Tennis player Dominic Thiem spotted wearing a Rolex

When Dominic Thiem raised the US Open trophy at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in September 2020, cameras caught more than just the hardware in his hands. On his left wrist, partially obscured by the iconic silver trophy, sat a Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in 18k white gold — a pairing of athletic occasion and haute horlogerie that felt entirely appropriate for the Austrian's maiden Grand Slam title.

The reference in question is almost certainly the 226659, the 42mm white gold iteration of the Yacht-Master that Rolex debuted at Baselworld 2019. The watch features an 18k white gold Oyster case measuring 42mm, a bidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel set with a black Cerachrom ceramic insert, and a matte black dial with luminescent dot and baton hour markers. The date window sits at 3 o'clock. Power comes from Calibre 3235, Rolex's in-house movement featuring the Chronergy escapement, a 70-hour power reserve, and certification as a Superlative Chronometer to ±2 seconds per day. The signature OysterFlex bracelet — a high-performance elastomer strap over a flexible titanium and nickel alloy blade — completes the package, replacing the traditional Oyster or Jubilee bracelet and giving the watch a distinctly sport-forward attitude despite its precious-metal construction.

The Yacht-Master line has historically occupied an interesting collector position: too sporty for the dress-watch crowd, too precious-metal-focused for the hardcore tool-watch contingent. The 226659 resolves that tension more convincingly than any prior Yacht-Master. The ceramic bezel lends it technical credibility; the white gold case ensures it reads as a serious luxury object. Among collectors, this reference is respected for its coherence of design intent.

Thiem, at 27, became the first player outside the 'Big Three' to win a Grand Slam since Stan Wawrinka at the 2016 US Open. His choice of the Yacht-Master 42 — assertive, understated, technically accomplished — reflects a sensibility consistent with someone who wins matches through relentless precision rather than flamboyance.

At retail the 226659 carries a list price of $32,750 USD. On the secondary market, white gold Yacht-Masters in this configuration have traded at a modest premium given their precious-metal content and relatively limited production volumes, typically landing in the $36,000–$42,000 range depending on condition and box-and-papers status.