Watch Paparazzi

Boxer Tyson Fury spotted wearing Rolex

Tyson Fury — WBC heavyweight champion and one of boxing's most flamboyant personalities — was recently photographed wearing a stainless steel Rolex Submariner Date reference 126610LV, the ceramic green-bezel variant that collectors know as the 'Starbucks.' It is a deliberate choice: this is not a quiet watch, and Fury is not a quiet man.

The Rolex Submariner Date 126610LV was introduced in 2020 as the direct successor to the reference 116610LV, itself the second-generation 'Kermit.' Where the original 2003 ref. 16610LV paired a green aluminum bezel with a black dial — earning that amphibian nickname — Rolex refined the formula with a full ceramic (Cerachrom) green bezel insert on the 116610LV in 2010. The 126610LV takes that further still: a wider 41mm Oyster case, the new-generation cal. 3235 movement, and a redesigned bracelet with the Oysterlock clasp and Glidelock extension. Water resistance remains 300 metres. The black dial carries applied white gold hour markers, a date window at three o'clock with Cyclops lens, and Chromalight luminescence. It is, technically, one of the most mature executions of the Submariner platform to date.

The calibre 3235 is the real story under the caseback. Rolex's own movement features a Chronergy escapement — a nickel-phosphorus lever and escape wheel system that improves efficiency by roughly 15 percent over its predecessor — along with a Parachrom hairspring and 70-hour power reserve. This is not a movement built to impress on a spec sheet; it is built to run correctly for decades with minimal service intervention, which is precisely why the Submariner retains its value as it does.

For collectors, the 126610LV occupies a specific tier: universally legible, deeply historical, and practically impossible to obtain at retail. Waitlists at authorised dealers routinely stretch years, which has created a robust and sustained grey market premium. The reference functions as both a serious horological object and a liquid asset.

Fury's affinity for Rolex is well documented — the Gypsy King has appeared publicly in several references across the catalogue. The 126610LV, with its bold green bezel and outsized cultural footprint, suits his public persona without requiring any explanation to a non-watch audience. List price sits at approximately $10,150; grey market currently trades the reference closer to $20,600, reflecting a premium that shows no meaningful signs of compression.