Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Touker Suleyman spotted wearing Rolex

Touker Suleyman, the British-Libyan fashion entrepreneur and Dragons' Den investor best known for his ownership of Ghost and Hawes & Curtis, was recently spotted wearing the Rolex Submariner Date in 18ct yellow gold, reference 116618LB — a watch that makes no attempt to hide behind understatement.

The Rolex Submariner Date 116618LB is built entirely in 18ct yellow gold, from its 40mm Oyster case to its integrated bracelet. The blue sunray-brushed dial is complemented by a matching blue Cerachrom ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel — a combination Rolex introduced to give this gold Submariner a more cohesive, deliberate aesthetic. The movement inside is the in-house Calibre 3135, a self-winding mechanical workhorse with a 48-hour power reserve, Rolex's Parachrom hairspring for shock and magnetic resistance, and chronometric certification from COSC. Water resistance sits at 300 metres — fully functional dive spec, despite the precious metal construction.

The 116618LB entered production in the mid-2000s and remained in the Rolex catalogue until 2020, when it was succeeded by the updated 126618LB featuring the larger 41mm case, Calibre 3235, and improved bracelet. The outgoing reference has since attracted renewed collector attention precisely because of that discontinuation. Its predecessor status and the robustness of the 3135 movement make it a sound long-term hold in any serious collection.

For Suleyman, a man whose career has been built around understanding how clothes and accessories project identity, the choice of a full yellow gold Submariner is deliberate and legible. It reads as success without apology — a watch that costs well into five figures and makes no effort to pass as anything else. Among Dragons' Den panelists, visible horological investment has become something of a calling card.

At retail, the 116618LB listed at approximately £22,900 in the UK market before discontinuation. On the current grey market, demand for the predecessor reference keeps prices firm, typically trading between $35,000 and $42,000 USD depending on condition, box, and papers — a meaningful premium over its original list price and a reminder that gold Submariners rarely depreciate quietly.