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Wrestler Ric Flair spotted wearing Rolex

Ric Flair, the sixteen-time world champion and one of professional wrestling's most enduring personalities, was recently photographed wearing a heavily customized Rolex Day-Date in 18K yellow gold. The close-up shot reveals a black dial fitted with diamond hour markers — a detail that elevates an already prestigious reference into full custom territory — paired with the three-link President bracelet that has defined the Day-Date's identity since its launch in 1956.

The watch appears to be based on the 36mm Day-Date platform, most likely referencing either the vintage 18038 or the transitional 118238, both featuring the fluted bezel clearly visible in the image. The case and bracelet are executed entirely in 18K yellow gold, consistent with Rolex's strict policy that the Day-Date has never been offered in steel or two-tone — a distinction that underpins the model's exclusivity. Inside, the caliber 3155 or its successor caliber 3255 (depending on production era) provides the movement architecture, with a 48-hour power reserve and Rolex's Parachrom hairspring for anti-magnetic resilience.

The black dial with diamond indices is where this particular example departs from catalogue specification. Whether factory-set or an aftermarket customization, diamond-dialed Day-Dates occupy a specific niche in the collector market: they attract buyers who treat the watch as a statement object as much as a horological instrument. Presidential-era figures, entertainers, and athletes have gravitated to this configuration for precisely that reason.

For Flair, the choice is biographical. His entire public identity has been built around excess — custom robes, limousines, and designer suits. The all-gold Rolex Day-Date is perhaps the single watch that most directly translates that aesthetic into horology. It is not a subtle piece, and it was never meant to be.

On the current grey market, a 36mm yellow gold Day-Date with a diamond dial commands a significant premium over standard configurations. Retail for a modern 118238 begins around $36,650, but diamond-dial variants with period-correct or factory diamond settings regularly trade between $28,000 and upward of $90,000 depending on provenance, dial condition, and the nature of the stone setting — consistent with the £93,000 figure associated with this sighting.