Actor Sylvester Stallone spotted wearing a Rolex

Sylvester Stallone was recently spotted wearing the Rolex GMT-Master II reference 116579SA, the brand's most jewel-intensive interpretation of its iconic dual-timezone sports watch. The sighting is a reminder that Stallone's taste in watches runs considerably deeper than celebrity accessorizing — this is a man who has collected serious timepieces for decades, and the 116579SA is not a casual choice.

The Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116579SA is built on the standard 40mm Oyster case, but the similarities to a conventional GMT-Master II end there. The case and bracelet are rendered entirely in 18k white gold, and the bezel — the defining feature of any GMT-Master — eschews the familiar Cerachrom ceramic insert in favor of 26 individually set black sapphires alternating with 18 round brilliant-cut diamonds. The total gemstone count on the bezel alone demands significant hand-finishing time in Rolex's Geneva atelier. The dial is a clean matte black, which provides excellent contrast against the white gold case and lets the gem-set bezel command full visual attention. Inside runs the caliber 3186, a robust in-house movement featuring a Parachrom hairspring for improved resistance to magnetic fields and shock, with a 48-hour power reserve.

Among collectors, the 116579SA occupies a specific niche: it is the GMT-Master II for buyers who want the tool-watch DNA of the platform but expressed in genuinely precious materials. It is not a watch that pretends to go diving. The reference has maintained a loyal following precisely because Rolex applied restraint — the gem-setting is concentrated on the bezel, leaving the rest of the watch architecturally clean.

Stallone has been a fixture in the film industry since 1969, with a career spanning Rocky, Rambo, and The Expendables franchise, among dozens of other credits. His public watch choices over the years have consistently reflected a preference for statement pieces that carry real horological substance, and the 116579SA fits that pattern exactly.

At an official retail price in the range of $97,000 USD, the Rolex GMT-Master II 116579SA is one of the most expensive references in the standard Rolex catalog. Grey-market premiums have historically been modest on high-jewellery Rolex references compared to their steel counterparts, but the white gold construction and gem-setting ensure the piece holds its value with authority.