Soccer legend David Beckham is well known in his role as a brand ambassador for Tudor, the Swiss watch brand that’s a lower-priced subsidiary of Rolex watches. However, he obviously has a strong affinity for the parent brand as evidenced by the fact that he can often be seen wearing examples of the Coronet’s finest timepieces, presumably on occasions when it won’t interfere with his Tudor spokesman duties.
Beckham, currently co-owner of Inter Miami CF and Salford City, became a Tudor brand-ambassador in 2017 when he was assistant coach for Swansea City in the UK’s Premier League, before becoming the manager of Eupen, a Belgian club. The footballer (as they say in the UK) had officially retired as as an active player in 2013 after winning 19 major trophies in the course of his career, and becoming the first-ever English player to win league titles in four different countries.
Beckham, awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, has been wearing several Rolex watches over the years, though his collecting has picked up pace in the last several years, and most recently he has been adding more expensive and exclusive Rolex models than ever before. Here’s a look at his impressive assemblage:
Day-Date 228445BRB and 228236
For starters we have a pair of 40mm Rolex Day-Date watches, one in rose gold with a green dial, Roman numerals and an unfortunate but fairly subtle diamond-set bezel; the other in platinum with the popular ice-blue “Arabic” dial. These are the dressiest watches in his collection, more suitable for occasions calling for formalwear rather than attending sporting events, though he deploys them for both.
Yacht-Master II 116688
The Rolex Yacht-Master gold watch, specifically the yellow gold model that debuted in 2007, hasn’t aged as well as some of Rolex’s designs of that era, but perhaps collectors will come to value it more highly in the decades to come. Always something of a niche model for Rolex, and therefore never as popular as the Submariner or GMT-Master, wearing one still denotes an enthusiasm for competitive sailing – or at least venturing out on the occasional luxury yacht.
Sea-Dweller 116600
Beckham has been seen sporting both a classic stainless steel Sea-Dweller and blacked-out PVD version customized by Bamford Watch Dept. Due to Rolex’s ever-increasing campaign against customized watches, it is probable that he no longer wears the blacked-out Sea-Dweller in public. As Rolex’s upper-echelon professional dive watch, the heavy Sea-Dweller is overkill for wearing in daily life but makes a strong statement.
GMT-Master 1675/3
The one true vintage Rolex that Beckham has been seen wearing is this groovy two-tone “Rolex Root Beer” GMT which he sports on a black leather bund-style strap. A departure from his usual roster of Rolexes, this piece exudes a classic, timeless tough-guy appeal especially on the bund strap with its echoes of Paul Newman. Although this is the lowest-priced piece on the list, it’s a connoisseur’s watch to be sure.
GMT-Master II 126720
This “Rolex Sprite” GMT as it’s known thanks to the black-and-green bezel is a “destro” model due to its left-side crown placement. The date window is also located on the left side of the dial. The name “destro” comes from the Italian for “right”, denoting that this watch is meant to be worn on the right wrist – whether or not you are left-handed. And indeed Beckham has worn it on his right wrist in the correct fashion.
Sky-Dweller 326935
The Sky-Dweller is a bit polarizing to be sure, but Rolex’s most complex model, which also tends towards the higher end of the price scale, has a dedicated following who appreciate that it’s something of an enthusiast’s choice, unlikely to be seen on many other wrists. Beckham opted for the rose-gold version with Roman numerals, which we think looks a bit clunky; though the overall effect is still elegant.
Daytona 116500
The black-dial iteration of the newer-model ceramic Rolex Daytona is not as popular as the white or “Rolex Panda” version, but its darker aspect lends it a hint of menace, and some therefore think it the cooler option among the two. Beckham is obviously in the latter camp, and when he pairs the watch with darker-hued suits the effect lends him gravitas. It also matches his preference for cars such as his blacked-out Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead.
Daytona 116508/13 and 126599TRU
Which is not to say Beckham doesn’t like to wear a flashier piece from time to time. Two of his more recent acquisitions are a pair of high-dollar, high roller Daytonas: the yellow gold, green dial “John Mayer”, and the white gold, gem-set “Ruby”. We’ve always liked the green and gold combo on the “John Mayer”; while the blacked-out dial and ruby-set bezel on the much rarer, off-catalog piece, which has some pavé diamond details to boot and retails for around $450,000, is a bit more of an oddity; but it shows that Beckham might have “hidden depths”, as they say.
