Footballer Hakan Çalhanoglu spotted wearing a Rolex

Hakan Çalhanoglu, one of Serie A's most influential midfielders, has been spotted wearing a watch that commands as much attention as his passing range: the Rolex Yacht-Master 40 'Candy' in 18k white gold, reference 126679SABR. It is not a watch you see on many wrists — or in many display cases, for that matter.

The 126679SABR belongs to Rolex's high jewellery tier within the Yacht-Master 40 family, built around a 40mm case in 950 platinum-lined 18k white gold. The rotatable bidirectional bezel, normally the defining nautical feature of the Yacht-Master line, is here transformed into something closer to a piece of fine jewellery: 40 baguette-cut gemstones set in a strict chromatic sequence of pink sapphire, light-blue sapphire, diamond, white diamond, purple sapphire, and dark-blue sapphire. A triangular diamond anchors the 12 o'clock position. Internally, the watch runs on the Rolex Calibre 3235, a manufacture movement offering a 70-hour power reserve, Chronergy escapement, and COSC-certified chronometer performance — serious engineering beneath a spectacular exterior.

For collectors, the 126679SABR occupies a specific and coveted niche. Rolex produces gem-set references in tightly controlled numbers, and the 'Candy' designation — referring to the multi-colored sapphire arrangement — has developed genuine cult status among high-jewellery watch enthusiasts. The combination of technical complexity in setting 40 individual baguettes in alternating hues, the proprietary Rolex gem-setting standards, and the scarcity of production all contribute to a grey-market premium that dwarfs most other references in the current Rolex portfolio.

Çalhanoglu has built a reputation as one of football's more discerning watch collectors, with a clear preference for high-complication and gem-set pieces that reflect his status at the top of European club football with Inter Milan. The choice of the Yacht-Master 40 'Candy' over more conventional luxury sports references signals an intentional move toward genuine rarity rather than brand visibility alone.

At an official retail price of $92,500, the Rolex Yacht-Master 40 'Candy' 126679SABR is already positioned at the upper end of the Rolex range — but authorised dealer availability is effectively non-existent. On the secondary market, verified examples are currently trading at approximately $250,000, a premium of nearly 170% over retail that underscores just how tightly Rolex controls production and how aggressively the market has responded to that scarcity.