Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Lionel Messi spotted wearing Rolex

Spotted during his tenure at FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi was photographed wearing a Rolex Yacht-Master 40 in 18K Everose gold, reference 116655 — a piece that sits firmly at the premium end of the Yacht-Master family and signals a clear preference for precious-metal sports watches over purely dressy alternatives.

The Rolex Yacht-Master 116655 was introduced at Baselworld 2015 and marked a significant moment for the line: it was the first Yacht-Master to be offered on Rolex's then-new Oysterflex bracelet, a black vulcanised rubber strap over a titanium and nickel alloy spine that provides both sporting flexibility and a secure fit. The 40mm Oyster case and bidirectional rotatable bezel are executed entirely in Everose gold — Rolex's in-house 18K rose gold alloy, developed at their Rolex SA foundry and formulated with platinum to prevent the colour from fading over time. The dial is a deep chocolate brown, sometimes catalogued as Everose, and carries applied hour markers with luminescent Chromalight fill. Power comes from the automatic calibre 3135, featuring a Parachrom blue hairspring, Paraflex shock absorbers, and approximately 48 hours of power reserve.

Among collectors, the 116655 occupies an interesting position. It is not a limited edition, yet the all-Everose configuration — case, bracelet, bezel, and dial in complementary tones — gives it a coherence that the two-tone steel-and-gold variants lack. The Oysterflex bracelet, initially polarising, has since earned considerable respect for its comfort and durability. Waiting lists at authorised dealers remain meaningful, keeping grey-market premiums modest but persistent.

Messi's watch tastes have been well documented over the years, spanning Rolex Daytonas, Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks, and various Richard Mille collaborations. The Yacht-Master 116655 represents a more understated choice within that range — all gold, but worn as a sports watch rather than a jewellery piece, which fits the athlete's generally low-key public demeanour off the pitch.

At launch the reference carried a UK list price of approximately £18,350, translating to a USD retail figure in the mid-twenties depending on exchange rates. On the secondary market, clean examples with box and papers consistently trade at or slightly above retail, reflecting steady global demand for full-gold Rolex sports references without the extreme premiums attached to the Daytona or certain steel Submariner variants.