Which luxury watches do elite sports stars like Rafael Nadal prefer to wear?
Tennis star Rafael Nadal sports a US$800,000 Richard Mille timepiece while golfer Tiger Woods has a Rolex, but which brands sponsor other top athletes?
Expensive Swiss mechanical watches do not have much practical use on the sports field, tennis court, or running track, although it is not uncommon to see the world’s top athletes wearing high-end, luxury timepieces during competitions.
Luxury watch brands are eager to sponsor elite athletes – from boxers such as the American Floyd Mayweather Jnr to tennis champions including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams – not for their horological expertise, but for their aura – which sells.
We got a helping hand from the experts at Crown & Caliber, the website that buys and sells second-hand luxury watches, to determine the make and models of 21 timepieces worn by some of the world’s top athletes.
We have ranked them in ascending order of price.
Neymar, Brazil soccer player – Gaga Milano, US$2,100
Neymar’s love of watches is well documented, with his trip to a Gaga Milano store ending in his spending US$180,000 – and getting an endorsement deal.
Despite his own line of timepieces being at the lower end of the luxury watch bracket, it looks as though he has some special editions worth much more in his collection.
Tom Brady, American football quarterback – TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 01, US$3,250