Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Sergio Ramos spotted wearing IWC

Sergio Ramos, one of football's most decorated defenders and a man with a well-documented taste for high-end timepieces, was recently photographed wearing the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Spitfire in 18kt red gold, reference IW500917 — a version of IWC's iconic aviator watch that trades the utilitarian steel aesthetic for something considerably more luxurious.

The Big Pilot's Watch lineage traces directly to IWC's Mark 11 of 1948, developed for the British Royal Air Force and built around legibility, reliability, and an oversized onion crown for operation with gloved hands. The Spitfire sub-family, named after the legendary Supermarine fighter aircraft, leans into that wartime aviation heritage with a more subdued, warm-toned dial palette. Reference IW500917 takes this further with its 18kt red gold 46mm case, paired with a brown leather strap and a matching brown dial — a combination that reads more gentleman's dress watch than cockpit instrument, while retaining every structural cue of the original pilot's brief.

Powering the IW500917 is IWC's Calibre 51111, a manually wound movement offering an exceptional 168-hour (7-day) power reserve via a single mainspring barrel. The movement beats at 21,600 vph, features 21 jewels, and is finished to a standard befitting the price point. The oversized subsidiary seconds at 9 o'clock and the bold Arabic numerals on the dial remain faithful to the original functional design language.

For collectors, the red gold Big Pilot's Watch occupies a specific niche: it is not a casual everyday tool watch, nor is it a traditional dress watch. That deliberate ambiguity attracts buyers who want the architectural presence of a large pilot's watch with precious metal gravitas. Production numbers for red gold references are significantly lower than steel, which sustains secondary market interest.

Ramos has long favoured watches that project confidence — Richard Milles, Rolexes, and now this IWC. The Big Pilot Spitfire IW500917, retailing at approximately £23,750 in the UK market, suits his off-pitch persona well: historically referenced, visually dominant, and unambiguously expensive.