Footballer Fernando Llorente spotted wearing a Rolex

Fernando Llorente was spotted wearing a Rolex Submariner Date reference 116619LB following Juventus FC's 3-1 Champions League final defeat to FC Barcelona — a match that ended the Turin club's European ambitions for the season. The Spaniard's wrist, at least, offered something worth celebrating.

The Rolex Submariner Date 116619LB — widely known among collectors as the 'Smurf' — is built entirely in 18k white gold, making it one of the most exclusive iterations of Rolex's flagship diving watch. Introduced in 2008 alongside the yellow-gold 116618LB, the white gold 116619LB features a monochromatic blue theme: a Cerachrom ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel insert in blue and a matching blue lacquered dial with applied hour markers filled with chromalight luminescent material. The case measures 40mm and houses Rolex's in-house Calibre 3135, a self-winding movement with a 48-hour power reserve, Parachrom hairspring, and chronometer certification by COSC. Water resistance is rated to 300 metres.

For collectors, the 116619LB occupies a distinct tier above the standard steel Submariner. White gold Submariners have always been produced in comparatively limited numbers, and the all-blue configuration makes the 116619LB among the most visually coherent references in the modern Rolex catalogue. It preceded the full blue ceramic treatment applied to the steel 116610LV's successor models, giving it genuine historical significance within the Submariner lineage. Enthusiasts frequently cite it as one of the cleanest executions of the Submariner design.

Llorente was a key figure in Juventus's run to the 2015 Champions League final, contributing throughout the knockout stages. The Spanish striker has long maintained a taste for considered luxury — the 116619LB, at its price point, reflects exactly that kind of understated but seriously informed spending.

On the grey market, the Rolex Submariner Date 116619LB commands a significant premium over its steel counterparts. Official retail in the UK was approximately £23,000 at the time of the sighting, while secondary market values have continued to appreciate steadily, reflecting sustained demand for white gold sports Rolex references with ceramic bezels.