Watch Paparazzi

Rapper ASAP Rocky spotted wearing Rolex

A$AP Rocky was recently photographed sporting the Rolex Yacht-Master II in its two-tone Rolesor configuration — reference 116681 — a watch that occupies a genuinely interesting position in the Rolex catalogue: technically ambitious, visually bold, and perpetually underappreciated by the mainstream collector community.

The ref. 116681 measures 44mm in Oystersteel with 18kt Everose gold applied to the bezel, crown, and Oyster bracelet centre links. That combination gives the watch a warm, sunset-toned contrast that suits Rocky's aesthetic sensibility. The Everose gold bezel ring is engraved with a graduated 0-to-60-minute scale and houses the programmable countdown function at the heart of the watch's purpose. Beneath the deep blue dial — featuring a lacquered finish with applied gold hour markers — beats Rolex's in-house Calibre 4161, a movement Rolex developed entirely for this model. It incorporates a patented Ring Command bezel that mechanically interacts with the movement to set the regatta timer, a genuine technical achievement that connects the crown, bezel, and gear train in sequence. Power reserve stands at approximately 72 hours.

Introduced in 2007 as the evolution of the original Yacht-Master, the Yacht-Master II was Rolex's bid to produce a watch with true on-water racing utility. The regatta countdown — synchronized to race-start sequences — was a serious engineering undertaking. The 116681 two-tone variant arrived later in the reference's lifecycle and has always played second fiddle in collector conversations to the full white gold ref. 116689, yet that relative obscurity makes it arguably the smarter acquisition.

A$AP Rocky has built one of the more credible watch collections in hip-hop, demonstrating a preference for technically interesting pieces over simple flex value. The Yacht-Master II fits that pattern — it rewards those who understand what the Cal. 4161 actually does.

At UK RRP of approximately £16,770, the ref. 116681 converts to roughly $21,000 USD at list. On the grey market, two-tone Yacht-Master II examples trade at or modestly above retail — a reflection of steady but not frenzied demand — making this one of the more accessible entry points into a genuinely complex Rolex complication.