Watch Paparazzi

Boxer Canelo Álvarez spotted wearing Roger Dubuis

At a pre-fight media appearance, Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez stepped out wearing what may be the most technically personalized boxer's watch ever made — a special-edition Roger Dubuis Excalibur Skeleton produced in collaboration with the pound-for-pound champion himself. The watch was immediately recognizable by its open-worked dial architecture, rose gold bridges against a dark ceramic bezel, and the unmistakable leather strap stitched from Canelo's own match-worn boxing gloves.

The Excalibur Skeleton's foundation is Roger Dubuis's in-house RD505SQ caliber, a manually wound skeletonized movement that carries the Poinçon de Genève hallmark — one of fine watchmaking's most demanding quality certifications, requiring every component to be finished and assembled in Geneva. The movement's architecture exposes the gear train, balance wheel, and escapement in full, framed by rose gold bridges that form a star-shaped structure — the signature 'star of Geneva' motif the brand has made iconic. What makes this iteration unique is that Canelo's initials, 'CA,' have been incorporated into the jumper spring, a functional regulating element of the movement. This is not an engraving or a printed logo; it is a custom-manufactured movement part, replacing a standard component with one that serves a mechanical purpose while bearing personal meaning.

From a collector standpoint, the edition's limit of 88 pieces gives it immediate scarcity value. The number 88 carries cultural significance in several Latin American and Asian markets — a deliberate choice that broadens the watch's collector appeal beyond boxing fans alone. Roger Dubuis has built a reputation for producing complications that push Geneva certification to its creative limits, and this collaboration exemplifies that philosophy.

Canelo Álvarez has been a Roger Dubuis ambassador since the brand identified combat sports as a natural fit for its bold, technically complex aesthetic. His personal involvement in the movement's architecture — rather than simply lending his name — elevates this beyond a typical athlete co-sign.

With a UK list price of approximately £73,500 (roughly $93,000 USD at prevailing rates), the Excalibur Skeleton Canelo Edition sits firmly in the upper tier of Roger Dubuis's commercial range. Grey-market pricing for sealed examples, given the 88-piece limitation, is expected to hold firm or trade at a modest premium as the edition sells through.