Watch Paparazzi

Actor Kenneth Choi spotted wearing Rolex

On screen, watches rarely earn their place by accident. In Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street, the costuming department understood precisely what a solid yellow gold Rolex Submariner communicates — and they put one on the wrist of Kenneth Choi's Chester Ming to say it louder than dialogue ever could. The choice is as much character note as it is horological flex.

The reference in question is the Rolex Submariner 126618LN, the current-generation all-yellow-gold variant introduced as part of the brand's 2020 overhaul of the Submariner family. The 'LN' suffix denotes its black ceramic bezel insert and black dial — a combination Rolex calls 'Lunette Noire.' The case measures 41mm, up from the previous 40mm of the 116618LN it replaced. At the heart of the watch sits Rolex's Calibre 3235, a movement the manufacture introduced in 2015 and which represents one of the most significant in-house developments in recent Rolex history. The 3235 features a Chronergy escapement — a nickel-phosphorus lever and escape wheel system patented by Rolex — delivering approximately 70 hours of power reserve, a marked improvement over the 48 hours offered by the outgoing 3135.

Among collectors, the all-gold Submariner occupies a distinct and slightly polarising space. It lacks the stealth appeal of a steel reference, and it has never pretended otherwise. That honesty, for many serious collectors, is precisely the point. The 126618LN represents the top of the Submariner hierarchy in production terms — no complications, no tourbillon, just compressed engineering credibility wrapped in 18k yellow gold. Vintage yellow gold Submariners, particularly the reference 1680/8 from the 1970s, have become serious auction targets, lending the contemporary line a retroactive prestige it might not have enjoyed a decade ago.

Kenneth Choi, best known for his roles in Sons of Anarchy and 9-1-1, plays Chester Ming as a man who has arrived — noisily and expensively. The yellow gold Submariner on his wrist does considerable narrative work in that context, signalling new money worn without apology.

On the grey market, the Rolex Submariner 126618LN trades at a premium to retail, typically commanding prices around $40,000 or above depending on condition and documentation. Official retail sits in the same vicinity, though authorised dealer availability remains predictably tight.