOM, the NDRC, the Ministry of Natural Resources and SAMR; in 2019 Vintage-Privée entered a three-way strategic partnership with CCIC (China Certification & Inspection Group) and Alibaba.
Settlement
Payment goes out as soon as an offer is accepted. Nothing is charged if you walk away
How it ran
1
Talk to an advisor
Send photographs online with the dial detail noted, and we pin down the reference and dial colour first
2
Free valuation
A rough range from the reference and the condition, at no charge
3
Book a viewing
Book a boutique submission, or choose a home visit or shipping
4
Appraiser check
Authenticity and condition verified, the chronograph function tested, photographed to file, then listed on the platform
5
Trade bidding
Buyers bid in real time, with the detail of the offers open to Mr Wu
6
Settlement
He confirmed the offer, signed, settled, and was paid on the spot
Questions about this case
What can a Patek Philippe 5980/1A-019 sell for?
This Shenzhen sale in August 2026 recorded CNY 690,000. It has been out of production for years, so the valuation rests mainly on condition, accessories and demand at the time, not on the pre-discontinuation list price.
Which of the three 5980 dials fetches the most at buy-back?
It follows demand at the time rather than a fixed ranking. The 5980 came in silver-white, black and deep blue, and the silver-white and deep blue draw different sets of buyers, so within the same period the order can swap around. Dial colour is one element in the offer, not the deciding one. If you are unsure whether a dial is original, an appraiser can confirm it during the check.
Is there still demand for a watch discontinued more than a decade ago?
Yes, and for some references demand is quite steady. Discontinuation means the float only falls, which makes pieces in good condition scarcer. What settles a sale is still the house, the reference, the condition and the accessories. When enquiring, ask directly about recent sales of the same reference — sale figures are more solid than asking prices.
How soon is a watch buy-back in Shenzhen paid out?
The check and the bidding usually finish the same day, and payment follows signing. The Shenzhen boutiques offer in-store checks, home visits and shipping. Book before coming in so an appraiser is on site.
Start with what yours is worth
Free online valuation. Nothing to pay if you decide not to sell.