Watch Paparazzi

Singer Halsey spotted wearing Rolex

Halsey — born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane — was recently spotted wearing one of Rolex's most historically loaded references: the Day-Date 40 in 18ct yellow gold, reference 228238, featuring a fluted bezel, clean white dial, and the legendary President bracelet. It is a watch that makes a statement without needing to raise its voice.

Introduced in 2015 as a modernisation of the classic Day-Date lineage, the ref. 228238 expanded the case diameter to 40mm while retaining the proportional elegance that has defined the Day-Date since its 1956 debut. The white dial is offered in lacquer, presenting a crisp, uncluttered face that allows the applied hour markers and the twin day and date windows to read with maximum legibility. Powering the watch is Rolex's proprietary calibre 3255, a movement that represents a complete redesign featuring a Chronergy escapement patented by Rolex, a Parachrom hairspring, and a 70-hour power reserve — a significant technical leap over the previous calibre 3155.

The Day-Date occupies a singular position in watch collecting. It has never been offered in anything less than precious metal — no steel, no two-tone — and has historically adorned the wrists of heads of state, Nobel laureates, and cultural figures since its launch. That exclusivity is structural, not marketing. The President bracelet, with its semi-circular three-piece links, was designed specifically for this model and remains available only on Day-Date references.

Halsey's choice of the 228238 aligns with a collecting profile that values substance alongside status. Her debut album 'Badlands' reached number two on the US Billboard 200, and her second album 'Hopeless Fountain Kingdom' topped the same chart — an artist comfortable operating at the highest levels of her industry, reflected here in a watch that exists at the top of Rolex's own hierarchy.

The Rolex Day-Date 40 ref. 228238 carries an official retail price of approximately $41,000 USD. On the secondary market, demand for yellow gold Day-Date references remains consistently strong, with grey-market prices frequently trading at or above retail — a reflection of allocation pressures and enduring collector appetite for Rolex's flagship dress watch.