Footballer Patrick Cutrone spotted wearing a Rolex

A birthday celebration provided the backdrop for this crisp wrist sighting of Italian professional footballer Patrick Cutrone, photographed holding balloons and a cake topper while sporting what is unquestionably one of the most sought-after production Rolex references currently in circulation. The watch in question is the Rolex Submariner Date 41mm in Oystersteel, reference 126610LV — universally known among collectors as the 'Starbucks.'

Launched at Watches & Wonders Geneva in April 2020, the 126610LV represented the first significant architectural revision to the Submariner Date in over a decade. Rolex enlarged the case from 40mm to 41mm, widened the lugs, and introduced a new-generation Oyster bracelet with a glidelock clasp and Oysterlock safety buckle. The crown jewel of the update, however, was the movement: the in-house Calibre 3235, a 70-hour power reserve automatic with Rolex's Chronergy escapement — a substantial engineering leap over the outgoing 3135 it replaced.

The dial is classic Submariner territory: matte black with applied chromalight-filled hour markers and Mercedes hands, framed by the green Cerachrom bezel insert graduated in 60-minute increments. The combination of black and green gave birth to the 'Starbucks' moniker almost immediately upon release — a nickname that has stuck firmly in collector vernacular and arguably elevated the reference's cultural cachet beyond its predecessor, the 16610LV 'Kermit.'

Cutrone, who has played for clubs including AC Milan, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Fiorentina, demonstrates the kind of quiet horological taste common among elite European footballers — choosing a reference that sits at the intersection of genuine technical merit and unambiguous flex. The 126610LV is not a flashy gold piece; it is a tool watch that communicates knowledge as much as wealth.

On the secondary market, the Starbucks commands a significant premium over its retail price. Rolex lists the 126610LV at approximately $10,550 USD, but grey-market values have consistently hovered between $17,000 and $20,000 depending on condition and box-and-papers status. Waitlists at authorised dealers remain lengthy, making Cutrone's wrist a reminder that for this reference, patience — or a premium — is the price of entry.