Footballer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang spotted wearing a Rolex

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has never been shy about his passion for horology, and this sighting confirms that his collection operates at the very top of the market. The Gabonese forward — at the time one of the Premier League's most lethal strikers — was photographed wearing what appears to be a Rolex Day-Date 40 reference 228348RBR, dressed in a full Versace baroque print jacket that, intentionally or not, perfectly mirrors the watch's maximalist aesthetic.

The Rolex Day-Date 40 ref. 228348RBR is constructed entirely in 18K yellow gold, from the 40mm Oyster case to the five-piece-link President bracelet. The diamond-set bezel carries 36 brilliant-cut stones, while the dial beneath is a masterclass in Rolex's in-house gem-setting craft: a full pavé of round brilliants punctuated by baguette diamond hour markers and two vivid ruby baguettes positioned at 9 and 3 o'clock. The fluted crown flanking the case at 3 o'clock houses the Rolex caliber 3255, a movement introduced with this generation featuring a Chronergy escapement, 70-hour power reserve, and a Paraflex shock absorber — technically the most advanced in-house movement Rolex has ever placed in a dress watch.

From a collector standpoint, the 228348RBR occupies rarefied territory. Full pavé dial configurations with colored stone accents represent the apex of the Day-Date catalog — pieces that rarely surface on the secondary market and almost never at a discount to retail. The ruby variant in particular carries strong symbolic resonance, red stones having long been associated with Rolex's most celebratory dial executions dating back to vintage 1803 references.

Aubameyang's affinity for Rolex is well documented. He has been photographed with multiple Day-Date references alongside an array of Patek Philippe and Richard Mille timepieces, making his wrist one of the most watched in professional football. The baroque-gold aesthetic of the Versace jacket he pairs here is no accident — the man curates his looks with the same precision he applies to his goal-scoring.

At retail, Rolex lists fully set Day-Date 40 configurations in this specification at approximately $75,000 USD, though the grey market commands a significant premium given the near-impossibility of allocation from authorized dealers. Expect secondary market prices to range between $85,000 and $95,000 for an unworn example, with gem-set models proving consistently resilient in value even through broader market corrections.