Roger Federer is undoubtedly one of Rolex’s most prominent and important brand ambassadors. Currently ranked world No. 4, the Swiss superstar has won 20 Grand Slam titles and holds the record for the most wins at Wimbledon. And he invariably wears a Rolex when he’s photographed hoisting yet another trophy – a tradition which began in 2009, when Federer broke Pete Sampras’ all-time Grand Slam record at Wimbledon.

Among the various Rolex watches that Roger Federer has been spotted wearing is a “Batman” GMT-Master II on an Oyster bracelet.

A Great Deal for Rolex

“Every time I put on my Rolex, it reminds me of those great moments,” Federer says. “You’ve got to be tough and even ruthless to some extent, but always be fair and play with style.” The consummate Rolex “testimonee”, in other words. While it’s well known that ‘the Fed’ has a lucrative contract with Rolex, his obviously genuine love for the brand is what makes him so effective a spokesman.

So, it may surprise you to learn that Federer, in fact, earns relatively little from his Rolex contract – just $1.4 million, according to Tennis World, compared to the $30 million he is reportedly paid by Uniqlo (both are ten-year contracts), $6 million from Moët & Chandon, and $5 million from Mercedes-Benz (among others), making him one of the highest-paid athletes of all time.

In this context, $1.4 million looks like an absolute bargain for the iconic Swiss watch brand, though we’re sure the terms include as many Rolex watches as Federer wants. And the connection is really paying off, as Italy’s Luca Grasso, one of the world’s top Rolex experts, noted in a recent interview. “A lot of famous personalities loved around the world helped to make [Rolex’s] popularity grow by wearing several different models” over the years, he says.

In addition to a number of other Rolex watches, Roger Federer owns a platinum Day-Date II as part of his personal collection.

Roger Federer’s Favorite Rolex

Grasso says that the Rolex model that has benefited the most from Federer’s support is the Datejust – the watch he was wearing on that historic day at Wimbledon in 2009, and the one Rolex lists as his all-time favorite, despite having been photographed with other references including the GMT-Master II “Batman” and the Sky-Dweller. Regarding the Datejust, “we can speak of an investment that can give you back a quick growth of its value as time goes on,” Grasso says, noting that Federer is now influencing luxury watch fans in favor of Rolex and the Datejust, much in the same way that the late, great Paul Newman continues to do with the Daytona and Steve McQueen with the Submariner.

“More and more people want to wear these watches and so the price increases,” Grasso points out. Advantage: Rolex.

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