Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Leroy Sane spotted wearing Rolex

Leroy Sané, the Manchester City and German national team winger, was recently spotted wearing one of Rolex's more extravagant Daytona configurations — the ref. 116528 in 18k yellow gold, fitted with a Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial. It is a combination that courts attention, and for good reason.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116528 belongs to the generation of Daytonas that marked a turning point for the reference: introduced in the early 2000s, the 116528 was among the first Daytonas to house Rolex's proprietary calibre 4130, a column-wheel, vertical-clutch chronograph movement developed entirely in-house. The 4130 replaced the Zenith El Primero-derived calibre 4030 and gave Rolex full control over its most prestigious sports chronograph. The movement runs at 28,800 vph, offers approximately 72 hours of power reserve, and is widely regarded as one of the most reliable chronograph ebauches in production watchmaking.

The 40mm yellow gold case is paired here with a Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial — a material harvested from the Pinctada margaritifera oyster and prized for its organic iridescence. No two dials are identical; the play of colour across the surface shifts from deep charcoal to violet, green, and bronze depending on the angle of light. Three subsidiary registers track running seconds, 30-minute, and 12-hour elapsed time. The tachymetre bezel, rendered in solid 18k yellow gold, completes a configuration that sits firmly at the luxury end of the Daytona spectrum.

Among collectors, the ref. 116528 in exotic dial variants — mother-of-pearl, meteorite, and stone dials — occupies a niche that was undervalued for years but has since attracted serious attention. The combination of yellow gold and Tahitian MOP is considered one of the more wearable exotic dial pairings, striking without being garish.

Sané, 28, has long shown an affinity for high-end watches. As one of the Bundesliga and Premier League's highest-earning wingers, the ref. 116528 sits comfortably within his collecting profile. At a UK list price of £30,500, the piece trades on the grey market at a premium, with comparable examples regularly appearing between $45,000 and $55,000 USD depending on condition and dial quality.