Watch Paparazzi

Actor Tom Pearce spotted wearing Rolex

A sunny beach club setting provided the backdrop for this watch sighting, with TOWIE cast member Tom Pearce lounging among friends while sporting one of Rolex's most technically ambitious timepieces on his wrist. The all-gold configuration leaves no subtlety on the table — exactly the kind of statement piece that photographs well in a social setting and signals genuine watch investment rather than entry-level luxury.

The Rolex Sky-Dweller reference 326938 is built around the in-house Calibre 9001, a 9Hz (28,800 vph) movement featuring a bidirectional self-winding rotor, 72-hour power reserve, and Rolex's patented Saros annual calendar system. The annual calendar requires just one manual correction per year — at the February/March transition — distinguishing it from both simple date mechanisms and the more complex perpetual calendar. The dual time zone is displayed via an off-centre 24-hour disc rather than a traditional subdial, keeping the champagne dial remarkably legible. The fluted bezel on the 326938 serves a functional dual purpose: it acts as the setting mechanism for switching between time-zone and calendar-adjustment modes via the Rolex Ring Command system integrated into the bezel rotation and crown positions.

Among collectors, the full yellow gold Sky-Dweller occupies a peculiar position. Purists respect its engineering credentials — the Cal. 9001 remains one of the most sophisticated movements Rolex has ever released commercially — yet the model historically traded at or below retail on the secondary market, partly because its size and complexity kept casual buyers away. That dynamic has shifted meaningfully post-2020, with grey-market premiums now firmly established across most configurations.

Tom Pearce built his public profile through The Only Way Is Essex and has maintained a lifestyle-forward social media presence. His choice of the all-gold Sky-Dweller fits squarely within the TOWIE aesthetic of visible, aspirational luxury, though the watch itself carries far more horological depth than its flashy exterior suggests.

At UK RRP of approximately £30,000 (roughly $38,500 USD at time of original posting), the 326938 in yellow gold sits near the top of the standard Sky-Dweller lineup. Grey-market values have climbed since, with clean examples regularly trading between $42,000 and $48,000 USD depending on condition and completeness of set.