Footballer Jordan Pickford spotted wearing a Rolex

Jordan Pickford, England's first-choice goalkeeper, turned up to a pre-match press conference wearing considerably more than his gloves. On his left wrist, partially visible beneath a sleeve of tattoos, sits what is identifiable as a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in the two-tone steel and yellow gold configuration — a combination that has remained one of the manufacturer's most enduring aesthetic propositions since the Daytona's commercial renaissance in the 1980s.

The reference in question is almost certainly the 116503, the current-generation two-tone Daytona that entered production around 2013 alongside the all-steel 116500LN. The 116503 pairs a 904L stainless steel case and Oyster bracelet with 18K yellow gold bezel, crown guards, pushers, and bracelet centre links. The white dial with champagne-gold subdial surrounds — visible in both the wrist shot and the reference image composite — is the definitive 116503 configuration. Case diameter sits at 40mm, with a sapphire crystal and the tachymeter scale engraved directly into the metal bezel rather than applied in ceramic, as on the all-steel 116500LN.

Under the dial, Rolex's calibre 4130 does the work. Introduced with the reference 116520 in 2000, the 4130 was a landmark movement: a purpose-built, in-house column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch, eliminating the hand-jump on start-up that plagued earlier Valjoux-based Daytonas. It runs at 28,800 vph, offers 72 hours of power reserve, and carries Rolex's Superlative Chronometer certification, meaning it leaves Geneva accurate to ±2 seconds per day.

Collector-wise, the 116503 occupies interesting territory. It lacks the cult status of the all-steel sport Daytonas and commands less heat on secondary markets than the ceramic-bezel 116500LN, yet it retains the mechanical pedigree and finishing quality that define the reference family. Grey-market premiums are moderate, making it arguably the most sensibly priced entry point into modern Daytona ownership.

Pickford's choice of the two-tone Daytona reflects a taste common among Premier League footballers — a watch that signals luxury without the full ostentation of a solid gold piece. At international press events, where the backdrop is institutional and the audience scrutinises every detail, it reads as considered rather than flashy. A solid pick from the England number one.