Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Ross Barkley spotted wearing Rolex

Ross Barkley, the England international midfielder then representing Everton, was recently spotted wearing one of Rolex's most technically sophisticated references — the Sky-Dweller in 18k Everose Gold, ref. 326935. The sighting places Barkley comfortably within a growing cohort of Premier League players who have moved beyond the entry-level Submariner into the more rarefied, complications-driven end of the Rolex catalogue.

The Sky-Dweller ref. 326935 is built around the in-house calibre 9001, a self-winding movement that took Rolex nearly a decade to develop and debuted at Baselworld in 2012. The movement offers an annual calendar — one that correctly accounts for months of 30 and 31 days, requiring manual correction only once a year at the end of February — alongside a dual time zone function displayed via an off-centre 24-hour disc. What sets the Sky-Dweller apart mechanically is the Ring Command bezel: a patented system that couples the rotating bezel to the crown, allowing the wearer to switch between three setting modes without the need for additional pushers. It remains, by any objective measure, the most complex Rolex ever offered in regular production.

The 326935 variant pairs the 42mm Oyster case and matching Everose gold bracelet with a sunburst dial — typically available in champagne, chocolate, or slate — finished with applied hour markers and the characteristic Sky-Dweller annual calendar apertures arranged around the dial's periphery. Everose, Rolex's proprietary 18k rose gold alloy, is formulated with a small quantity of platinum to resist fading, making it a long-term investment in both material and aesthetic terms.

Among collectors, the Sky-Dweller occupies an interesting position. It is occasionally overlooked in favour of the Daytona or steel sports references, yet those who understand its movement complexity tend to regard it as undervalued relative to what you get mechanically. The all-gold versions, in particular, carry a sense of occasion that suits high-profile professional athletes.

Barkley's choice of the 326935 in Everose gold — a watch retailing at around £35,000 in the UK — reflects a maturing taste in horology. It is not the obvious choice, and that, for a watch enthusiast, is precisely the point. On the grey market, all-gold Sky-Dweller references have held value well, typically trading at or modestly above retail depending on condition and dial configuration.