American football player Patrick Mahomes spotted wearing a Rolex

Patrick Mahomes, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs and two-time Super Bowl MVP, was recently spotted on the wrist with a Rolex Day-Date 40 in platinum, reference 228396TBR — a piece that sits at the very top of the Day-Date hierarchy in both material and price.

The 228396TBR is built on Rolex's in-house Calibre 3255, a movement the manufacture introduced in 2015 and which represents the current state of the art in their watchmaking. It beats at 28,800 vph, offers a 70-hour power reserve, and is certified as a Superlative Chronometer to ±2 seconds per day — well beyond COSC standards. The 40mm platinum case is paired with the iconic President bracelet, here also executed in 950 platinum. The ice blue sunray dial is exclusive to platinum references in the Day-Date lineup, a chromatic language Rolex has maintained for decades to distinguish its most precious metal.

The gem-setting specification on this reference is considerable. Forty baguette-cut diamonds line the bezel in a channel setting, requiring exacting uniformity in both cut and color grading. Ten additional baguette diamonds replace the standard applied hour markers on the dial. Baguette setting is significantly more labor-intensive than brilliant-cut work — each stone must be individually calibrated and hand-set, which accounts for a meaningful portion of the retail premium over other Day-Date variants.

The Day-Date has carried the unofficial designation of the 'President's watch' since Rolex presented one to Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. The reference 228396TBR continues that tradition with no concessions to subtlety. Among collectors, full baguette-bezel platinum Day-Date references are considered peak Rolex — serious horological credentials wrapped in maximum visual presence. Waiting lists at authorized dealers are lengthy, and grey-market premiums reflect genuine scarcity.

Mahomes has built a well-documented Rolex collection over his NFL career, gravitating toward statement pieces commensurate with his profile. The 228396TBR carries a retail price of approximately $105,000, with current grey-market values tracking closer to $130,000 — a premium that underlines just how sought-after platinum Day-Date references remain.