Watch Paparazzi Logo
Watch Paparazzi
footballerSpotted November 2022

Footballer Andre Ayew spotted wearing a Rolex

footballer Andre Ayew spotted wearing a Rolex 116618LB
Who & what: Rolex Submariner Date 18kt Yellow Gold Blue Dial Ref. 116618LB

André Ayew made headlines on the pitch with a goal against Manchester United in Swansea City's 2-1 victory — but off it, the Ghanaian forward was equally hard to miss. Sharp-eyed observers spotted the striker wearing a Rolex Submariner Date in 18kt yellow gold, reference 116618LB, a piece that sits firmly at the luxury end of the Submariner spectrum.

The Rolex Submariner Date 116618LB was introduced as part of the generation-five Submariner family, powered by Rolex's Calibre 3135 — a self-winding movement with a 48-hour power reserve, Parachrom hairspring for improved resistance to shocks and temperature variation, and chronometer certification from the COSC. The watch is water-resistant to 300 metres, features a unidirectional rotating bezel with a blue Cerachrom ceramic insert marked in 60-minute graduations, and is presented on an Oyster bracelet in solid 18kt yellow gold with the Glidelock extension system. Case diameter is 40mm, a size that reads boldly on the wrist given the full-gold construction.

Within the Submariner family, the 116618LB occupies a particular position. Gold Submariners — nicknamed 'Goldfish' in collector circles, though that term technically applies to the black-dial 116618LN — carry a dual appeal: the technical credibility of the most famous dive watch ever made, combined with an overt statement of material luxury. The blue dial and blue ceramic bezel combination of the 116618LB is arguably the more refined of the two gold variants, offering a colour harmony that the black-dial version does not. Collectors regard it as a sound long-term hold, with strong secondary market retention.

Ayew, son of Ghanaian legend Abedi Pelé and brother of Jordan Ayew, has long been one of the more technically gifted forwards in the Championship and Premier League. A full gold Submariner Date is a fitting accessory for a player of his pedigree — understated enough to wear daily, significant enough to signal success.

At UK RRP, the Rolex Submariner Date 116618LB listed at £22,200. In the United States, official retail stood at approximately $38,550. On the grey market, demand for gold Submariners remains consistent, with examples typically trading above list price.

More watches like this

Other celebrities spotted with the same brand, model or star