Watch Paparazzi

Athlete Rob Dyrdek spotted wearing Rolex

Rob Dyrdek — professional skateboarder, Ridiculousness host, and serial entrepreneur — was caught on camera in what appears to be a backstage or green-room setting, and the wrist candy on display is hard to miss: a full 18kt yellow-gold Rolex Sky-Dweller, champagne dial, fluted bezel, on an Oyster bracelet. The piece sits confidently alongside a gold bracelet stack, underscoring Dyrdek's well-documented taste for statement jewellery.

The watch in question points strongly to reference 326938, the Sky-Dweller in solid 18kt yellow gold with a champagne Arabic dial. Rolex introduced the Sky-Dweller at Baselworld 2012 as its first new complication in over half a century. The 42mm case houses the proprietary Cal. 9001 — a COSC-certified automatic beating at 28,800 vph with a 72-hour power reserve. The movement integrates a Saros annual calendar (12 apertures around the periphery of the dial indicate the month), a dual time-zone display via the 24-hour inner ring, and the patented Ring Command bezel that allows the wearer to switch between three distinct setting modes by simply rotating the fluted bezel. It is, by Rolex standards, extraordinarily complex engineering.

Among collectors, the all-yellow-gold Sky-Dweller occupies an interesting position. It is unambiguously a dressy, high-complication piece in a catalogue otherwise dominated by sport watches. The 326938 on an Oyster bracelet — as opposed to the leather strap variants — gives the watch a sportier read while retaining every gram of its precious-metal presence. Its champagne Arabic dial is considered the most legible and cohesive execution of the dial layout.

Dyrdek built his public profile through skating, but his business portfolio — including the Fantasy Factory brand and a string of consumer ventures — has made him a legitimate figure in entrepreneurial circles. His watch choices tend to reflect new-money confidence rather than understated connoisseurship, and a full-yellow-gold Sky-Dweller fits that profile precisely.

At retail the 326938 carries a list price in the region of $38,950 USD, though authorised dealer availability has been historically tight. On the secondary market the piece commands a modest premium, typically trading between $42,000 and $48,000 depending on condition and papers, making it one of the more accessible full-gold complications in Rolex's current lineup.