Singer Elvis Presley spotted wearing a Rolex

Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, was photographed wearing what has been identified as a Rolex Submariner Reference 6538 — a watch that, in vintage collector circles, occupies near-mythological status. The sighting places one of the most celebrated entertainers of the twentieth century on the wrist with one of the most coveted dive watches ever manufactured, a pairing that feels, in retrospect, entirely inevitable.

The Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538 was produced from approximately 1954 to 1959, sitting at the evolutionary heart of early Submariner development. Its defining characteristic is the oversized, non-screw-down crown — roughly 8mm in diameter — that gave the watch its enduring nickname, the 'Big Crown.' The 38mm stainless steel Oyster case houses a calibre 1030 automatic movement, beating at 18,000 vph with a power reserve of around 38 hours. Early examples featured gilt dials with 'two-line' or 'four-line' text configurations, no crown guards, and a pencil or sword handset — details that today send auction rooms into a frenzy.

The reference achieved broad cultural visibility when Sean Connery wore it as James Bond in 'Dr. No' (1962) and subsequent early Bond films, cementing its crossover appeal between tool-watch utility and screen glamour. That association makes the Presley sighting all the more resonant: two icons of mid-century American and British popular culture converging on the same reference.

Elvis was known for collecting watches and jewellery with genuine enthusiasm, gifting them freely to bandmates and associates. His ownership of a Ref. 6538 fits his documented taste for objects that combined technical credibility with understated presence — qualities the Big Crown Submariner delivers without effort.

On the current market, a Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538 with provenance, original tropical or gilt dial, and matching bracelet commands serious money. Clean examples with documented history regularly exceed $100,000 at major auction houses, with exceptional or celebrity-provenance pieces pushing considerably higher. No official retail price exists for a vintage reference of this age.