Footballer Sami Nasri spotted wearing a Richard Mille

Samir Nasri, the technically gifted French midfielder who was a key creative force in Manchester City's early Premier League title-winning era, was photographed sporting one of the more exclusive references in Richard Mille's catalogue: the RM011 White Gold 'Polo de St Tropez', reference 511.06AN.91V-1. The sighting places Nasri firmly among the upper tier of footballer watch collectors, where Richard Mille has long been the brand of choice.

The Richard Mille RM011 is no mere fashion statement. At its core sits the calibre RMAC1, an automatic flyback chronograph movement with an annual calendar, a function that requires just one manual correction per year — at the end of February. The movement is built on a grade 5 titanium baseplate and bridges, skeletonised to reduce mass, and beats at 28,800 vph with a power reserve of approximately 55 hours. The column wheel chronograph mechanism ensures precise, tactile engagement, and the flyback function allows the chronograph to be reset and restarted in a single push of the pusher rather than the traditional three-step process.

The 'Polo de St Tropez' designation marks this as a limited edition tied to Richard Mille's long association with the elite polo circuit on the Côte d'Azur. The white gold case — measuring 50mm × 40mm in the RM011's characteristic tonneau shape — elevates an already premium reference into genuine precious-metal territory. White gold construction adds both weight and lustre while remaining more understated than yellow gold, a distinction serious collectors appreciate. Production numbers for this specific variant are extremely limited, making it a legitimate grail piece within the RM011 family.

Nasri's affinity for Richard Mille tracks with a broader trend among elite European footballers who gravitated toward the brand during the 2010s, when RM became the dominant status symbol on Premier League and Champions League wrists. The brand's combination of visible mechanical complexity and unabashedly high price points resonated strongly with athletes at the peak of their earning power.

On the market, white gold RM011 variants command significant premiums. With a UK list price in the region of £80,000 at time of sighting, grey-market demand for limited 'Polo de St Tropez' references has historically pushed transaction prices well above retail, particularly for examples in white gold. Collectors chasing this specific reference should budget accordingly.