Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Bukayo Saka spotted wearing Rolex

Bukayo Saka, Arsenal's England international and one of the most decorated young footballers in the Premier League, was recently spotted wearing a Rolex GMT-Master II reference 126719BLRO — the white gold Pepsi variant finished with one of watchmaking's most extraordinary dial materials: genuine meteorite.

The ref. 126719BLRO sits at the apex of the GMT-Master II family. Its 40mm case is crafted entirely in 18K white gold, a significant step above the steel and Rolesor variants that populate most wrists. The bidirectional 24-hour bezel insert is executed in Rolex's proprietary Cerachrom ceramic in blue and red — the classic Pepsi configuration — here set within a white gold bezel ring that elevates the contrast considerably. At the center of it all lies a meteorite dial sourced from iron-nickel meteorites that predates the formation of the solar system, its Widmanstätten crystalline pattern the result of billions of years of cooling. No two dials are identical.

Powering the watch is the Rolex Calibre 3285, an in-house movement introduced with the generation-five GMT-Master II. It features a Chronergy escapement — a nickel-phosphorus lever and escape wheel system that improves energy efficiency — a Parachrom hairspring for antimagnetic and shock resistance, and a 70-hour power reserve. It is certified as a Superlative Chronometer, meaning Rolex tests it to ±2 seconds per day after casing, beyond COSC standards.

Among collectors, the 126719BLRO occupies a rarefied position. White gold Rolex sports references have historically commanded significant premiums over their steel counterparts, and the meteorite dial variant compounds that desirability further. Supply is tightly controlled, and authorized dealer waitlists for this reference are effectively theoretical — grey market acquisition is the realistic path for most buyers.

For Saka, 22 years old and earning comfortably at the top of professional football's pay scale, the 126719BLRO is a coherent choice: technically serious, materially exceptional, and understated enough to wear without spectacle. At a grey-market value approaching $87,000, it reflects both taste and investment awareness in equal measure.