Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Alan Sugar spotted wearing Rolex

Lord Alan Sugar was photographed wearing the Rolex Sky-Dweller reference 326934 during filming of the current series of The Apprentice UK, the long-running BBC business competition that Sugar has fronted since 2005. The watch appeared on his wrist in its characteristic two-tone configuration — a detail that suits the boardroom aesthetic Sugar has cultivated across decades of public life.

The Rolex Sky-Dweller ref. 326934 pairs an Oyster case in 904L stainless steel with an 18-carat white gold fluted bezel, a combination Rolex designates as Rolesor. The sunburst blue dial carries the Sky-Dweller's distinctive annual calendar display — twelve off-centre apertures around the chapter ring indicate the month — alongside a 24-hour second time zone rendered via a subsidiary disc at 6 o'clock. Powering the watch is the calibre 9001, a COSC-certified self-winding movement with a 72-hour power reserve and the patented Ring Command bezel system, which allows the wearer to switch between setting functions by rotating the bezel. Case diameter is 42mm.

The Sky-Dweller was introduced at Baselworld 2012 and remains one of the most technically ambitious references in the Rolex catalogue. The annual calendar complication — a rarity in Rolex's otherwise functionally austere lineup — combined with the dual time zone makes the 326934 genuinely useful for frequent travellers rather than merely aspirational. Among collectors, the two-tone Rolesor variants occupy a middle ground between full precious metal references and the more accessible stainless steel 326934 equivalents, offering visual richness without the weight premium of an all-gold case.

Sugar, whose business interests span property, technology, and media, is a known Rolex collector. The Sky-Dweller aligns naturally with his profile — substantial enough to signal success without the overt showmanship of a full gold watch, and mechanical enough to reward closer inspection.

At retail the Rolex Sky-Dweller 326934 carries a list price of approximately $14,400 USD. On the grey market the reference has traded well above that figure, with current valuations in the $33,500 range reflecting sustained demand for Rolesor Sky-Dweller configurations and the persistent authorised dealer wait lists that continue to compress secondary market supply.