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Entrepreneur Tom Ford spotted wearing Rolex

The photograph dates to Tom Ford's celebrated Gucci era, a period that stretched from 1994 to 2004 and redefined what a European luxury brand could be. On his wrist sits a stainless steel Rolex Submariner Date reference 16610 — a choice that, in retrospect, reads as entirely coherent with the designer's aesthetic: rigorous, unshowy, immaculately resolved.

The Rolex Submariner Date ref. 16610 was introduced in 1988 as a direct evolution of the ref. 16800, bringing with it a sapphire crystal replacing the earlier acrylic, a double-locking Triplock crown, and the calibre 3135 automatic movement — a robust, COSC-certified workhorse beating at 28,800 vph with a 48-hour power reserve. Case diameter sits at the classic 40 mm, water resistance is rated to 300 metres, and the matte then gloss ceramic-free bezel insert carries the familiar 60-minute graduated aluminium ring. The ref. 16610 remained in production until 2010, when it was retired in favour of the ceramic-bezelled ref. 116610.

Among collectors, the 16610 occupies a precise and well-understood position. It is the last of the 'aluminium bezel' generation Submariners to use the full suite of modern specifications — sapphire crystal, cal. 3135, solid end-links — without the significant price premium now attached to the ceramic successor. The LV variant, featuring a green bezel, commands a notable collector premium, but the standard black-bezel example Ford wears here remains the definitive everyday Submariner for a large constituency of serious enthusiasts.

Tom Ford's relationship with objects of enduring design is well documented. As creative director of Gucci — and later of Yves Saint Laurent — he rebuilt both houses on the principle that true luxury resides in discipline and craft rather than novelty. A Submariner ref. 16610 on the wrist of the man orchestrating Gucci's late-1990s resurgence is not a contradiction; it is a statement of taste that privileges longevity over trend.

On the grey market, clean examples of the Rolex Submariner Date ref. 16610 in full set condition currently trade between $8,000 and $11,000 depending on dial condition, bezel fade, and box-and-papers status. The reference never had an official retail price in current circulation, having been discontinued in 2010, but represents strong long-term value retention consistent with the broader Submariner lineage.