Politician Sandro Marcos spotted wearing a Rolex

During his 2022 congressional campaign for the Ilocos Norte district, Sandro Marcos — full name Ferdinand Alexander Marcos III — was photographed on the campaign trail wearing a Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39mm in stainless steel, reference 114300. For a politician whose family name carries enormous weight in the Philippines, the watch selection reads as deliberately low-key, at least by the standards of a dynasty long associated with conspicuous wealth.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 114300 was produced from 2015 until Rolex quietly retired the 39mm case diameter in 2020, replacing the Oyster Perpetual range with a revised 41mm and a reintroduced 36mm lineup. The 114300 houses the calibre 3132, a self-winding movement with a Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers, offering a 48-hour power reserve and COSC-certified chronometric precision. The case measures 39mm in diameter with an Oyster bracelet, screw-down crown, and 100-metre water resistance — everything that defines Rolex's core engineering philosophy in its most unadorned form.

Within collector circles, the 114300 has earned genuine appreciation precisely because it was overlooked during its production run. It sat in the catalogue without the glamour of a Daytona or the prestige of a Submariner, which means pre-owned examples now surface at prices that represent real value. The discontinuation gave it scarcity; the clean dial — available in striking monochromatic options including rhodium, black, and the vivid grape — gave it character. Collectors who prize legibility and restraint regard it as one of the last truly affordable Rolex references with undeniable long-term appeal.

Sandro Marcos, born in 1994, is the eldest son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. He successfully won the congressional seat for Ilocos Norte's second district in the May 2022 elections, running alongside his father's presidential campaign. His public image has been carefully managed, and the choice of a steel sports-adjacent Rolex — rather than something in gold or from an overt luxury tier — aligns with a broader effort to appear accessible.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual 114300 carried a retail list price of approximately $5,700 USD before discontinuation. On the grey market today, clean examples typically trade between $6,500 and $8,500 USD depending on dial colour, with the more vivid dial variants commanding a premium.