Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Arturo Vidal spotted wearing Rolex

When Arturo Vidal completed his high-profile move from Juventus FC to Bayern Munich, the Chilean international marked the transition in characteristically assured style — photographed wearing one of Rolex's most desirable modern references, the Daytona 116505 in Everose gold with a chocolate dial.

The reference 116505 is a member of Rolex's Cosmograph Daytona family, introduced in its current generation in 2013 alongside the broader rollout of Rolex's proprietary 18k Everose gold alloy. The 40mm case houses the calibre 4130, Rolex's in-house chronograph movement featuring a column wheel and vertical clutch — a significant technical upgrade over the earlier cam-and-lever system. The movement offers a 72-hour power reserve and operates at 28,800 vph. The chocolate dial — formally a brown gradient sunray-finish — is paired with Everose gold applied hour markers and subdials, creating a cohesive, monochromatic warmth that distinguishes it sharply from the steel or white gold variants. The tachymetric bezel is executed in matching Everose gold, and the bracelet is the Oyster with Oysterclasp and Easylink comfort extension link.

Among collectors, the 116505 chocolate dial occupies a particularly strong position. Brown dials in precious metal Daytonas have historically attracted fierce demand — a lineage that traces back to the legendary Paul Newman references of the 1960s and 1970s. The chocolate 116505 carries that symbolic weight into the modern era, and its scarcity at authorised dealers has only reinforced its desirability. Grey market premiums have remained consistently elevated since the reference launched.

Vidal's choice aligns with a well-established pattern among elite European footballers who gravitate toward precious metal Daytonas as statement pieces that transcend the conventional sports watch. His son was simultaneously spotted wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400OR — a rose gold Royal Oak — suggesting genuine horological enthusiasm runs in the family rather than casual brand-name acquisition.

At UK retail, the 116505 was listed at £25,100 at the time of the sighting. On the grey market, demand consistently pushed prices well above that figure, reflecting both the Daytona name and the specific appeal of the chocolate dial and Everose gold combination.