7 of Lionel Messi’s most expensive watches, ranked – from his Rolex Submariner with diamonds to the Patek Philippe he wore to 2022’s Best Fifa Football Awards, but which costs over half a million?
The 35-year-old football superstar gave a touching speech when he received the award, even as he showed off a stunning Patek Philippe Grand Complications watch from the maker’s latest line. It was one in many from his collection of rare and exotic timepieces made by premium horologists like Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Hublot, Patek Philippe and Jacob & Co. … but is it the most expensive?
Here are some of the luxury watches in Messi’s collection, per The Richest.
7. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Leo Messi – US$125,000
At the peak of his career during the 2010s, Messi was selected as an ambassador for Audemars Piguet and they even collaborated on an exclusive design, the Royal Oak Chronograph Leo Messi. A total of 1,000 tantalum bezel pieces were created, including 500 in steel, 400 in rose gold and 100 in platinum, according to Yahoo! Sports.
Messi’s own 41mm model is the rarest variation, in platinum with a dark blue dial, white gold applied hour markers and blue alligator strap. Wrist Enthusiast estimated its worth at US$125,000.
6. Hublot Bat Bang Tourbillon – US$150,000
Messi also owns a rare Hublot, the Bat Bang Tourbillon 305.CM.002.RX. It comes in all-black including a 44mm black ceramic case surrounding a black dial on a black gummy alligator strap with a black stainless steel deployant buckle.
The watch has a manual hand-winding movement and a flying tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock. It also features five-day power reserve and 100-metre water resistance. With a limited edition of 50 pieces, its price is about US$150,000 on the market but it is usually out of stock, per Essential Watches.
5. Rolex Submariner Date 116659 SABR – US$160,000
Among Messi’s collection of Rolex watches, the Submariner 116659 SABR might carry the highest price tag. The 40mm watch is made of 18k white gold, with a blue dial and an oyster bracelet. The bezel has 27 dark blue baguette sapphires, 11 baguette-cut diamonds and a triangle-cut diamond at 12 o’clock, according to Superwatchman. There are also 92 brilliant-cut diamonds on the case and crown shield.
In addition, the Rolex Submariner movement features a monometallic balancing adjustable to temperatures and five settings. Its estimated value on the market can go up to US$160,000, according to Sotheby’s.
4. Jacob & Co. Grand Complication Epic SF24 Tourbillon – US$210,000
Apart from Audemars Piguet, Jacob & Co. also picked the football icon as its face in 2019. In addition to the watches Messi wears in ads, he also opts for a Grand Complication Epic SF24 Tourbillon Rose Gold.
3. Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 5270P – US$233,000
The timepiece that Messi showed off at the The Best Fifa Football Awards 2022 was a Patek Philippe Grand Complications from the Perpetual Calendar collection that was introduced in 1889 and has been regularly innovated ever since.
The 41mm diameter watch has a platinum case, sapphire crystal caseback, green dial with gold hour markers, and a shiny black alligator strap. Its manual winding system uses the Calibre chronograph movement and shows day, month, leap year and moon phases. It also comes with a 30-minute counter.
2. Three Patek Philippe Nautilus models – up to US$420,000 (his most expensive one)
Messi is obviously a fan of the brand’s elegant and sporty Nautilus collection since he has not only one but three pieces.
He also has a white gold 5740/1G with blue dial with a retail price of US$160,000, but up to US$400,000 on the market, as well as a steel 5711/1A-011 with a “piano” dial worth US$152,000, per Superwatchman.
1. Jacob & Co. Epic X Chronograph Messi Full Baguette – US$600,000
The 47mm 18K white gold case and lugs come with a total of 141 carats of baguette diamonds with the crowns set with single round diamonds. It features a blue mineral crystal dial adorned with diamonds, rubies and sapphires, and a white alligator strap – the colours of his home Argentinian flag. The dial also has his stylised logo “M” at 6 o’clock and his signature on the caseback. Its listed price is more than half a million dollars.
- During his career peak in the 2010s, Audemars Piguet signed Messi as its ambassador and co-created an exclusive design with him – the Royal Oak Chronograph Leo Messi, priced at US$125,000
- Fifa’s best men’s player for 2022 is also the face of Jacob & Co. like Cristiano Ronaldo, and collaborated with the brand on a limited-edition luxury line called the Epic X Chronograph