Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Konan spotted wearing Rolex

Konan, one half of South London rap duo Krept & Konan, was recently spotted on the wrist wearing the Rolex GMT-Master II reference 126710BLNR — one of the most coveted steel sports watches in the current market. The sighting underlines the watch's firm grip on both street culture and serious collecting circles, with no sign of demand cooling.

The 126710BLNR, introduced at Baselworld 2019, was a decisive update to the GMT-Master II family. Its most significant departure from its predecessor, the 116710BLNR, was the reintroduction of the Jubilee bracelet — a five-link design originally born on the 1945 Datejust and now finished to a standard that rivals anything in the steel sports watch segment. The 40mm Oystersteel case houses the bidirectional rotatable 24-hour bezel fitted with a two-tone black and blue Cerachrom insert, a combination that earned the nickname 'Batman' among collectors years before the Jubilee variant existed.

Inside beats Rolex's Calibre 3285, a movement that represented a meaningful technical step forward. The Chronergy escapement — a nickel-phosphorus lever and escape wheel system — delivers roughly 15 percent greater energy efficiency than conventional Swiss lever designs. The result is a certified COSC chronometer with a 70-hour power reserve, up from 48 hours in the previous generation, alongside Rolex's Parachrom hairspring for shock and magnetic resistance.

For collectors, the 126710BLNR occupies a particular sweet spot. It combines the versatility of a GMT complication — independently adjustable 24-hour hand for a second time zone — with arguably the most balanced aesthetic in the current GMT-Master II lineup. Availability at authorised dealers remains effectively non-existent, cementing its grey-market premium as one of the most persistent in the steel Rolex segment.

Konan's taste in watches has tracked serious references over the years, consistent with a broader trend among UK rap's leading figures treating horology with genuine collector intent rather than pure flexing. The Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR retails at £7,150 in the UK, but that number is largely academic given current market realities.