Roger Federer's Farewell Watches

In case you missed it – Roger Federer has announced his retirement from professional tennis. The 41-year old made his announcement on social media, explaining that he’ll still be playing more tennis, just not in the Grand Slams or on tour.

Widely regarded as one of the best tennis players of all time, Roger retires with 20 Grand Slam victories. His effortless strides on the court and general graciousness has made him very popular with fans.

Roger has been a Rolex ambassador since 2005 so seeing the brand on his wrist is no surprise. Let’s check out the watches he wore leading to his final match at the Laver Cup.

Rolex Daytona Meteorite Dial

When Roger announced his retirement on his official Instagram page, sitting in his trophy room with sleeves perfectly rolled up, he was wearing one of the latest versions of the Rolex Daytona – an 18k white gold model with a dial made of an actual piece of meteorite. This material is not only rare, but also aesthetically distinct.

The slow cooling process that molten asteroid cores go through as they travel through space results in bizarre metallic patterns resembling the Moon’s surface. This means no two meteorite dials are identical. This textured space rock finish on the face offers a striking contrast against the monochromatic exterior, while the black sub-dials tie the cool and futuristic look together. The red “Daytona” text adds a subtle pop of color. Video from Roger Federer on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cih0_lCgJul/

Rolex GMT-Master II “Sprite”

Roger declared that the final match of his career would be at this year’s Laver Cup, the annual men’s tennis tournament between teams from Europe and the rest of the world. We spotted him arriving in London and practicing with teammate and longtime rival Rafael Nadal wearing the latest Rolex GMT-Master II – the left-handed “Sprite,” paired with an Oyster bracelet.

During his practice sessions with Nadal, Roger Federer came out wearing not just any Rolex, but one of the Crown’s most exciting new releases of the year: the “destro” (lefty) GMT-Master II: https://t.co/TXH7QkKQVd pic.twitter.com/5jOLiz10zR
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) September 24, 2022

The “Sprite” sparked interest because it is the first watch the Swiss brand has made expressly for lefties with its crown, crown guards, and Cyclops date window placed on the left side of the case. The green-and-black color combination of the Cerachrom bezel is also new to the GMT-Master collection and the entire Rolex lineup. These details make the timepiece particularly suited for tennis players like Roger. Photo from GQ Magazine on Twitter

Rolex Air King 40

Roger held his retirement match at Laver Cup on the 26th of September, playing alongside Rafael Nadal in doubles for Team Europe. It ended in tears — a dramatic punctuation to a remarkable career.

Once off the court, he was seen wearing one of Rolex’s sports watches that go relatively unnoticed – the Rolex Air-King. This watch was made in 1945 to honor the British Royal Air Force and was revived in 2016 with a 40mm Oystersteel amagnetic case. The modern Air-King is easily identified by its eccentric, double-digit hour markers.

A watch that’s truly fit for a king #RogerFederer https://t.co/nxrfNTatEL
— GQ India (@gqindia) September 26, 2022

The Swiss tennis player went for the 2022 edition (ref 126900 pictured above) of the timeless tool watch. The new one, while retaining the same size, now comes with crown guards, a “05” minute marker, an updated automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve, wider links and an improved clasp on the bracelet, and a slimmer and flatter case design that’s in line with Rolex’s other professional watches such as the GMT-Master II. Photo from GQ India on Twitter