Footballer Kevin De Bruyne spotted wearing a Rolex

Kevin De Bruyne was photographed in full Manchester City Puma training gear — blue tee, shorts, backpack in tow — making his way up a boarding staircase, almost certainly en route to a fixture. On his wrist sat a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in 18k yellow gold paired with a striking green dial, one of the most sought-after configurations in the modern Daytona lineup.

The reference in question is the 116508 with green dial, part of Rolex's yellow gold Daytona family introduced in its current guise in the mid-2000s. The 40mm oyster case in 18k yellow gold houses the calibre 4130, Rolex's in-house automatic chronograph movement featuring a column wheel, vertical clutch, and a 72-hour power reserve — a genuine technical achievement that rendered third-party ebauches obsolete when it arrived. The tachymetre bezel is machined directly into the 18k gold case, while the green sunburst dial features matching green subsidiary registers with gold applied indices.

The green-dial 116508 occupies a particular place in collector culture. When Rolex introduced green dials across several precious-metal Daytona references, the response was immediate and sustained. The colour reads differently under various lighting conditions — deep and almost emerald in shade, brighter and more vivid in direct sun — giving the watch a dynamism that standard white or black dials cannot replicate. Paired with the warm tone of yellow gold, it is a combination that divides opinion but commands consistent premiums.

De Bruyne's taste in watches has been noted before, and the Daytona 116508 in yellow gold with a green dial aligns with his profile: a high-achievement professional who opts for horological substance rather than novelty. The Daytona's motorsport heritage — Rolex has been title sponsor of the Rolex 24 at Daytona since 1992 — lends the piece a sporting credibility that resonates with elite athletes.

At retail, the 116508 with green dial carries a list price of approximately $39,650 USD, though authorised dealer allocation is effectively non-existent for most buyers. On the grey market, this reference consistently trades between $85,000 and $95,000, making it one of the stronger value-holding references in the entire Rolex catalogue.