Watch Paparazzi

Royal Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi spotted wearing Rolex

Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Ajman, was recently photographed wearing what is arguably the most culturally loaded sports watch Rolex has produced in the 21st century: the GMT-Master II reference 126710BLRO, fitted on its Jubilee bracelet with the instantly recognizable red-and-blue 'Pepsi' ceramic bezel.

The 126710BLRO debuted at Baselworld 2018 and sent the watch world into a frenzy. Its significance lay in two details working in tandem. First, Rolex returned the Pepsi colorway — absent from stainless steel since the transition away from aluminum bezels — to its ceramic Cerachrom insert, rendered in a technically demanding two-color sintering process. Second, the watch was paired with the Jubilee bracelet, a five-link design first introduced in 1945 on the Datejust, lending the tool-watch silhouette an unexpectedly dressy, almost vintage sensibility. Beneath the 40mm Oystersteel case beats the Calibre 3285, Rolex's proprietary GMT movement featuring a Chronergy escapement, 70-hour power reserve, and a bidirectional independently settable GMT hand — a genuine mechanical upgrade over its predecessor, the 3186.

For collectors, the 126710BLRO occupies a rare position: it is simultaneously a grail watch and a mainstream icon. Waiting lists at authorized dealers have historically stretched years, and the grey market premium has reflected that scarcity consistently since launch. The Jubilee bracelet pairing divided opinion initially but has since been embraced as a masterstroke, distinguishing the 126710BLRO from the Oyster-fitted 126710BLNR 'Batman' and giving it a personality all its own.

Sheikh Ammar, a member of the ruling Al Nuaimi family of Ajman and a prominent figure across Gulf social media, has cultivated a visible public profile. His choice of the 126710BLRO reads less as conspicuous luxury — for a royal of his standing, far more extravagant options exist — and more as a genuine appreciation for a reference that resonates with serious watch enthusiasts globally.

At UK list price of approximately £6,800, the 126710BLRO remains one of Rolex's most accessible flagship references on paper. In practice, grey market values have consistently traded at a significant premium, typically ranging between $16,000 and $19,000 USD depending on condition and provenance, reflecting enduring demand that authorized retail supply has never matched.