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Footballer Antony Santos spotted wearing Rolex

Antony Santos made headlines on the pitch with a debut goal for Manchester United, but off it, the Brazilian winger's wrist drew attention of a different kind. Santos was photographed wearing a Rolex Day-Date 36 in 18K yellow gold, reference 118238, featuring a black dial set with factory diamonds and distinctive baguette-cut stones at the 6 and 9 o'clock positions — a specification detail that separates this example from the far more common round brilliant-cut diamond dial variants.

The Rolex Day-Date 36, reference 118238, sits within the current-generation 118238 family introduced in the early 2000s as the successor to the long-running 18038 line. It measures 36mm in Rolex's proprietary 18K yellow gold and houses the in-house Calibre 3155 movement — a self-winding mechanical manufacture with a 48-hour power reserve, Rolex's paramagnetic Parachrom hairspring, and the brand's proven Paraflex shock absorbers. The movement beats at 28,800 vph and carries the Superlative Chronometer certification, ensuring accuracy to +/-2 seconds per day.

The dial on Santos's example is what elevates it into serious collector territory. Factory-set baguette diamonds at 6 and 9 o'clock — as opposed to the standard round markers or aftermarket stone-setting — represent a significant cost addition applied at the manufacture level, complete with Rolex's own certification. The black dial provides a dramatic backdrop that amplifies the visual weight of the stones without tipping into ostentation. It rides on a President bracelet in matching 18K yellow gold, the only bracelet Rolex officially pairs with the Day-Date line.

Antony Santos, who joined Manchester United from Ajax in a transfer valued at approximately €95 million, has quickly established himself as one of the more watch-conscious figures in the Premier League dressing room. The Day-Date has long been the reference of choice for athletes, heads of state, and executives — Rolex has marketed it as the "President's watch" since its 1956 debut — and Santos's choice of a diamond-set yellow gold iteration sits squarely within that tradition.

On the grey market, the Rolex Day-Date 36 reference 118238 with a factory diamond and baguette dial commands a meaningful premium over list price. Current market estimates place this specific configuration at approximately $45,000 USD, reflecting both the underlying gold value and the premium collectors attach to factory-set stone dials. Official retail for the standard 118238 sits around $38,550 USD, though diamond dial variants carry higher list prices depending on exact specification.