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Footballer Emiliano Martínez spotted wearing Baresi & Caine

Few award-night watch choices carry the deliberate weight of Emiliano Martínez's wrist at the 2023 FIFA Best Awards. The Aston Villa and Argentina number one accepted the Best Goalkeeper trophy wearing a Baresi & Caine Sportivo Lusso Pièce Unique — a commission developed entirely in-house by the British independent marque — making the moment a dual statement of professional achievement and personal taste in high horology.

The Sportivo Lusso occupies a specific niche: a sport-luxury crossover with a pronounced diver aesthetic, executed to bespoke standards rarely seen outside the grandes maisons. The case is stainless steel, sized for contemporary wrist presence, and the rotating bezel carries twelve dodecagon-head screws — each individually set with a brilliant-cut diamond — a construction detail that demands exceptional hand-finishing given the geometric complexity of a twelve-sided setting. The crown goes further still: a 1ct round diamond is set within it, a placement that transforms a purely functional component into a jewellery element visible during daily wear. The dial itself presents a fractured, mineralite-style blue surface that shifts texture under light, complemented by bold numerals and a light-blue rubber strap that softens the overall composition without undermining its sport credentials.

Baresi & Caine operates as a fully independent British watchmaker, developing movements and complications in-house — a claim that carries genuine weight at this price tier. The Sportivo Lusso line is positioned as the house's flagship sport offering, but the Pièce Unique designation here signals a one-off commission: no two are identical, and this specific configuration — crown diamond plus full dodecagon diamond bezel — exists solely for Martínez.

For the collector community, bespoke commissions from credible independents carry growing long-term interest, particularly when the original owner is a documented world-class athlete at the peak of their career. Provenance tied to a specific FIFA award ceremony adds a layer of historical specificity that auction specialists value.

At a list price of £58,035 ($69,865 USD), the Baresi & Caine Sportivo Lusso Pièce Unique sits in serious independent territory, competing for attention against entry-level complications from AP and Patek. As a one-of-one commission, grey-market comparables do not apply.