Singer Shawn Mendes spotted wearing a Rolex

Shawn Mendes was recently spotted on the wrist with a vintage Rolex Datejust reference 16233 — a two-tone 36mm piece on a Jubilee bracelet finished with a striking Royal blue dial. It's a considered choice: understated enough for everyday wear, but carrying real horological weight for anyone who knows what to look for.

The Datejust 16233 was produced by Rolex between approximately 1988 and 2000, sitting in the brand's Rolesor configuration — a combination of 904L stainless steel and 18-karat yellow gold applied to the bezel, crown, and central Jubilee bracelet links. The 36mm Oyster case houses Rolex's calibre 3135, a self-winding movement with a bi-directional Perpetual rotor, Parachrom hairspring, and a power reserve of roughly 48 hours. The magnified Cyclops lens over the date at 3 o'clock remains one of the Datejust's most recognizable design signatures, introduced by Rolex as far back as 1953.

The Royal blue dial variant of the 16233 is particularly desirable among collectors. Rolex offered the reference across dozens of dial configurations — including white, black, champagne, and various linen textures — but clean, unfaded blue examples in two-tone Rolesor are consistently among the more competitive pieces on the secondary market. The Jubilee bracelet, originally designed specifically for the Datejust's 1945 debut, adds a period-correct elegance that the sportier Oyster bracelet alternative does not replicate.

Mendes, who first gained public attention posting song covers on Vine in 2013 before signing with a major label, has since released multiple studio albums and headlined world tours. His watch sensibility here leans classic rather than flashy — the 16233 is not a statement piece in the modern hype sense, but a generationally proven reference with a loyal collector base.

On the grey market, clean examples of the Rolex Datejust 16233 with desirable dial colors trade in the $4,500–$7,500 range depending on condition, originality of the dial, and bracelet stretch. Mendes's piece, estimated around $5,950, sits comfortably at mid-market for the reference — a sensible acquisition by any measure.