Basketball player LeBron James spotted wearing a Rolex

LeBron James was recently spotted wearing one of Rolex's most extravagant production references, the Day-Date 40 in 950 platinum with an ice blue dial and full baguette diamond bezel — a watch that sits at the absolute apex of the Swiss manufacturer's commercial lineup. The sighting, consistent with the LA Lakers star's well-established affinity for serious horology, draws attention to a reference that many collectors consider the definitive expression of the Day-Date's presidential heritage.

The reference 228396TBR is built around Rolex's in-house calibre 3255, a movement that represented a ground-up redesign when it debuted in 2015. The 3255 delivers a 70-hour power reserve, operates at 28,800 vph, and features Rolex's proprietary Chronergy escapement — offering roughly 15 percent greater energy efficiency than a conventional lever escapement. The movement is also equipped with a paramagnetic Parachrom hairspring, providing resistance to magnetic fields and temperature variation. Behind the technical architecture sits the watch's defining aesthetic: an ice blue dial that Rolex reserves exclusively for platinum models, giving it an immediate and unambiguous status signal within the brand's range.

The 228396TBR's baguette diamond treatment is what separates it from an already exceptional base model. The bezel is set with 40 baguette-cut diamonds in a channel configuration, while the dial carries 10 further baguette-cut diamond hour markers. Baguette setting is among the most demanding techniques in gem-setting — each stone must be individually calibrated and held by razor-thin metal walls — which contributes directly to both the watch's price point and its limited availability on the open market.

For LeBron James, this is entirely consistent form. The four-time NBA champion has appeared publicly in Rolex Day-Dates, Patek Philippe perpetual calendars, and Richard Mille pieces across his career, building a collection that reflects both significant financial reach and genuine engagement with the upper tier of watchmaking. The 228396TBR reads as a natural centrepiece for any serious collection.

At a retail list price of approximately $115,000, the 228396TBR is already one of Rolex's highest-priced catalogue references. On the secondary market, demand for platinum Day-Date 40 models with factory diamond dials and bezels has pushed values above retail, with current grey-market estimates running in the $135,000 range — a premium that reflects genuine scarcity rather than speculative excess.