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Footballer Antoine Griezmann spotted wearing Rolex

Antoine Griezmann arrived at the Ballon d'Or Gala — one of football's most prestigious annual ceremonies — wearing a timepiece that matches the occasion's weight without effort. On his wrist sat a Rolex Day-Date 40 in 18K yellow gold, reference 228398TBR, distinguished immediately by its baguette diamond bezel and black sunray dial set with baguette diamond indices. The pairing of a black dial against full yellow gold hardware is a classic Rolex combination that reads as understated power rather than excess.

The Day-Date 40, introduced in 2015 as an evolution of the original 1956 Day-Date, houses Rolex's in-house Calibre 3255 — a movement that represents the brand's most advanced mechanical engineering to date. The 3255 offers a 70-hour power reserve, a Chronergy escapement delivering 15% greater energy efficiency, and a Syloxi silicon hairspring. The case measures 40mm in 950-platinum equivalent yellow gold, water resistant to 100m, and sits on the iconic five-piece link President bracelet that has been synonymous with the Day-Date since its inception.

Reference 228398TBR occupies a rarefied position in Rolex's current catalogue. The baguette bezel alone — 36 channel-set baguette diamonds totalling approximately 3.13 carats — represents an extraordinary amount of hand labour from Rolex's in-house gem-setting atelier. Combined with the baguette diamond dial markers, the total stone count makes this one of the most jewel-intensive non-special-order references the brand produces at scale. Collectors regard it as a statement piece rather than a daily wearer, which makes its appearance at a black-tie gala entirely appropriate.

Griezmann's horological choices have consistently trended toward high-complication or heavily jewelled Rolex pieces. As a World Cup winner with France and a long-serving key player at Atlético de Madrid, his profile commands the kind of visibility that makes each watch sighting noteworthy. The Ballon d'Or Gala, attended by the sport's global elite, is precisely the environment for which this reference was designed.

At official retail, the Day-Date 40 ref. 228398TBR is listed at $83,650 USD. On the secondary market, strong demand for diamond-set Day-Date references in yellow gold pushes grey-market pricing consistently above retail, with examples trading in the $95,000–$110,000 range depending on condition and documentation.