Watch Paparazzi

Actor Jonathan Clark spotted wearing Rolex

Jonathan Clark, best known to British audiences as a cast member of ITVBe's long-running reality series The Only Way Is Essex, was recently photographed at home holding a jar of Protein World supplement — but the real story is on his wrist. Clearly visible is a Rolex Yacht-Master II in 18ct yellow gold, one of the most technically ambitious references in the modern Rolex lineup.

The watch in question is almost certainly reference 116688, the full yellow-gold iteration of the 44mm Yacht-Master II introduced in 2007. Its defining feature is not its precious metal construction but its calibre 4161 movement — a COSC-certified chronograph with a proprietary Ring Command bezel mechanism. Rotating the blue Cerachrom bezel physically engages and programs a mechanical memory system that sets countdown intervals between one and ten minutes, replicating the starting sequence used in competitive sailing regattas. It is a genuinely complex piece of engineering wrapped in a very conspicuous package.

From a collector standpoint, the 116688 occupies an unusual position. It is one of Rolex's most technically sophisticated movements — more architecturally complex than the Daytona's cal. 4130 — yet it has never achieved the same secondary-market frenzy. That relative accessibility on the grey market, despite its full-gold construction and serious horology, has made it something of a hidden gem for buyers who value mechanical substance over hype. The white dial with regatta-scale chapter ring, red flyback hand, and gold Arabic numerals on the blue ceramic bezel gives the piece unmistakable presence on the wrist.

Clark's taste runs toward the overtly luxurious, consistent with the aesthetic TOWIE cast members have helped popularise among younger UK watch buyers — full-gold sports models worn casually, stripped of any nautical context. Pairing the Yacht-Master II with a navy windbreaker is precisely the kind of contrast that keeps watch spotters interested.

At UK RRP of approximately £30,000 and grey-market values tracking closely to or slightly above retail depending on condition and paperwork, the Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 remains a serious acquisition. For buyers who want full-gold Rolex presence alongside genuine horological complexity, this reference continues to be quietly underrated.