Watch Paparazzi

Basketball player LeBron James spotted wearing Rolex

LeBron James was photographed wearing a stainless steel Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 with a turquoise dial, reference 124300 — one of the most coveted and immediately recognizable steel watches Rolex has produced in recent memory. The sighting adds King James to a growing list of athletes and entertainers who have gravitated toward a reference that punches well above its entry-level price tag in terms of cultural cachet.

Rolex introduced the current-generation Oyster Perpetual 41 ref. 124300 in 2020, updating the line with a broader 41mm Oystersteel case and a revised dial palette that included several bold lacquered colors. The turquoise blue variant — unofficially christened 'Tiffany' by collectors and the grey market almost immediately — proved the runaway hit of the collection. The watch runs on the caliber 3230 movement, Rolex's in-house self-winding manufacture with a 70-hour power reserve, Chronergy escapement, and a Parachrom hairspring, all housed in an Oyster case rated to 100 metres water resistance. The dial itself is a smooth, single-register lacquer in a shade close enough to Tiffany & Co.'s signature color to earn the nickname and the premium that came with it.

From a collector standpoint, the 124300 turquoise occupies a fascinating position. It is technically Rolex's most accessible current reference at retail, yet its secondary market price has consistently run at two to three times list — a ratio more associated with steel sports references like the Daytona or GMT-Master II. The color's crossover appeal, bridging watch enthusiasts and fashion-forward buyers, drove demand that Rolex's famously constrained supply chain could not meet at authorized dealers.

LeBron James is no stranger to serious horology. He has been photographed in Patek Philippe perpetual calendars, Richard Mille tourbillons, and various Rolex sports references over the years. The choice of the 124300 in turquoise here reads less like a budget decision and more like the move of someone who knows exactly what a particular reference means on the street right now.

At retail the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 ref. 124300 carries a list price of approximately $6,500 USD. On the grey market, demand has pushed values to roughly $18,000 — a stark reminder that in today's watch market, a three-hand steel dress watch with no complications can outperform far more complex references simply on the strength of a color.