Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Joleon Lescott spotted wearing Richard Mille

Transfer deadline day is one of football's most chaotic spectacles, and Joleon Lescott chose to mark his move from West Bromwich Albion to Aston Villa with a wrist that commanded as much attention as the deal itself. The centre-back was spotted wearing a Richard Mille RM 55 Bubba Watson — a watch that carries a backstory almost as dramatic as a last-minute transfer window signing.

The Richard Mille RM 55 Bubba Watson debuted in 2012 as a direct collaboration between the La Chaux-de-Fonds manufacture and the left-handed American golfer, who had just claimed his first Masters title at Augusta. The brief was unambiguous: build a watch that could survive on the wrist of a professional golfer whose swing speed regularly exceeds 120 mph. The result was a tonneau-shaped case constructed from RFAT — a composite of carbon fibre, titanium, and resin — combined with grade-5 titanium components, keeping the total weight impressively low. The manual-wind calibre CRMT1 sits fully skeletonised inside, offering a baseplate and bridges machined from grade-5 titanium with a free-sprung balance and variable-inertia regulator for precision under extreme physical stress.

From a collector's perspective, the RM 55 occupies an interesting position within the Richard Mille ecosystem. It is not the most technically complex reference the brand produces, but the Bubba Watson association gives it genuine sporting provenance that transcends marketing. The visible architecture of the movement — all angular bridges and open spaces — is characteristic of Richard Mille's engineering-led aesthetic, and the reference has maintained strong secondary market demand since its introduction.

Lescott had been a consistent Premier League presence for over a decade, earning England caps and a Premier League title with Manchester City in 2012. His taste in watches aligns with a generation of footballers who treat haute horlogerie as a serious interest rather than a status accessory — Richard Mille in particular has become the default choice for elite athletes seeking both credibility and conversation.

At a UK RRP of approximately £61,000, the Richard Mille RM 55 Bubba Watson sits at the entry tier of the brand's main collection, yet grey-market values have historically tracked close to or above retail, reflecting the label's consistent demand. For a player finalising a high-profile transfer, the choice of watch could hardly have been more fitting.