Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo spotted wearing a Rolex

During a high-profile visit to his former Real Madrid teammates in Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo — now playing for Al Nassr FC — was photographed alongside Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, his wrist making as strong a statement as the reunion itself. On it: a heavily customised Rolex Datejust 41 in two-tone Oystersteel and Everose gold, featuring an aftermarket full-pavé diamond bezel and diamond-set centre links on the Oyster bracelet.

The base reference is almost certainly the Rolex Datejust 41 Ref. 126331, introduced as part of the broader Datejust 41 generation launched at Baselworld 2016. The 41mm Oystersteel and Everose gold case houses the Rolex Calibre 3235 — a proprietary self-winding movement offering approximately 70 hours of power reserve, a Chronergy escapement, and COSC-certified chronometric precision. The chocolate (brown) dial with rose-gold baton indices and the date window at 3 o'clock are characteristic of this ref in its standard guise.

What sets this example apart is the aftermarket diamond work. The bezel — factory-standard on the 126331 in a fluted or smooth configuration — has been replaced or overlaid with a full round-brilliant diamond pavé setting, while the steel outer bracelet links have received matching diamond integration. This type of work is typically executed by specialist diamond setters in Geneva, Antwerp, or New York, and adds significant labour and material cost on top of the base watch price.

For Ronaldo, luxury watch collecting is well documented. He has been photographed in Pateks, Jacob & Co. pieces, and multiple Rolex references over the years. A diamond-set Datejust sits at the accessible end of his known collection — functional, immediately legible as luxury, and appropriate for a semi-casual public appearance rather than a red-carpet event.

The standard Rolex Datejust 41 Ref. 126331 retails at approximately $13,150 USD in its factory two-tone configuration. Grey market premiums on unmodified examples run modest. However, with full aftermarket diamond bezel and bracelet work of this quality, the total realised value lands in the $28,000–$35,000 range — consistent with the caption estimate — depending on the setter and stone quality.