Vinicius Jr's Watches: Audemars Piguet and the Ballon d'Or Rolex Party
Last updated: June 2026
Vinicius Jr's public watch sightings center on Audemars Piguet, with Royal Oak references appearing at events and red-carpet appearances. The bigger watch story attached to his name is the October 28, 2024 Ballon d'Or night in Paris, when he and his inner circle reportedly ordered Rolex watches as gifts for his Real Madrid teammates ahead of a ceremony he expected to win.
This article walks through what's documented on Vinicius's wrist (less than you'd think), then unpacks the Ballon d'Or Rolex story as reported by Spanish outlet Relevo. We also cover the Real Madrid throughline into 2026, where Carlo Ancelotti now runs Brazil. Ancelotti named Vinicius to Brazil's final 26-man World Cup squad in the May 18, 2026 announcement in Rio de Janeiro (per Olympics.com, FourFourTwo, and Goal). For broader context, see our complete 2026 World Cup watches guide.
Table of Contents
What Vinicius Wears: Audemars Piguet, Documented Lightly
We'll be honest. Vinicius's personal watch collection isn't as well-documented as some of his teammates'. The public material points to Audemars Piguet, with Royal Oak references the most visible piece in event photography. What we don't have is the reference-by-reference catalog you can build for Ronaldo or Messi. Vinicius doesn't post wristshots the way some of his peers do, and his event coverage often frames him from the chest up. The pattern we see is Royal Oak; the specific ref is harder to pin down in publicly verifiable photography.
For anyone looking at Vinicius-adjacent pieces on the pre-owned market, Royal Oaks in 41mm steel and rose gold sit in the $40K to $90K range depending on year, condition, and dial. That range reflects industry experience, not financial advice.
The 2024 Ballon d'Or Rolex Story
The reason most people associate watches with Vinicius isn't his wrist. It's October 28, 2024 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
That night was the Ballon d'Or ceremony. Vinicius was the heavy favorite. He'd had a Champions League season with Real Madrid, scored in the final, and the betting markets had him as the consensus winner. According to Spanish outlet Relevo (reporting by Alfredo Matilla and Hugo Cerezo, picked up by nogomania.com and sportsmania.asia), Vinicius and his inner circle had booked a venue, organized a celebration for guests in Madrid before the Paris ceremony, and ordered Rolex watches as gifts for his Real Madrid teammates. He was preparing to win.
Hours before the ceremony, Real Madrid received word, reportedly via Manchester City, that Rodri (City's defensive midfielder) had won instead. Real Madrid's delegation boycotted the gala. Vinicius didn't fly to Paris. The party was cancelled. The Rolex gifts went into limbo.
What happened to the watches is where the reporting splits. Some accounts say the order was never finalized once the boycott was decided. Some say the pieces were returned. Some say they were quietly delivered later as private gifts. Relevo established the commitment but the specific quantity and reference (most outlets assumed Daytona, but it wasn't confirmed) were never publicly verified. We're flagging this because the story has been retold a lot, and the retellings have sometimes hardened "Daytonas" into the record when the originating source didn't say that.
What we can say with confidence: a Real Madrid superstar expecting to win the Ballon d'Or arranged Rolex gifts, the award went elsewhere, the ceremony was boycotted, and the watch order's fate became one of the stranger footnotes in modern Ballon d'Or history.
Real Madrid, Rolex, and the Gift Custom
The Vinicius story echoes a moment from a different Real Madrid Ballon d'Or night six years earlier.
After Luka Modrić won the 2018 Ballon d'Or, he reportedly bought 50 Rolex watches as thank-you gifts for his Real Madrid and Croatia teammates and staff. Per Simon Bastiansen, Modrić's then-head of partnerships, the gifts went to teammates, coaches, the team doctor, the physical therapist, and the team drivers; the quote did not specify model or material. Follow-up reporting describes 25 rose-gold Daytonas for the Real Madrid squad, with the Croatia 25 not specified by reference.
Six years later, Vinicius was reportedly preparing his own version, with the order placed before the ceremony rather than after. Modrić's was a winner's thank-you. Vinicius's was a pre-party that didn't happen.
For broader market context, steel Daytona references like the 116500LN have been among the most-traded on the secondary market since the 116500LN's 2016 launch. Pre-owned 116500LN examples currently sit in the $25K to $40K range depending on dial, year, and condition, with discontinued status (Rolex replaced it with the 126500LN in 2023) keeping demand firm. If you're looking to shop pre-owned Rolex Daytona, that's roughly where the market sits as of June 2026. Secondary pricing varies; this reflects industry experience, not financial advice.
What we won't do is turn these two stories into a thesis about footballer culture. Two documented Real Madrid Rolex-gift moments isn't a trend. They're two individual stories, both Real Madrid, both Ballon d'Or, both Rolex. That's the connection, and it's enough on its own.
Vinicius Going Into the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup adds a Real Madrid throughline to Vinicius's tournament that wasn't there in 2022. Brazil is now coached by Carlo Ancelotti, Vinicius's former Real Madrid manager. Ancelotti took the Brazil job in 2025 with a contract extended through the 2030 World Cup, making him the first non-Brazilian to lead the Seleção at a World Cup.
For Vinicius, the practical effect is that the manager who oversaw his Real Madrid peak years (including the 2024 Champions League title and the 2024 Ballon d'Or favorite season) will also pick his World Cup minutes. Ancelotti named Vinicius to Brazil's final 26-man squad in the May 18, 2026 announcement in Rio de Janeiro, alongside the returning Neymar and 19-year-old Endrick (per Olympics.com, FourFourTwo, and Goal). For the broader picture, see our breakdown of Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad, and Ancelotti's own watch history in Carlo Ancelotti's watches.
For the full cluster, the Watches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup hub connects every player profile and country breakdown.
Sources: Relevo (originating reporters Alfredo Matilla and Hugo Cerezo) for the 2024 Ballon d'Or Rolex gift story, picked up by nogomania.com and sportsmania.asia; public event photography for Vinicius's Audemars Piguet brand association. The specific Rolex reference and piece count Vinicius reportedly ordered have not been publicly confirmed and accounts of what happened to the order vary across follow-up reporting. Vinicius's inclusion in Brazil's final 26-man squad was confirmed in Ancelotti's May 18, 2026 announcement in Rio de Janeiro, reported by Olympics.com, FourFourTwo, and Goal; squad detail is current as of June 1, 2026. Retail pricing reflects brand MSRP at the time of release; secondary market pricing varies by condition, year, and dealer. This article reflects industry experience and is not financial advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What watch brand does Vinicius Jr wear?
Documented public sightings are predominantly Audemars Piguet, with Royal Oak references the most visible piece in event photography. His personal collection isn't as well-documented as some of his Real Madrid teammates'. Most public reporting on Vinicius and watches centers on the 2024 Ballon d'Or Rolex gift story rather than his own wrist.
What is the 2024 Ballon d'Or Rolex story?
On October 28, 2024, ahead of the Ballon d'Or ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Vinicius and his inner circle organized a celebration for guests in Madrid before the Paris ceremony, and ordered Rolex watches as gifts for his Real Madrid teammates. Hours before the ceremony, the squad learned Rodri had won. Real Madrid's delegation boycotted the gala and the party was cancelled.
How many Rolexes did Vinicius order?
The specific count and reference haven't been publicly confirmed. The originating source (Spanish outlet Relevo) reported the gift commitment but not the exact quantity. Subsequent reporting on what happened to the watches varies: some accounts say the order was never finalized, some say it was returned, some say the pieces were quietly delivered later as private gifts.
Who coaches Brazil at the 2026 World Cup?
Carlo Ancelotti, Vinicius's former Real Madrid manager. Ancelotti took the Brazil job in 2025 with a contract extended through the 2030 World Cup. He is the first non-Brazilian to lead the Seleção at a World Cup and the throughline between Vinicius's club years and his international ones.
Is Vinicius in Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad?
Yes. Carlo Ancelotti named Vinicius to Brazil's final 26-man World Cup squad in the May 18, 2026 announcement in Rio de Janeiro, alongside the returning Neymar and 19-year-old Endrick (per Olympics.com, FourFourTwo, and Goal). Brazil opens in Group C with Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti.