Footballer Giorgio Chiellini spotted wearing a Rolex

Giorgio Chiellini, the granite-jawed centre-back who anchored Juventus and Italy's defence for the better part of two decades, has long cultivated a taste that runs counter to his no-frills playing style. On his wrist: the Rolex GMT-Master II reference 116758SARU, a discontinued gem-set version of the legendary pilot's watch that makes conventional sports watches look positively austere.

Introduced in 2007 as part of Rolex's high-jewellery expansion of the GMT-Master II line, the 116758SARU is built on the calibre 3186 automatic movement — a 28,800 vph, 48-hour power reserve workhorse with Parachrom hairspring — housed inside a 40mm case crafted entirely in 18k yellow gold. What sets the reference apart is its bezel: rather than the iconic Cerachrom ceramic insert found on standard GMT-Master II references, Rolex hand-set 18 blue sapphires and 18 rubies to replicate the classic 'Pepsi' red-and-blue colour scheme. The case itself is pavé-set with 76 brilliant-cut diamonds, and a further 23 diamonds appear on the dial.

The 116758SARU occupies a peculiar and coveted corner of Rolex collecting. It sits at the intersection of the tool-watch purist's favourite complication — the independently adjustable GMT hand allowing a simultaneous third time zone — and the haute joaillerie world. Rolex discontinued the yellow gold version, with the 116758SARU subsequently replaced by an 18k Everose gold variant. That discontinuation has only tightened supply, pushing grey-market prices well above the already considerable original retail figure.

Chiellini's affinity for bold accessories is well documented among football-watch observers. The defender, who won nine consecutive Serie A titles with Juventus before a spell with LA FC, has consistently gravitated toward statement-level timepieces that reflect both his stature within the game and a willingness to invest seriously in horology. The 116758SARU is precisely the kind of reference that signals genuine collecting intent rather than a generic luxury purchase.

At official retail the GMT-Master II 116758SARU was listed at $88,400. On today's grey market, where examples in good condition change hands among dedicated collectors, the piece trades closer to $115,000 — a premium that reflects both its discontinued status and the irreplaceable combination of a functional complication and Rolex's finest stone-setting craft.