Rapper Drake spotted wearing a Rolex

Drake has been spotted on the wrist with one of Rolex's most jewellery-forward complications — the Datejust Pearlmaster 39 in 18k white gold, reference 86349SAFUBL. The sighting reinforces the Toronto rapper's well-documented appetite for pieces that sit at the intersection of haute horlogerie and fine jewellery, a category where the Pearlmaster reigns with little serious competition inside the Rolex catalogue.

The Rolex Datejust Pearlmaster 86349SAFUBL is built around the in-house Calibre 3235, the movement Rolex introduced in 2015 as a wholesale replacement for the long-serving 3135. The 3235 operates at 28,800 vph, delivers a 70-hour power reserve, and carries Rolex's Chronergy escapement — a nickel-phosphorus lever and escape wheel system that improves energy efficiency by roughly 15 percent over its predecessor. The movement is certified as a Superlative Chronometer, meaning it has passed Rolex's own post-casing tests to ±2 seconds per day, a standard tighter than COSC.

What defines this particular reference is its bezel. Rolex sets 48 baguette-cut sapphires around the full circumference — stones that must be matched for colour saturation and cut to tolerances that allow the metal to virtually disappear between them. The dial on the 86349SAFUBL continues the gem-setting theme, and the exclusive Pearlmaster five-link bracelet, available only on this family, is itself crafted in solid 18k white gold. The 39mm case size positions the Pearlmaster squarely between the 34mm ladies' and the larger Oyster sportswear, giving it genuine wrist presence without overstating its proportions.

Within the Rolex hierarchy, the Pearlmaster is a collector's footnote in terms of volume but a headline in terms of craft. Grey market activity is comparatively thin — these pieces trade quietly and infrequently — which means the list price remains a credible reference point rather than an academic one. Drake's collection includes a documented Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime and multiple Richard Mille references, so the Pearlmaster reads here as a considered addition rather than impulse jewellery.

At a UK list of £61,530 and a USD equivalent of approximately $87,250, the Rolex Datejust Pearlmaster 39 ref. 86349SAFUBL is not a casual purchase by any standard. Grey market premiums on all-gold gem-set Rolex pieces remain modest compared to steel sport models, making this one of the rare instances where buying at retail is genuinely feasible for motivated buyers.