Watch Paparazzi

Royal Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim spotted wearing Rolex

Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, the Crown Prince of Johor and one of Malaysia's most publicly visible royals, was recently spotted wearing an 18K yellow gold Rolex Yacht-Master reference 16628 dressed in what is arguably its most collectible dial configuration: a factory mother-of-pearl set with ruby hour markers. It is a combination that stops serious collectors cold.

The Rolex Yacht-Master ref. 16628 was introduced in 1992 as the full-gold counterpart to the steel-and-gold ref. 16623, housing the proven Calibre 3135 automatic movement — a 28,800 vph workhorse with a 48-hour power reserve, Rolex's own Parachrom hairspring, and chronometer certification. The 40mm case in 18K yellow gold is paired with a matching Oyster bracelet and the signature bidirectional rotating bezel in yellow gold with raised pip marker. In standard production, the dial came in blue or silver, but Rolex produced a small number of variations featuring mother-of-pearl dials with gemstone hour markers through its certified jewellery program, destined primarily for markets in the Middle East and Asia — which lends this particular example a distinct regional and cultural resonance.

From a collector's standpoint, factory gem-set and mother-of-pearl dial variants of the 16628 occupy a narrower, more specialist niche than the standard references. They were never heavily publicised, rarely appear in mainstream Rolex literature, and surface infrequently at auction. Authentication is paramount — aftermarket dial swaps are not uncommon in this segment — making a confirmed factory ruby-marker MOP dial on a 16628 a genuinely significant find on any wrist.

Tunku Ismail, known for his outspoken public persona and extensive social media presence, is no stranger to fine watches. His choice of this particular Rolex Yacht-Master ref. 16628 configuration speaks to a collector's sensibility rather than mere brand recognition: this is not the watch you wear to signal Rolex, it is the watch you wear because you know exactly what it is.

On the secondary market, full-gold Yacht-Master 16628 examples in standard configuration trade in the $12,000–$18,000 range depending on condition and papers. A confirmed factory mother-of-pearl and ruby-marker dial commands a meaningful premium, with strong examples reaching well above that band among specialist buyers. The UK list price at discontinuation was noted at approximately £22,500.