Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Erling Haaland spotted wearing Rolex

Erling Haaland was photographed on holiday wearing what is arguably the most flamboyant watch in the Rolex sports catalogue — the Daytona 116588TBR in 18kt yellow gold, its bezel set with 36 trapeze-cut diamonds straight from the Rolex manufactory in Geneva. The sighting places the Norwegian striker firmly among football's growing cohort of serious horological spenders.

The Rolex Daytona 116588TBR is built around the Cal. 4130, Rolex's proprietary column-wheel chronograph movement featuring a vertical clutch, a 72-hour power reserve, and a free-sprung Glucydur balance. Introduced to replace the outsourced Zenith El Primero architecture in 2000, the 4130 is now widely regarded as one of the most refined and reliable chronograph calibres in series production. The 40mm yellow gold case carries the familiar Daytona tri-colour dial layout, and Rolex mounts the watch on its Oysterflex strap — a vulcanised rubber band with a metallic internal blade, offering the comfort of rubber with the structural integrity expected of a precious-metal sports watch.

Among collectors, the 116588TBR occupies a specific niche: it is not a grail piece in the conventional sense that a stainless steel Paul Newman Daytona is, but it represents the apex of Rolex's factory gem-setting programme. The trapeze-cut stones — a step cut producing a trapezoidal profile — demand greater precision in setting than round brilliants, and Rolex sources and sets them entirely in-house. That craftsmanship, combined with the weight and warmth of yellow gold, makes this reference a statement piece rather than a daily wearer for most owners.

Haaland's taste in watches has tracked his rise through European football. During his Borussia Dortmund tenure he was already building a collection that reflected serious purchasing power, and the 116588TBR — at roughly $120,000 at retail — is consistent with that trajectory. The Oysterflex strap choice is practical for a professional athlete, suggesting this is a watch he actually wears rather than locks in a safe.

On the secondary market, the Rolex Daytona 116588TBR commands a meaningful premium over list. The combination of precious metal, factory diamonds, and the enduringly strong Daytona name pushes grey-market values to approximately $170,000 at the time of this sighting — a 40-plus percent uplift over the official retail price of $120,000. Demand for high-jewellery Rolex references from a younger, sports-world clientele has only reinforced that premium in recent years.