Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo spotted wearing Jacob & Co

Cristiano Ronaldo was photographed at the opening of Jacob & Co's flagship Riyadh boutique — reportedly the brand's largest retail location to date — wearing the watch he co-created: the Jacob & Co Epic X Heart of CR7. The sighting is a natural convergence: Ronaldo relocated to Al-Nassr FC in Saudi Arabia in January 2023, and the region has become a key growth market for ultra-luxury watchmaking.

The Epic X Heart of CR7 is built on Jacob & Co's Epic X architecture, a tonneau-adjacent multi-lug case rendered here in titanium with a distinctive faceted geometry. The bezel is factory-set with 26 baguette-cut white diamonds — a detail that elevates the piece from sports collaboration into certified jewellery-watch territory. The black and green rubber strap with contrasting neon green inner lining mirrors the colour language of Ronaldo's Portugal kit and his CR7 brand identity.

The movement is where the piece earns its horological credentials. A manually wound flying tourbillon sits at the six o'clock position, visible through the skeletonised green dial. The dial itself features a three-dimensional hand-engraved figurine of Ronaldo in a characteristic pose, flanked by a rotating 18k rose-gold football — a complication in its own right. The initials 'CR7' are engraved at three o'clock, and Ronaldo's signature appears across the lower dial. The movement operates at 21,600 vph with an approximately 72-hour power reserve.

The collaboration was formalised in December 2022, weeks before the Qatar World Cup kicked off, making the timing both commercially astute and personally symbolic for Ronaldo. Jacob & Co has a well-documented history of high-profile athlete and celebrity co-designs — the Astronomia, the Twin Turbo, the Bugatti — but the CR7 edition stands out for the depth of personalisation embedded at the movement and dial level rather than purely cosmetic.

At a list price of approximately $117,000 USD, the Epic X Heart of CR7 occupies serious independent watchmaker territory. Grey market premiums have been modest given the niche but loyal collector base for Jacob & Co complications. For buyers drawn to tourbillon watchmaking with genuine narrative provenance, this reference is hard to replicate.