Watch Paparazzi

Actor Dwayne The Rock Johnson spotted wearing Rolex

In Michael Bay's 2013 action comedy Pain & Gain, Dwayne Johnson plays Paul Doyle, a bodybuilder-turned-criminal whose taste for conspicuous luxury is written all over his wrist. Costume designers reached for one of the most ostentatious sports watches in the Rolex catalogue: the solid 18k yellow gold Yacht-Master reference 16628 on an Oyster bracelet. The choice is deliberate and accurate to the film's early-1990s Miami setting — the 16628 was introduced by Rolex in 1992, precisely the era the story inhabits.

The Rolex Yacht-Master ref. 16628 measures 40mm in solid 18k yellow gold — case, bezel, and Oyster bracelet all in the same metal, with no steel substrate underneath. The rotating bezel features a raised platinum-effect finish on the minute track, providing contrast against the gold. At its heart sits the Calibre 3135, Rolex's self-winding workhorse with a 48-hour power reserve, Parachrom hairspring, and chronometer certification. The bidirectional rotor and robust construction made it the movement Rolex trusted across its entire sports line for decades. Case back is solid, water resistance rated to 100 metres.

Among collectors, the 16628 occupies an interesting position. It was produced from 1992 until roughly 2007, when Rolex introduced the larger 42mm Yacht-Master II line and eventually refreshed the standard Yacht-Master range. Full yellow gold sports Rolexes have historically attracted a specific buyer — one less interested in stealth and more in declaration. That said, the 16628 has gained genuine collector traction as a period-correct gold sports reference, especially as tastes have shifted back toward yellow gold over the past decade.

Dwayne Johnson is a known watch enthusiast off-screen, with a personal collection that spans Richard Mille, Rolex, and Panerai. Here, however, the watch belongs to Paul Doyle — a man whose criminal ambitions and gym-culture aspirations are neatly summarised by a 40mm solid gold Rolex on a matching bracelet. It is exactly the watch someone who just came into serious money and wanted everyone to know it would buy.

On the current grey market, the Rolex Yacht-Master 16628 trades at approximately $30,000 USD, a figure that reflects solid demand for full-gold discontinued Rolex sports references without the extreme premiums commanded by steel sports models. Official retail is no longer available new, as the reference has been discontinued, but its market price represents reasonable value for a full-gold certified chronometer with Rolex provenance.