Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Radja Nainggolan spotted wearing Rolex

Radja Nainggolan, the combative Belgian international then anchoring Roma's midfield with characteristic intensity, was photographed wearing a Rolex Yacht-Master 40 reference 116655 — one of the brand's most opulent sports-adjacent references and a firm favourite among footballers who want more than stainless steel.

The Rolex Yacht-Master 40 ref. 116655 is built entirely in 18k Everose gold, Rolex's proprietary rose-gold alloy developed in-house at the Rolex foundry and engineered to resist fading over time. The 40mm Oyster case houses the calibre 3135, a self-winding movement with a 48-hour power reserve, paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring, and Rolex's proven Paraflex shock absorbers. The bidirectional rotatable bezel is fitted with a matte Oysterflex rubber strap — introduced on this reference as a softer, sportier alternative to the traditional Oyster bracelet — and set with a raised hour-scale in Everose gold. Water resistance reaches 100 metres.

The 116655 debuted in 2015 and immediately distinguished itself within the Yacht-Master family. While the steel-and-platinum 116622 and the two-tone 116621 serve a broader market, the all-Everose 116655 occupies a collector niche: a solid precious-metal sports watch that wears relatively lightly on the wrist thanks to the Oysterflex strap. The combination of robust tool-watch DNA and full gold construction is a rare proposition, and the reference has maintained consistent demand among collectors who prize that contradiction.

Nainggolan built a reputation at Roma as one of Serie A's most complete central midfielders — powerful, technically sharp, and rarely understated in his personal style. The choice of the Rolex Yacht-Master 40 ref. 116655 reads as entirely consistent: a watch with genuine horological substance dressed in unambiguous luxury, worn by someone who has never shown much interest in blending into the background.

On the grey market, the 116655 typically trades above its retail position, reflecting stable demand for solid Everose Rolex sports references. Official retail pricing sits in the mid-to-upper range of the Yacht-Master collection, and secondary market premiums have remained measured compared to steel sport Rolex references — making this arguably one of the more accessible paths to a precious-metal Rolex at something approaching a fair price.