Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Yaya Toure spotted wearing Rolex

Yaya Toure, the Ivorian midfielder who spent the defining years of his career powering Manchester City to multiple Premier League titles, was spotted wearing a Rolex Yacht-Master 40 in 18kt Everose gold, reference 116655 — one of the most cohesive and technically refined expressions in the current Yacht-Master lineup.

The Yacht-Master ref. 116655 is built entirely from Rolex's proprietary Everose gold, a platinum-enriched 18kt rose gold alloy developed by the brand to maintain its warm pink hue over the long term without surface fade. The 40mm Oyster case pairs with a matching Everose gold Oysterflex bracelet — a vulcanised elastomer strap with a titanium and nickel alloy metal blade insert — giving the watch a sportier, more wrist-conforming fit than a traditional metal bracelet. The bidirectional rotatable bezel features a raised hour markers and numerals in platinum, providing clear legibility and a pleasing tonal contrast against the rose gold dial. Inside sits the Calibre 3235, Rolex's current-generation workhorse: a self-winding movement with a Chronergy escapement, 70-hour power reserve, and COSC-plus accuracy certified to ±2 seconds per day.

From a collector standpoint, the 116655 occupies a specific and well-appreciated niche. Full precious-metal sports watches from Rolex tend to hold value robustly, and the combination of Everose gold with the Oysterflex — first introduced on this reference — makes it a landmark piece in the Yacht-Master lineage. It is not a watch that shouts; the warmth of the rose gold does its work quietly.

Toure's watch sensibility tracks with his on-pitch persona: technically accomplished, physically imposing, quietly authoritative. A player who won the African Player of the Year award four consecutive times between 2011 and 2014 and drove City's 2011–12 title campaign with a remarkable run of decisive goals, he has the career capital to match the wrist real estate.

The Rolex Yacht-Master 40 ref. 116655 carries an official UK list price of £18,350. On the grey market, demand for full Everose Rolex sports references keeps secondary pricing firm, typically trading at or slightly above retail depending on condition and documentation.