Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Hakim Ziyech spotted wearing Rolex

Hakim Ziyech was caught wearing a Rolex GMT-Master II reference 126710BLNR during a Champions League fixture with Chelsea — a sighting that confirms the Moroccan international's taste runs toward the understated end of the footballers-and-watches spectrum. The 'Batman' is not a flashy choice by Premier League standards, but it is arguably the most technically and aesthetically refined steel sports watch in Rolex's current lineup.

The GMT-Master II 126710BLNR was unveiled at Baselworld 2019 and represented a meaningful update to the 116710BLNR that had carried the 'Batman' name since 2013. The core upgrade was the shift from an Oyster bracelet to a five-link Jubilee — a bracelet previously reserved for dress models like the Datejust — giving the GMT a noticeably more refined wrist presence. Inside sits the calibre 3285, Rolex's in-house movement featuring a Chronergy escapement, Parachrom hairspring, and a 70-hour power reserve. The bidirectional ratcheting GMT bezel, rendered in Rolex's scratch-resistant Cerachrom ceramic, displays the classic blue-and-black colour split that inspired both the 'Batman' and, humorously, the alternative 'Bat-Girl' nickname applied by some corners of the collector community.

From a collector standpoint, the 126710BLNR occupies an almost impossibly strong position. It is simultaneously an everyday tool watch — COSC-certified, 100m water resistant, scratch-resistant crystal and bezel — and one of the hardest references to secure at retail. Grey-market premiums have remained stubbornly high since launch, a reliable indicator of genuine demand rather than speculative noise. The Jubilee bracelet variant consistently commands a premium over its Oyster-bracelet predecessors on the secondary market.

Ziyech, known for his precise left foot and a somewhat mercurial reputation at Stamford Bridge, has never been especially public about watch collecting, which makes the 'Batman' a fitting match — a watch that announces itself only to those who already know. It is a reference worn by informed buyers rather than pure status chasers.

At UK list price of approximately £7,750, the 126710BLNR sits at the more accessible end of Rolex's sports catalogue on paper. In practice, grey-market values have traded significantly above retail since release, reinforcing its status as one of the reference points — literally — of the modern steel watch market.