Watch Paparazzi

Footballer John Terry spotted wearing Rolex

John Terry, the former Chelsea FC captain and one of English football's most decorated defenders, was photographed wearing the Rolex Yacht-Master II in Everose Rolesor, reference 116681 — a watch that sits at the more technical and overlooked end of Rolex's sports catalogue, making it a more considered choice than the predictable Daytona or Submariner.

The ref. 116681 was introduced in 2011 as the two-tone variant of the Yacht-Master II family, which Rolex had launched in 2007. It measures 44mm in diameter — substantial even by today's standards — and combines a 904L stainless steel case and Oyster bracelet with 18k Everose gold applied to the bezel, crown, and bracelet centre links. The white dial carries blue Chromalight-filled hour markers, and the distinctive bidirectional bezel ring, set to 60 seconds, is the functional heart of the watch's regatta countdown system.

The real story of the 116681 is its movement. Calibre 4161 is one of Rolex's most ambitious in-house developments, featuring a programmable mechanical countdown timer with a patent-protected synchronisation mechanism. The wearer sets a countdown between 1 and 10 minutes — standard intervals used in competitive sailing race starts — and can reset and restart it at will without stopping the watch. It is a genuine complication, not a marketing exercise, and the engineering behind it rivals anything from the Swiss complications specialists.

Among collectors, the Yacht-Master II occupies an interesting position. It is frequently underestimated — too large for purists, too technical for casual buyers — which has historically kept its secondary market premium modest relative to the Daytona or ceramic GMT-Master II. The Everose Rolesor variant adds desirability through its precious metal content without the full price burden of a solid gold reference.

Terry has long been associated with high-end watch collecting, and his choice of the 116681 over a more obvious Rolex sports reference suggests genuine familiarity with the catalogue. The ref. 116681 retailed in the UK at approximately £16,770 at list, translating to roughly $21,000 USD, with grey market values historically tracking close to or slightly above retail given the model's steadier demand curve.