Watch Paparazzi

Footballer David Beckham spotted wearing Rolex

David Beckham, former England captain and current co-owner and president of MLS club Inter Miami CF, was recently spotted on the wrist with a piece that sits at the upper end of Rolex's catalogue in both price and mechanical complexity: the Sky-Dweller Reference 326935 in 18K Everose gold.

Introduced at Baselworld 2012, the Rolex Sky-Dweller immediately distinguished itself as the brand's most complication-rich wristwatch. The calibre 9001 automatic movement — developed entirely in-house — delivers a Saros annual calendar system, a GMT second time zone indicated via twelve off-centre apertures around the dial's periphery, and a bi-directional rotating bezel that serves as a function selector for setting. With 72 hours of power reserve and a free-sprung Parachrom hairspring, the movement is as robust as it is sophisticated. Reference 326935 pairs this movement with an oyster case and jubilee bracelet — both in Rolex's proprietary 18K Everose gold, an alloy blended with platinum to resist fading over decades of wear.

Among collectors, the Sky-Dweller occupies an interesting position: it is Rolex's most technically ambitious piece, yet it has historically been overshadowed in hype by the sportier Daytona or Submariner. That dynamic has shifted. In 18K Everose gold on a jubilee bracelet, the Ref. 326935 reads as a genuine haute horlogerie offering, and the secondary market has responded accordingly, with grey-market valuations now sitting comfortably above retail.

For Beckham, the choice is consistent with a public image that has matured considerably since his Manchester United days. The Sky-Dweller — functional enough for transatlantic travel between Miami and Europe, luxurious enough for the boardroom — suits his current role as sports entrepreneur and global brand ambassador. He has long been associated with Rolex and high-end watchmaking, and this Everose Sky-Dweller signals a preference for depth over flash.

At an official retail price in the region of $47,550 USD, the Rolex Sky-Dweller Ref. 326935 is not an impulse purchase. On the grey market, demand for precious metal Sky-Dwellers has kept valuations elevated, with current estimates tracking between $48,000 and $52,000 USD depending on condition and papers.