Footballer Alexandre Lacazette spotted wearing a Rolex

Alexandre Lacazette was photographed wearing a Rolex GMT-Master II in Oystersteel, reference 116710LN, around the time of his high-profile arrival at Arsenal Football Club. The choice is telling — not the flashier two-tone or ceramic 'Pepsi' variant, but the all-matte-black bezel edition that collectors have long regarded as the GMT's most purposeful expression.

The Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116710 was introduced at Baselworld 2007 and represented a genuine technical milestone for the brand. It was the first GMT-Master II to house Calibre 3186, Rolex's proprietary movement featuring a Parachrom hairspring for improved shock and temperature resistance. The bidirectional 24-hour bezel — here rendered in monochromatic black Cerachrom ceramic — allows the wearer to track a second time zone independently of the local hour hand, a function born from Rolex's 1950s partnership with Pan Am pilots. The 40mm Oyster case, screw-down crown, and 100-metre water resistance complete a specification sheet that remains highly functional decades after conception.

Among collectors, the 116710LN occupies a specific and respected niche. The all-black 'Batman' ceramic bezel variant (116710BLNR, released 2013) tends to attract more headlines, but the single-colour 116710LN is often cited as the purer, less self-conscious choice — a watch that doesn't announce itself. Production of the reference ran until approximately 2019, when Rolex replaced it with the updated 126710LN carrying the thinner Calibre 3285. That generational shift has given the 116710 a degree of collector finality.

Lacazette, who arrived at Arsenal from Olympique Lyonnais in the summer of 2017 for a then-club-record fee of around £52 million, has demonstrated consistent taste for classic sports watches. The GMT-Master II aligns with a profile common among European footballers who favour recognisable luxury with technical credibility over purely decorative jewellery pieces.

On the secondary market, the ref. 116710LN has held its value firmly since discontinuation. Grey-market prices have stabilised above retail as supply tightened, making this a sound acquisition as much as a style statement.