Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Kim Kardashian spotted wearing Rolex

Few watch sightings from the early social-media era capture the intersection of celebrity culture and Swiss horology as cleanly as Kim Kardashian's well-documented affinity for the Rolex Datejust. Photographed here at what appears to be a public appearance or signing event, Kardashian wears the ladies Datejust 31 in steel with a factory diamond bezel and a pink dial set with diamond hour markers — a combination that, even today, remains one of Rolex's most requested configurations at authorized dealers.

The reference in question is almost certainly the 178384, the 31mm mid-size Datejust in Oystersteel featuring a factory-set diamond bezel housing 46 brilliant-cut diamonds, a pink MOP or lacquered pink dial with diamond indices at each hour position, and the classic jubilee bracelet with a concealed Crownclasp. Powered by the Rolex Calibre 2235 — a 25-jewel automatic movement with a 48-hour power reserve, Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers — the 178384 meets Rolex's Superlative Chronometer standard, certified to ±2 seconds per day. The 31mm Oystersteel case, water-resistant to 100 metres, bridges Rolex's Lady-Datejust 28 and the full-size 36mm without compromise.

From a collector's perspective, the diamond-bezel, diamond-dial pink configuration of the Datejust 31 occupies an interesting position. Purists historically undervalue diamond Rolex sport-dress pieces relative to clean dials, yet grey-market demand from aspirational buyers and fashion-forward collectors consistently keeps these references at or above retail. The jubilee bracelet variant in particular has benefited from the broader rehabilitation of jubilee bracelets in collector discourse over the past decade.

Kardashian's choice is entirely coherent with her documented watch history — she has favoured diamond-set Rolex pieces, Cartier jewellery watches and statement AP Royal Oaks throughout her public life. At the time of this sighting, the pink diamond Datejust 31 was already functioning as a status signal in both the entertainment industry and among luxury consumers globally.

At retail the 178384 listed in the region of $18,500–$21,000 USD depending on configuration and market. On the grey market today, strong demand from the fashion demographic means clean examples with box and papers trade at a meaningful premium, frequently reaching $24,000–$28,000 USD — a testament to the enduring commercial power of Rolex's diamond dress-sport formula.