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The England football team’s £180k watches – and what they say about the players
Tastes have evolved since David Beckham first wore a gold Rolex
Footballers and bling have gone hand in hand since the days of David Beckham, when the former England captain became famous for rocking diamond earrings and a gold Rolex Yacht-Master. And while the current crop of England players are certainly interested in their fashion (just look at Bukayo Saka for Burberry), there’s no denying that their tastes have evolved.
“I definitely think footballer bling is still a thing, but we’re seeing a transition of players now opting for more simple and elegant looks and accessories,” says founder of the hit Instagram account, Footballer Fits, Jordan Clarke. “A few years ago, as ballers began venturing into the fashion world, it was more about the flashy, eye-catching pieces with the most logos or the biggest price tag attached. I think players are now progressively avoiding that route, instead preferring subtle flexes and thinking more about pieces that are authentic to them and their personal taste.”
“In the past, everyone was buying the same watches,” adds Football Fits’ head stylist, Marcus Pancho. “Players are now doing their own research before purchasing watches to differentiate themselves and build a collection in their own taste. For example, Marcus Rashford has a Rolex Day-Date Puzzle Dial 128235 and a Patek Philippe Nautilus customised by the late Virgil Abloh, which shows not just his desire for his wrist to be authentic to his taste and different from his peers but also that he takes pride in what he wears, as opposed to just purchasing whatever everyone else has.”
Here’s what we can garner from the wrist candy of choice from England’s current squad…
Kieran Trippier
England right-back Kieran Trippier has a knack for stylish set pieces (we’re thinking about that fifth-minute goal against Croatia in the World Cup semi-final in 2018, specifically) and his watch collection is just as dependable. A fan of Swiss watchmakers Patek Philippe and Richard Mille, his current favourite is the Aquanaut ‘Rainbow’, with its sporty red strap – a nod to the England colours. The 33-year-old is clearly au fait with the fact that a pop of red is the biggest accessories trend of the summer.
Harry Kane
Watch of choice
Patek Philippe - 5164G in white gold (c.£54,000)
England captain Harry Kane is a devotee of the “quiet luxury” trend, with numerous Patek Philippe watches on his nightstand (read: locked in the safe). And his latest purchase from the Swiss watchmaker shows just how on the pulse he is: the Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G was only released two months ago, and features an opaline blue-grey dial and white gold hour markers and hands. Newly made from white gold, rather than stainless steel, it’s winning rave reviews in watch circles. Also handy for Kane: it features a “home” and “local” time setting, perfect if he’s wondering whether or not he can call the UK from his new base in Germany, where he’s playing for Bayern Munich. It’s a humble brag status symbol if we ever saw one.
Jordan Pickford
Watch of choice
Richard Mille - RM 61-01 ‘Yohan Blake’ in black ceramic (c.£180,000)
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is known for using fairly colourful language on the pitch. So it’s unsurprising his watch of choice is a Richard Mille, considered to be one of the most avant garde and cool watchmakers of today, with signature skeletonised dials and limited edition design runs inspired by some of our greatest athletes.
Pickford’s RM 61-01 was designed for Olympic medallist and the world’s 2nd fastest man over 100m and 200m, Yohan Blake, a worthy inspiration for any sportsman. Almost indestructible, its grade 5 titanium is treated with PVD and Titalyt to ensure maximum performance – just as well the way that Pickford throws himself across the net.
Bukayo Saka
Watch of choice
Rose Gold Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph (c. £59,000)
22-year-old Bukayo Saka is clearly someone who enjoys fashion, from his head-to-toe Louis Vuitton looks to his starring role in the recent Burberry campaign. So it’s unsurprising that his watch choice for the Euros – a Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph in Rose Gold – is a classic. A watch with serious investment potential (Saka is known for his smarts – earning three A*s and four As at GCSE) the rose gold offers an elegant twist on the quintessentially sporty style, thanks in large part to its luxurious warm colour and chocolate brown strap, which differentiates it from the white gold and stainless steel options.
Declan Rice
Watch of choice
Midfielder Declan Rice has an impressive assortment of watches, with a preference for the more classically “bling” options, like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin, and a Richard Mille, which he customises with different watch straps to suit the occasion (or the outfit). For the Euros, he’s been photographed with a baby blue strap – twinning with the manager, perhaps?
Gareth Southgate
Watch of choice
Hublot’s Big Bang e, the Gen3 (£5.600)
The ultimate ‘dad’ watch, manager Gareth Southgate’s choice – the Big Bang e Gen 3 from Euros sponsor Hublot – speaks to his dedication to the ins and outs of the beautiful game. Speaking to GQ ahead of the tournament, he explained that he liked the fact that he got score alerts on the phone, which you can connect to your iPhone or Android device. Very much a “smart” watch, it runs eight different sensors, including GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC payments, and it is its most powerful connected watch ever. You can also customise the background and change the strap to suit you, with Southgate opting for a very telling baby blue hue, the same colour as the England away kit that the ex-player would have worn in the ‘90s.