Footballer Karim Benzema spotted wearing a Rolex

Karim Benzema was photographed at what appears to be a private social event, his left wrist resting casually forward to reveal one of the more understated yet coveted configurations a Day-Date collector can own. The watch is a vintage Rolex Day-Date 36mm cased in 18k yellow gold, paired with the fluted bezel and the three-piece-link President bracelet — the combination Geneva introduced in 1956 as the world's first wristwatch to display both the day spelled out in full and the date.

The dial is the centerpiece. Natural black onyx, sourced and hand-cut to fit the 36mm case, replaces the conventional lacquered or metallic surface. Rolex offered hardstone dials — onyx, malachite, meteorite, tiger's eye — on select Day-Date references during the late 1970s through the 1980s, but these were never mass-produced. Each dial is unique in finish, with the stone's natural veining and depth varying piece to piece. The applied yellow-gold baton indices and matching dauphine hands sit cleanly against the deep matte black, and the day aperture at 12 o'clock and date window at 3 o'clock break the composition with characteristic Day-Date confidence. The movement inside would be a Calibre 3055 or 3155 depending on the exact production year, both COSC-certified chronometer-grade automatic movements with the quick-set date function.

From a collector standpoint, onyx-dial Day-Dates occupy a specific premium tier. Unlike lapis lazuli or malachite, onyx reads with a certain austere elegance that transcends era, making these watches wearable references rather than cabinet pieces. Condition of the dial surface — onyx is brittle and prone to hairline fracture — is the primary grading concern on the secondary market.

Benzema's horological taste has always leaned toward yellow gold and statement dials. The choice of a vintage piece rather than a contemporary 228238 signals genuine collecting instinct. The current grey-market valuation for a well-preserved example with onyx dial sits around $45,000, a figure reflecting both the scarcity premium and sustained post-pandemic demand for Rolex stone-dial references.