Footballer Patrice Evra spotted wearing a Rolex

Patrice Evra — decorated left-back turned ebullient television pundit — was recently photographed wearing a stainless steel Rolex Milgauss reference 116400GV, one of the more intellectually interesting choices in the Rolex sports watch canon. The sighting is a reminder that the Milgauss, often overshadowed by the Submariner and Daytona, continues to attract wearers who value originality over obvious status signalling.

The Rolex Milgauss ref. 116400GV sits on a 40mm Oyster case in 904L stainless steel, housing the in-house calibre 3131 movement — a self-winding mechanical movement featuring a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring and a ferromagnetic inner shield that together deliver resistance to magnetic fields of up to 1,000 gauss. That specification was purpose-built for scientists at facilities like CERN in Geneva, where the original 6541 debuted in 1956. Rolex revived the line in 2007 after a long hiatus, and the GV suffix on the 116400 denotes the signature green sapphire crystal, an anti-reflective touch that gives the dial an unmistakable warm tint.

Among collectors, the 116400GV occupies an interesting position. It is not a limited edition, not a precious metal proposition, and not positioned as an obvious trophy piece — which is precisely why it appeals to a certain kind of discerning buyer. The lightning-bolt seconds hand, the smooth bezel, and that green crystal make it instantly identifiable to those in the know, while remaining relatively low-key to the casual observer. The Z-Blue and black dial variants have developed particularly strong aftermarket followings.

Evra spent the peak of his career at Manchester United and Juventus, winning five Premier League titles and a Serie A title, before transitioning into punditry with a personality that has made him one of the more watchable voices in football media. His choice of the Milgauss — functional, historically grounded, not the loudest Rolex in the room — feels consistent with someone who can read a room.

The Rolex Milgauss 116400GV was discontinued from Rolex's official catalogue in 2023, which has lent the reference renewed collector interest and pushed grey-market values upward from where they sat during active production. Anyone who secured one at retail got a genuine bargain by today's reckoning.