Being a professional athlete has its perks – not only are they eligible to be ambassadors of luxury watch brands, but they also get the opportunity to design their own signature timepieces! Whether it’s Russian ice hockey star Alex Ovechkin’s collaboration with Swiss luxury brand Hublot on the Big Bang Unico timepiece or Irish golfer Rory Mcllroy’s special edition Omega Speedmaster ’57 Chronograph watch, these famous athletes and their iconic luxury watches are worth your attention.
Related: King James and his passion for luxury watches
From football and American football to ice hockey, golf, and mixed martial arts, we cover the luxurious lives of five leading athletes who aren’t shy to flaunt their expensive taste for watches (We covered LeBron James here.). Think: a Jacob & Co. timepiece worth $1 million, a Hublot watch set with 150 diamonds, a rare Rolex with a price tag of $185,000… the list goes on.
Neymar
The Brazilian footballer is touted to be one of the best players, but luxury watch enthusiasts will agree that he also brings his A-game to horology. His collection is expansive, and his tastes expensive – you’ll see Neymar decked in the best luxury watch brands like Rolex, Richard Mille, and Hublot.
His Rolex GMT Master II 40mm in 18k everose gold is a rare find indeed – the bezel and dial are set with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, with a price tag of $185,000.
His Richard Mille RM052 Tourbillon watch is equally unique, with a prominent skull face on its transparent dial. Meanwhile, his Hublot Classic Fusion Titanium Pavé 33 mm watch features a polished titanium bezel set with 36 diamonds, and a case set with 114 diamonds.
Alex Ovechkin
Photo: Hublot
Alex Ovechkin and Hublot North America President Jean-Francois-Sberro
Alexander Ovechkin wears the Hublot Big Bang Unico Red Carbon watch. Image source: Hublot
Tom Brady
Apart from dominating the NFL, Tom Brady is also commanding attention for his high-end luxury watches. Not only is he a connoisseur of watches, but he’s also loyally endorsed TAG Heuer and IWC Schaffhausen as their brand ambassador.
Tom Brady wears the TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 watch. Image source: TAG Heuer
Tom Brady with the IWC Schaffhausen Pilot Worldtimer watch and the IWC Schaffhausen Pilot Chronograph Top Gun Edition SFTI watch. Image source: Tom Brady/Instagram
Rory McIlroy
Interestingly, Irish golfer Rory Mcllroy has always sported a luxury watch on his wrist while playing. His early days saw him wear the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore timepiece and the unique Offshore Chronograph Bumblebee timepiece.
Later, he became the brand ambassador of Omega’s Aqua Terra collection and donned the likes of Aqua Terra 150m Co-Axial GMT, Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m, and Seamaster Aqua Terra Gold 150m Master Co-Axial. Last year, Mcllroy collaborated with Omega on the new design of the Seamaster Terra Ultra Light watch worth $40,000.
Rory Mcllroy wears the Omega Speedmaster ’57 Co-Axial Chronometer Chronograph 41.5mm Rory Mcllroy Special Edition watch. Image source: Rory Mcllroy/Instagram, Rolex
Rory Mcllroy wears the Omega Seamaster Terra Ultra Light watch. Image source: Omega
Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor wears a classic Rolex Day-Date 36mm in yellow gold with a green dial. Image source: Instagram/Conor McGregor, Rolex
Image: Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images
Conor McGregor wears Jacob & Co.’s Astronomia Tourbillon Five Minute timepiece. Image source: Instagram/Conor McGregor, Jacob & Co.
Conor McGregor wears a rare Green Patek Philippe 5905P. Image source: Instagram/Conor McGregor, Patek Philippe
Conor McGregor wears a classic Rolex Day-Date 36mm in yellow gold with a green dial. Image source: Instagram/Conor McGregor, Rolex
Image: Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images
Shweta Gandhi is a fashion and lifestyle journalist based in Toronto. She has covered fashion and sustainability extensively for Vogue India and ELLE India, attending international fashion weeks from the front row.
She has interviewed innumerable designers and celebrities including Maria Grazia Chiuri, Tamara Ralph, Nick Bateman, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Manish Malhotra, Ranveer Singh among others. In her free time, she writes on new-age spirituality on her website svetarotreading.com.
