Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Alexis Sanchez spotted wearing Rolex

Alexis Sanchez, the Chilean winger who was one of the Premier League's most electrifying attackers during his time at Arsenal, was recently spotted wearing a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in 18k yellow gold, reference 116518, paired with a leather strap — a combination that strips away any sportiness and leans fully into the watch's grand complication heritage.

The Rolex Daytona 116518 was introduced in the early 2000s as part of the generation that marked Rolex's transition to its proprietary in-house movement. Beating at its core is the calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch system that Rolex developed entirely in-house, replacing the outsourced Zenith El Primero base used in the preceding 16518. The 4130 offers a 72-hour power reserve, operates at 28,800 vph, and is certified as a Superlative Chronometer — meaning it meets Rolex's own standard of ±2 seconds per day, tighter than COSC. The 40mm case in solid 18k yellow gold is paired with a tachymetric bezel in the same metal, giving the watch an unambiguous presence on the wrist.

Among collectors, the 116518 occupies a nuanced position. It lacks the exotic dial configurations — meteorite, Mother-of-Pearl, or gem-set — that drive the highest auction premiums, but a clean 116518 in yellow gold with a complementary dial is regarded as a foundational piece in any serious gold Daytona collection. Leather-strapped examples tend to photograph with particular elegance, reducing the visual weight that a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet would add.

Sanchez was at the peak of his powers during his Arsenal years, regularly attracting transfer speculation from Europe's biggest clubs, and his taste in watches reflected that elevated status. The Daytona 116518 is precisely the kind of understated-yet-substantial choice a footballer with genuine horological awareness makes — not a bejewelled showpiece, but a manufacture-grade chronograph in precious metal.

At retail, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116518 was listed at approximately £25,000 in the UK market at the time of this sighting. On the grey market, demand for solid gold Daytona references has remained consistently strong, with pre-owned examples in good condition regularly commanding premiums above list price depending on dial variant and overall condition.