Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Erling Haaland spotted wearing Rolex

When Erling Haaland completed his headline transfer to Manchester City, the footballing world focused on goals and contracts. Watch enthusiasts, however, zeroed in on the piece sitting on his wrist: a Rolex GMT-Master II reference 126755SARU in 18-karat Everose gold, fully factory-set with diamonds and sapphires. It is not a subtle choice, and it was not meant to be.

The GMT-Master II 126755SARU sits at the absolute apex of Rolex's gem-set sports-watch offering. Its distinctive bezel carries 30 blue sapphires channel-set to replicate the classic blue-and-black 'Batgirl' color scheme, flanked by 29 brilliant-cut diamonds. The dial is a full pavé of diamonds, each stone hand-selected for color and clarity to Rolex's strict internal grading. Beneath the 40mm Oyster case — waterproof to 100 meters — beats the calibre 3285, a manufacture movement featuring the Chronergy escapement, a 70-hour power reserve, and a bidirectional independently adjustable GMT hand accurate to within two seconds per day. The jubilee bracelet in Everose gold completes a package that weighs considerably more than a standard steel GMT, in every sense.

The reference 126755SARU was introduced as part of the 2019 generation of GMT-Master II updates and replaced the earlier 116755SARU. Collectors regard it as the definitive factory gem-set GMT — the word 'factory' matters enormously here, distinguishing it from aftermarket-set pieces that carry no Rolex certification and void the warranty. Rolex's in-house gem workshop, which sets stones to tolerances measured in hundredths of a millimeter, produces these references in strictly limited numbers. Availability at authorized dealers is essentially zero.

Haaland's affinity for high-specification watches fits a broader pattern among elite European footballers, where major transfers are often accompanied by visible upgrades to a watch collection. At 22 years old at the time of the City signing, wearing a six-figure Rolex GMT communicates something deliberate about self-positioning — this is not an entry-level flex.

The official Rolex list price for the 126755SARU sits at approximately $117,000. On the grey market, strong collector demand for factory gem-set Rolex references has pushed the piece to roughly $215,000 — nearly double retail — reflecting both genuine scarcity and sustained appetite from high-net-worth buyers who see it as the intersection of Rolex's sports heritage and its haute joaillerie capabilities.