Actor Peter Sellers spotted wearing a Rolex

In the 1964 British-American comedy classic 'A Shot in the Dark,' the second installment of the Pink Panther franchise, Peter Sellers reprises his role as the bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau — and on his wrist, visible in select scenes, appears to be a stainless-steel Rolex GMT-Master reference 1675. Whether intentional prop placement or simply Sellers' own personal watch worn on set, the sighting adds a quietly fascinating footnote to both horological and cinema history.

The Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675 entered production in 1959 and remained in the catalog until 1980, making it one of the longest-running references in the GMT-Master family. It was powered by the Calibre 1565, a robust 17-jewel automatic movement beating at 19,800 vibrations per hour, later succeeded by the Calibre 1575 in the late 1960s. The reference is identifiable by its distinctive two-tone red-and-black 'Pepsi' bezel — a functional tool allowing pilots and travelers to simultaneously track two time zones — along with its gilt or matte dial variants that evolved across the two-decade production run.

Among collectors, the ref. 1675 occupies a sweet spot: accessible enough to acquire without entering the rarefied air of a Paul Newman Daytona, yet historically rich and visually iconic. Early examples with gilt dials and meters-first depth ratings are the most sought after, while later matte-dial versions offer a more attainable entry point into vintage GMT collecting. The watch was issued to Pan Am pilots and became synonymous with the jet-set era — exactly the cultural moment 'A Shot in the Dark' inhabits.

Peter Sellers was known as a fastidious dresser off-screen and had a well-documented appreciation for fine objects. Whether the ref. 1675 seen in the film belonged to him personally or was sourced by the production's costume department, its presence on Clouseau's wrist feels entirely period-correct for 1964 London.

On today's grey market, a Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675 in solid condition trades around $15,000 USD, with premium examples featuring original gilt dials or unpolished cases commanding significantly more. The reference has shown steady appreciation as collectors increasingly focus on honest, tool-watch patina over cosmetic perfection.