Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Sean John Combs Puff Daddy spotted wearing Rolex

Sean 'Diddy' Combs has never been subtle about his relationship with luxury, and the Rolex Day-Date II reference 218238 on his wrist frames that sensibility precisely. The 41mm yellow gold case, paired with a concentric black dial and bold Arabic hour markers, is one of the more visually commanding configurations available within the 218238 family — a watch that makes no effort to recede into the background.

Rolex introduced the Day-Date II in 2008 as a larger evolution of the original Day-Date, which had debuted in 1956 as the first wristwatch to display both the date and the full day of the week spelled out. The ref. 218238 houses the calibre 3156, a self-winding movement with 31 jewels, a Parachrom hairspring for improved shock and temperature resistance, and a power reserve of approximately 48 hours. The 41mm Oyster case is crafted entirely in 18k yellow gold and rides on the iconic President bracelet — a three-piece link design exclusive to the Day-Date line since its inception.

The concentric black dial variant — sometimes catalogued with the AFP (lacquer) designation — adds a graphic, almost architectural quality to the dial surface. The circular engine-turned pattern radiates from the centre, giving depth without adding colour. Combined with applied Arabic numerals rather than the more traditional baton or Roman indices, the result is a dial that reads boldly across a room.

Among collectors, the Day-Date II occupies an interesting position. It was discontinued in 2015 when Rolex replaced it with the Day-Date 40 (ref. 228238), and that discontinuation has quietly firmed up secondary market interest. The 218238 is now sought by collectors who prefer the slightly larger 41mm footprint and the 3156 calibre's proven reliability over the newer 3255-equipped successor.

Combs has long maintained a high-visibility relationship with Rolex and the broader luxury watch category — the Day-Date's unofficial status as a symbol of executive achievement maps cleanly onto his decades-long positioning as a mogul. The ref. 218238 in yellow gold retails officially in the $38,000 range, with grey-market pricing hovering closely around that figure given current market conditions.