Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo spotted wearing Cartier

Cristiano Ronaldo was photographed attending a Juventus match wearing a heavily customised Cartier Santos 100 XL, reference W20090X8 — a stainless steel interpretation of the iconic square-cased sport watch dressed up with VS1 diamond pavé across the case, bezel, and dial. The setting is bespoke, transforming what is already a bold XL-format watch into something closer to jewellery than a straightforward sports timepiece.

The Cartier Santos 100 XL ref. W20090X8 is built around the automatic Cartier calibre 9611 MC, a self-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve, housed in a 51.1 x 41.3 mm steel case — the XL designation earning its name. The Santos 100 line, introduced in 2004 to mark the centenary of the original 1904 Santos, kept the architectural DNA intact: exposed screws on the bezel, integrated bracelet logic, and a bold Roman numeral dial. Ronaldo's version replaces the standard dial and bezel with custom VS1 diamond work and swaps the steel bracelet for a black alligator strap, a combination that shifts the watch's character entirely.

Among collectors, the Santos 100 XL occupies a respectable but accessible segment of the Cartier catalogue. The base steel reference is appreciated for its wearability and historical weight, though heavily customised diamond variants sit outside the traditional collector conversation — they appeal to a different audience entirely, one more focused on personal expression than horological purity. That said, VS1-quality stones and professional pavé work do carry real monetary value.

For Ronaldo, watch choices have always functioned as personal statements. The footballer has long favoured high-visibility pieces — Jacob & Co., Franck Muller, Rolex — and this Santos 100 XL fits the pattern: a recognisable luxury nameplate taken to a personalised extreme. Wearing it to a live match rather than a red carpet event is consistent with his approach to integrating statement pieces into everyday contexts.

On the grey market, a standard steel Cartier Santos 100 XL W20090X8 trades in the $8,000–$10,000 range. With the full custom VS1 diamond case, bezel, and dial work factored in, market estimates for this specific configuration sit at approximately $12,000 — reflecting the stone quality and bespoke labour rather than any speculative premium on the base reference itself.