Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Luka Jovic spotted wearing Rolex

Serbian striker Luka Jovic was photographed at his official Real Madrid presentation ceremony wearing a striking custom-set Rolex Submariner on his wrist — a piece that immediately caught the attention of watch spotters in the room. The watch's vivid blue dial and diamond-encrusted bezel stood out even against the formal suit and tie of the occasion, underscoring the trend of elite footballers treating luxury timepieces as personal signature pieces at high-profile club events.

The base watch appears to be the Rolex Submariner Date 116659SABR — a reference produced in 18K white gold featuring Rolex's own factory-set bezel combining alternating blue sapphire baguettes and white diamond baguettes around the characteristic unidirectional rotating bezel insert. Beneath the case sits the calibre 3135 automatic movement, offering 48 hours of power reserve, Rolex's Parachrom hairspring, and chronometer-certified accuracy of -2/+2 seconds per day. The deep blue dial with luminescent Mercedes hands and dot hour markers is unmistakably Submariner in DNA, yet the gem-setting elevates it firmly into jewellery-watch territory.

What Jovic wears, however, appears to go one step further than the factory 116659SABR. The bezel configuration in the image suggests an aftermarket (afterset) re-work by a specialist diamond setter, likely replacing or augmenting the original Rolex gem layout with an enhanced baguette arrangement. This practice is common among footballer clientele and is handled by boutiques specialising in Rolex customisation. Purist collectors view such modifications as value-diminishing, but in the celebrity-athlete market they are highly sought after and often command premiums over the unmodified originals.

Jovic, who joined Real Madrid from Eintracht Frankfurt, was one of the most talked-about young strikers in European football at the time of his signing. His watch choice at the Bernabéu presentation aligned neatly with the aesthetic language of elite La Liga players, where bold, customised Rolex Submariners and Daytonas are something of an unofficial uniform.

The factory Rolex Submariner 116659SABR retailed at approximately $75,500 USD before its discontinuation. On the grey market, unmodified examples trade between $65,000 and $85,000 depending on condition and papers. Custom afterset versions like Jovic's, depending on the quality of the diamond work, can add $10,000–$25,000 to that figure, placing this particular piece conservatively above $80,000 USD in total value.