Updated:
Readtime: 5 min
Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here.
It’s the most prestigious award ceremony in the world’s most popular sport, and year after year, players and guests alike show up and show out for the Ballon d’Or. 2026 is no different, with the ceremony taking place in London for the first time ever.
It would make sense, then, that Harry Kane, captain of England‘s national team, should become the first Brit in over two decades to take out the ceremony’s top prize. Thanks to the million-dollar, off-catalogue Rolex Daytona adorning his wrist, however, Kane clearly walked into the Ballon d’Or a winner long before taking to the stage.
Kane wasn’t the only one whose wrist told a story on football‘s night of nights. So, here are the best watches worn at the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
1. Harry Kane, Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ‘Blue Sapphire’ Off-Catalogue
This ultra-rare, off-catalogue Rolex Daytona with factory-set baguette blue sapphires and a rare silver-sheen obsidian dial might have been the real star of the show, had its wearer, Harry Kane, not walked away from the ceremony with two awards.
Market Price: AUD$1,800,000–$2,200,000
- Model: Cosmograph Daytona, Ref. 126599TSA
- Movement: In-house Automatic Self-Winding Chronograph (Rolex Calibre 4131, Superlative Chronometer)
- Key Feature: Rare off-catalogue gem-set allocation featuring baguette-cut sapphires and natural mineral stone dial
- Case Material: 18kt white gold with gem-set details
- Case Dimensions: 40 mm diameter, ~12.2 mm thickness
- Bezel: Fixed 18kt white gold bezel set with 36 custom-cut baguette blue sapphires (TSA: Tavolette Saphir Bleu)
- Dial: Silver Sheen Obsidian dial with diamond/gem-set hour markers and contrasting chronograph sub-dials
- Power Reserve: ~72 hours
- Strap: 18kt white gold Oyster bracelet with folding Oysterlock safety clasp and Easylink 5 mm comfort extension link
2. Lamine Yamal, Richard Mille RM 67-01 Automatic Extra Flat
The 19-year-old FC Barcelona superstar was honoured at the ceremony with the Young Talent of the Year award, and opted to don a spot of fun on his wrist with this vibrant Richard Mille RM 67-01 with a pink strap matching his oversized pink Chanel brooch.
Market Price: AUD$410,000–$440,000
- Model: RM 67-01 Automatic Winding Extra Flat
- Movement: In-house Automatic Skeletonised Calibre CRMA6 (3.6 mm thick with platinum rotor)
- Key Feature: Ultra-flat tonneau profile with gearbox-style function indicator (W-D-H) and vertical semi-instantaneous date window
- Case Material: 18kt red gold with grade 5 titanium spline screws
- Case Dimensions: 38.70 mm width x 47.52 mm length, 7.75 mm thickness
- Bezel: Tonneau-shaped 18kt red gold bezel secured by 8 titanium spline screws
- Dial: Highly skeletonised sapphire dial featuring solid metal Arabic numerals mounted on dual rigid titanium rails
- Power Reserve: ~50 hours (±10%)
- Strap: Pink Rubber strap with 18kt red gold and titanium folding clasp
3. Ousmane Dembélé, Richard Mille RM 055 ‘Bubba Watson’ Grey Quartz TPT
Dembélé, dripped in all black head-to-toe, also opted for Richard Mille on his wrist, but went for a more high-tech approach (and a much higher price point) with the RM 055.
Market Price: AUD$1,100,000–$1,350,000
- Model: RM 055 (RM 55-01) Bubba Watson
- Movement: In-house Manual-Winding Skeletonised Calibre RMUL2 (grade 5 titanium baseplate and bridges, capable of withstanding accelerations over 500 Gs)
- Key Feature: Ultra-resilient layered Quartz TPT composite architecture with openworked, free-floating skeleton movement
- Case Material: Grey Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT with titanium spline screws
- Case Dimensions: 42.70 mm width x 49.90 mm length, 13.05 mm thickness
- Bezel: Tonneau-shaped Grey Quartz TPT bezel secured by 12 grade 5 titanium spline screws
- Dial: Openworked skeleton sapphire dial with luminous-tipped hands and golf-ball-textured crown
- Power Reserve: ~55 hours
- Strap: Grey ventilated Rubber strap with titanium folding buckle
4. Kylian Mbappé, Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo 38mm
A classic watch for a classic man, Mbappé donned a timeless, vintage look for the Ballon d’Or 2026 red carpet, and his Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo matched the vibe perfectly.
Market Price: AUD $44,600
- Model: Classic Fusion Tributo, Ref. 262.VX.1130.RX.MDM
- Movement: In-house HUB1711 Automatic Calibre (Zenith Elite 670 base, 28,800 vph, open-worked 22kt yellow gold rotor)
- Key Feature: Heritage tribute design reviving Carlo Crocco’s 1980 original with a minimalist markerless dial, historic “MDM” signature at 6 o’clock, and 12 functional bezel screws acting as hour markers
- Case Material: Polished and satin-finished 18kt Yellow Gold with sapphire display caseback
- Case Dimensions: 38 mm diameter, 9.5 mm thickness
- Bezel: Satin-finished 18kt yellow gold bezel secured by 12 domed titanium screws
- Dial: Matte black lacquered dial without indices, featuring yellow gold hands and a date window at 3 o’clock
- Power Reserve: ~50 hours
- Strap: Black lined/ribbed Rubber strap with 18kt yellow gold, black-plated steel, and titanium deployant folding clasp
5. Adekunle Gold, Vanguart Orb Flying Tourbillon (Rose Gold)
Leave it to a non-footballer to take a different horological route, with Nigerian singer-songwriter Adekunle Gold opting for the less recognisable but incredibly fascinating Vanguart Orb Flying Tourbillon.
Market Price: AUD $330,000–$360,000
- Model: Orb – Rose Gold, Ref. 11001-002
- Movement: In-house Mechanical Calibre in Grade 5 Titanium (395 components, 35 jewels, 21,600 vph / 3 Hz)
- Key Feature: Levitating 1-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock paired with a dual-winding mode selector (switchable between automatic orbital winding and manual winding via the crown pusher, locking the diamond-set orbital mass in place when in manual mode)
- Case Material: 18kt Rose Gold (microblasted with hand-polished bevels) and Grade 5 Titanium inner chassis
- Case Dimensions: 41 mm diameter, 10.5 mm thickness
- Bezel: Integrated microblasted 18kt rose gold bezel with polished chamfers
- Dial: Openworked / Dial-free skeleton architecture revealing microblasted titanium bridges, PVD-coated inner hour track with Super-LumiNova markers, and mode indicator (A/M/H) at 12 o’clock
- Power Reserve: ~60 hours
- Strap: Integrated rubber strap (available in white, beige, or soft blue) with an 18kt rose gold and titanium deployant buckle, featuring a concealed quick-release system
Comments
We love hearing from you. or to leave a comment.