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Colour me celebrity: The once basic Rolex OP is attracting an A-list crowd Colour me celebrity: The once basic Rolex OP is attracting an A-list crowd
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Colour me celebrity: The once basic Rolex OP is attracting an A-list crowd

Zach Blass

EDITOR’S NOTE: This week on the Australian Watch Forum a Rolex Oyster Perpetual with a Tiffany blue dial went up for sale for $24,000 AUD – about three times more than the recommended retail price. And those inflated prices are unlikely to dip anytime soon judging by the plethora of celebrity endorsements that Zach has spotted out and about…

Unobtanium. It is a word many collectors use these days, with more and more references fitting this gloomy bill. It sucks to know that when certain brands release new watches, your chances of getting one at retail are quite slim, short of a long buyer’s history or a big dose of luck. So the question is where do these watches go? Well, more often than not, you can rest assured many of the rich and famous are rocking these timepieces. So first up is a watch you may not have expected: the Rolex Oyster Perpetual. It is definitely not the most glamorous watch, so the entry-level Rolex and its popularity with celebrities is a bit of a surprise. But something about its Stella-dial inspired colours really seems to catch the eye of A-list individuals.

Roger Federer: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 Yellow & Green

Rolex Oyster Perpetual
Image: GQ

Roger is a known Rolex ambassador, so to say these watches ended up on his wrist organically would be a total fib. As a Swiss native though, he has  expressed a genuine love for watchmaking and, it is fair to say, he’d hardly object to having to wear Rolex watches as a part of his partnership with the brand.

As someone who has the pick of the catalogue, Roger clearly enjoys the Oyster Perpetual – being spotted with both the green dial that speaks to Rolex’s signature colour and the more playful yellow as well.

Lebron James: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 Turquoise and Coral Red

Lebron James, unlike Federer, is not a Rolex ambassador. So it is safe to assume these watches were purchased. A clear fan of the colour play the Oyster Perpetual collection presents, Lebron also has two OPs to rotate on his wrist: the coral red and turquoise.

The red may be a tribute to his time playing for the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the turqouise is perhaps just a result of him digging the color. And as we know from the secondhand market, it is definitely one of the most sought after within the collection.

Sylvester Stallone: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 Green

Sylvester Stallone must have a thing for green, because he has also recently been captured wearing yet another unobtanium green watch: the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 with a green dial. That watch, however, has a diamond bezel. So, it would seem Sly ops for the Oyster Perpetual when he wants to tone things down a notch. Also, with his massive arms it is crazy how he makes the OP 41 look like a 36 on his wrist.

Mark Wahlberg: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 Turquoise

Mark Wahlberg, like Sylvester Stallone, is a regular on @celebwatchspotter – with a irrefutable passion for collecting wristwatches. One of the latest Rolex additions to his collection is this Oyster Perpetual 41 with a turquoise dial. It is a clear fan favourite within the group, and the Tiffany blue colour  is highly versatile.

Jen Selter: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 Coral Red

Rolex Oyster Perpetual
Image: Tik Tok

We have previously spotted Jen wearing a Rolex Datejust, proving its robust elegance by wearing it whether working out, playing tennis, or getting dressed up for an night out. On Tik Tok, however, she was recently seen wearing a coral red Oyster Perpetual 41 while nonchalantly swishing a shot into the hoop.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual
Image: Tik Tok

A clear move to match her wardrobe, it speaks to the versatility of the collection and the collectability of the group. By owning multiple pieces you can mix and match with different outfits, tailoring the watch to be a perfect accessory to whatever you’re wearing. Like Jen, the watch is inarguably playful – but don’t sleep on its robust qualities as well:  it’s not just fashion but function as well.