Watch Paparazzi

Politician Donald Trump spotted wearing Rolex

Photographed at a golf club event — likely one of his own properties, given the branded polo shirt and red cap — Donald Trump is seen wearing what appears to be a vintage or transitional-era Rolex Day-Date reference 18038 in 18k yellow gold. The watch is consistent with a period Trump has been associated with for decades: the Day-Date has been a known fixture on his wrist since at least the 1980s, when the model was the definitive status symbol of New York's business elite.

The Rolex Day-Date 18038 was produced from approximately 1978 through the late 1980s and is powered by the Calibre 3055 automatic movement, featuring a day-of-the-week disc display in addition to the date at 3 o'clock — the world's first wristwatch to display both, when the line launched in 1956. The case measures 36mm, crafted entirely in 18k yellow gold, with a fluted bezel and what appears to be a champagne stick dial — one of the most conservative and enduring configurations available. The President bracelet, exclusive to Day-Date and Lady-Datejust models, is also rendered in solid 18k yellow gold.

From a collector standpoint, the 18038 occupies an interesting position: it predates the more commonly spotted 18238 (which introduced a sapphire crystal), making it a transitional reference with acrylic crystal that appeals to vintage purists. Dial condition on these examples is critical to value, as tropical or patinated dials command significant premiums. The champagne stick configuration here is clean and correct for the period.

Trump's relationship with Rolex — and the Day-Date specifically — mirrors his broader aesthetic philosophy: established luxury with maximum legibility. He has worn various Day-Date configurations over the years, and the watch has become inseparable from his public image, much as it defined a generation of New York real-estate power brokers before him.

On the grey market, clean examples of the ref. 18038 in yellow gold with champagne dials typically trade between $18,000 and $28,000 depending on condition, box, and papers. The current retail equivalent — the Day-Date 36 ref. 128238 — lists at approximately $38,550, underscoring how well these vintage references have held their value.