Television presenter Joe Rogan spotted wearing a Rolex

Joe Rogan was photographed at a beachside venue — palm trees and a pier visible in the background suggesting the Venice or Manhattan Beach area of Los Angeles — smoking a cigar and holding a glass of whiskey. On his left wrist sits what is clearly a yellow gold Rolex Submariner Date, the kind of watch that reads as a statement even at sunset distance.

The watch in question is almost certainly the Rolex Submariner Date reference 116618LN, produced from 2010 until its discontinuation and replacement by the 126618LN in 2020. The 116618LN houses the in-house calibre 3135, a 28,800 vph automatic movement with a 48-hour power reserve, Parachrom hairspring, and Rolex's proprietary Paraflex shock absorbers. The 40mm yellow gold case is paired with a black Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert graduated to 60 minutes — introduced in the 116618LN as an upgrade over the aluminum bezel of earlier gold Submariners. The black dial with luminous Mercedes hands and gold applied hour markers is unmistakable here even in the warm evening light.

The yellow gold Submariner occupies a unique and contested space in Rolex collecting. Long nicknamed 'the Lsubmariner' in enthusiast circles — a nod to its flashier, hip-hop adjacent reputation — it has historically traded at a discount to the stainless steel 116610LN on the grey market, a reflection of taste rather than rarity. In recent years, however, collector sentiment has shifted. The all-gold Submariner is increasingly recognized as a technically superior, undervalued tool watch wearing a precious metal dress.

Rogan, a prominent UFC commentator, stand-up comedian, and podcast host, is a known watch enthusiast who has been spotted in Rolexes and other luxury timepieces across multiple public appearances. His wearing of the 116618LN — paired with tattoo sleeves, a graphic tee, and a snapback cap reading 'Lamborfuckinghini' — underlines the watch's crossover appeal beyond traditional fine watch demographics.

On the current market, the discontinued 116618LN trades robustly. With the newer 126618LN (now featuring the larger 41mm case and calibre 3235) carrying a retail of approximately $39,650, the outgoing reference holds steady on the grey market, often fetching above its original retail. For a watch once dismissed as ostentatious, it has aged extremely well.