Footballer Thiago Silva spotted wearing a Parmigiani

Thiago Silva, then commanding centre-back for Paris Saint-Germain and captain of the Brazilian national side, was caught studying his wrist — and the watch in question is no off-the-shelf endorsement piece. The Parmigiani Fleurier Pershing CBF Chronograph is a purpose-built special edition created through Parmigiani's official partnership with the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol, making it one of the few watches that carries genuine national footballing heritage rather than a mere logo stamp.

The case construction pairs a titanium main body — lightweight and resistant to knocks, sensible choices for an active sportsman — with a rose gold bezel that carries the tachymetre scale. The combination gives the watch visual warmth without excessive weight, a hallmark of Parmigiani's engineering philosophy. The vertically striped dark blue dial is a direct visual reference to Brazil's away kit, and the scattered green five-pointed stars reinforce the Seleção identity without veering into kitsch. Yellow central chronograph hands add a further national colour cue. Two silver subsidiary dials house the 30-minute counter and small seconds, keeping the layout legible despite the decorative backdrop.

The movement driving the Pershing CBF is Parmigiani's in-house PF334 calibre — a column-wheel chronograph with a horizontal clutch, offering smooth start-stop action and solid long-term reliability. Parmigiani Fleurier, founded by Michel Parmigiani in Fleurier in 1996, built its reputation on restoration and movement finishing before turning to production. The Pershing line itself was originally developed in collaboration with the Pershing yacht brand, giving it genuine marine sports credentials.

For collectors, the CBF edition sits at the intersection of two distinct communities: serious Parmigiani enthusiasts drawn to the manufacture's finishing standards and in-house movements, and football memorabilia collectors for whom the CBF connection is the primary draw. That dual audience, however, has not translated into rampant grey-market premiums — this remains a specialist piece.

With a UK list price of approximately £18,200 at time of release, the USD equivalent sat around the $23,000–$25,000 range. Grey-market availability is thin, which itself speaks to the piece's limited production and targeted distribution through the CBF ambassador network — of which Thiago Silva was a natural centrepiece.