Chef Joe Bastianich spotted wearing a Rolex

Joe Bastianich, the New York-born restaurateur and television personality, was recently spotted wearing one of the most sought-after references in Rolex's current catalogue: the GMT-Master II 'Batman' in stainless steel with Jubilee bracelet, reference 126710BLNR. The sighting is entirely in character for a figure known for balancing entrepreneurial hustle with a refined Italian sensibility.

Rolex unveiled the 126710BLNR at Baselworld 2019, representing a significant evolution over its predecessor, the 116710BLNR. The most visible change was the adoption of the five-link Jubilee bracelet — previously reserved for the Datejust — replacing the traditional Oyster on the GMT line. The 40 mm Oystersteel case houses the Calibre 3285, a generation-3 movement featuring Rolex's Chronergy escapement, a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring, and a 70-hour power reserve, a substantial upgrade over the Calibre 3186's 48 hours. The bidirectional 24-hour graduated ceramic Cerachrom bezel in blue and black — earning the 'Batman' nickname from collectors — reads a second time zone at a glance without sacrificing legibility.

The 126710BLNR carries considerable weight in collector circles. Its predecessor, the 116710BLNR, was already a grail piece; the current generation raised the stakes by adding the Jubilee bracelet and the more capable movement. The reference consistently commands strong grey-market premiums, reflecting demand that Rolex's authorised dealer network has never come close to satisfying. Among two-tone GMT variants, the Batman remains the benchmark for wearability — less flashy than the 'Pepsi' but arguably more versatile across formal and casual contexts.

Bastianich is a natural fit for this particular reference. Co-founder of the Bastianich & La Mozza wine estates and a long-time face of Italian-American gastronomy on both sides of the Atlantic, he travels extensively between New York, Italy, and beyond — precisely the lifestyle the GMT-Master II was engineered to support when Rolex developed the original model for Pan Am pilots in 1955.

The Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR carries an official list price of approximately $10,800 USD. On the secondary market, the reference typically trades at a significant premium, reflecting its status as one of the most consistently desired references in Rolex's current sports lineup.