Watch Paparazzi

Actor Araya Alberta Hargate spotted wearing Rolex

Araya Alberta Hargate, the Thai-British actress and model known across Southeast Asia for her film and television work, was recently photographed wearing one of the most jewel-intensive references in the current Rolex lineup — the Day-Date 40 in platinum, reference 228396TBR-0002, a piece that sits firmly at the summit of the Swiss manufacture's Presidential collection.

The Rolex Day-Date 40 ref. 228396TBR is built around the calibre 3255, Rolex's in-house self-winding movement featuring a Chronergy escapement, a blue Parachrom hairspring, and a power reserve of approximately 70 hours. The movement is certified as a Superlative Chronometer, accurate to ±2 seconds per day — a standard Rolex maintains through its own COSC-exceeding in-house testing. The 40mm case is crafted entirely in 950 platinum, a material Rolex reserves exclusively for the Day-Date, reinforcing the model's singular status within the catalogue.

What makes the 228396TBR-0002 particularly compelling to collectors is the combination of its ice-blue dial — a hue that appears almost exclusively on platinum Rolex references and deepens to a rich cerulean depending on lighting — with ten baguette-cut diamond hour markers and a bezel set with trapezoid-cut diamonds. The trapezoid bezel setting is one of Rolex's most labour-intensive dial configurations, requiring precision hand-setting of individually matched stones. Paired with the five-link Presidential bracelet in platinum, the total weight of precious metal and stones places this reference firmly in grand complication jewellery-watch territory.

Araya Alberta Hargate has long maintained a visible presence at international fashion and film events, and her choice of the Day-Date 228396TBR reads as a considered one: the Day-Date has been worn by heads of state and cultural figures since its 1956 debut, and remains one of the few watches that signals both institutional authority and personal luxury simultaneously.

On the current market, the Rolex Day-Date 40 ref. 228396TBR-0002 commands significant premiums. With an estimated market value around $200,000 USD, this platinum diamond-set reference trades at multiples above many stainless steel sports references, reflecting both the intrinsic value of its materials and the persistent global demand for top-tier Day-Date configurations.