- 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
When Lionel Messi won Fifa’s best men’s player award for 2022, he set the record with his seventh win in 14 years, according to Fox Sports. The Argentinian captain was honoured for his brilliant year, leading his team to their first World Cup triumph since 1986, and scoring seven goals in as many matches at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
And, like many other celebrities, Messi celebrates his career success by indulging in luxury watches.
Lionel Messi recently received Fifa’s best men’s player award – with his Patek Philippe Grand Complications watch on his wrist. Photo: @leomessi/Instagram
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.
Lionel Messi’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Leo Messi is the rarest iteration of the model. Photo: Handout
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
Lionel Messi donning his rare Hublot Bat Bang Tourbillon watch during a casual hang-out. Photo: @leomessi/Instagram
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.
Messi’s rare Hublot, the Bat Bang Tourbillon. Photo: Hublot
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
Lionel Messi sporting a Rolex Submariner and posing with his wife with Antonela Roccuzzo. Photo: @antonelaroccuzzo/Instagram
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.
The Rolex Submariner 116659 SABR drips with diamonds. Photo: Sotheby’s
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.
Dubbed as the jet-setting world traveller’s watch, the 45mm case comprises 163 components with a world time display to indicate the city and date of the location on the dial. It also has an open one-minute flying tourbillon, allowing observation on its detailing and operation. With 101 limited pieces, its retail price is US$210,000, as listed on the Jacob & Co. website.
3. Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 5270P – US$233,000
Lionel Messi with his Fifa best men’s player award – and Patek Philippe Grand Complications watch. Photo: @leomessi/Instagram
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 Patek Philippe Grand Complications from the Perpetual Calendar collection. Photo: Patek Philippe
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.
One of them is the celeb-favoured Nautilus Chronograph 5980/1R. The timepiece has a 40.5mm 18k rose gold case and bracelet with a black gradient dial and gold-applied luminescent coated hour markers. The chronograph complication has a 60-minute and 12-hour mono-counter. The watch also has a power reserve of 55 hours. Its current price on Patek Philippe’s website is US$115,000 – but it can surge up to US$420,000 on the secondary market, according to watch experts.
The Patek Philippe Nautilus watch in white gold. Photo: Handout
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
Lionel Messi’s Epic X Chronograph Messi by Jacob & Co. Photo: @leomessi/Instagram
Like his fellow football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi also collaborated with Jacob & Co. on a luxury line that takes his name: the Epic X Chronograph Messi. The most expensive version, the Epic X Chrono Messi Full Baguette seen on his wrist at the Dubai Expo 2020, is also reportedly his most valuable timepiece, per ProIQRA.
Lionel Messi owns the most expensive version of this Jacob & Co Epic X Chronograph Messi watch. Photo: @leomessi /Instagram
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.
