Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Emis Killa spotted wearing Rolex

Italian rapper Emis Killa was recently spotted with a Rolex Datejust 36 reference 126234-0021 on his wrist — a configuration that rewards close attention. The dial color alone separates this watch from the more common Datejust offerings flooding social media, and the diamond detailing adds a layer of specification that casual observers would almost certainly miss.

The Rolex Datejust 36 ref. 126234 sits on the current-generation caliber 3235, introduced by Rolex in 2015 and still regarded as one of the brand's finest movements. It delivers a 70-hour power reserve, operates at 28,800 vph, and incorporates the Chronergy escapement — a design that improves efficiency by roughly 15 percent over its predecessor. The Oyster case measures 36mm in stainless steel with a fluted white gold bezel, and water resistance is rated to 100 meters. The specific 0021 configuration features the aubergine Roman dial, a deep eggplant lacquer surface appointed with white gold Roman numerals and diamond-set indexes precisely at VI and IX, adding approximately 24 stones without tipping the dial into ostentation.

The Datejust is Rolex's oldest continuously produced watch, introduced in 1945 as the first self-winding wristwatch with an automatic date display at the 3 o'clock position. The 126234 generation modernized the case architecture with slimmer lugs and an updated crown-and-clasp system, sharpening proportions that had grown slightly heavy in the preceding 116234. Collectors regard the aubergine dial variants as sleeper references — uncommon enough to generate interest at auction but not yet commanding the premiums associated with meteorite or champagne configurations.

Emis Killa, born Emiliano Rudolf Giambelli, has built a reputation as one of Italy's most consistent and lyrically rigorous rap voices since emerging in the early 2010s. His watch choices tend to reflect a taste for quality over flash, and the 126234-0021 fits that profile precisely — it is recognizably Rolex to any informed eye, but communicates nothing loudly.

Rolex lists the Datejust 36 ref. 126234-0021 at approximately $17,000 USD through authorized dealers, though current grey market pricing reflects the persistent demand pressure on steel Datejust references, with values tracking modestly above retail depending on condition and documentation.