Watch Paparazzi

Actor Jim Carrey spotted wearing Rolex

On the set — and on screen — in the 2011 20th Century Fox comedy Mr. Popper's Penguins, Jim Carrey's wrist carries a distinctly recognizable piece: the Rolex Submariner Date reference 16613 in its signature two-tone steel and yellow gold configuration. Whether a personal piece or a costume decision, it reads naturally against the film's backdrop of polished New York City affluence.

The Rolex Submariner Date 16613 entered production in 1988 and remained in the catalogue until 2010, when it was succeeded by the ceramic-bezel reference 116613. Powered by the calibre 3135 — a self-winding movement with a 48-hour power reserve, Rolex's own Parachrom hairspring, and COSC-certified chronometric precision — the 16613 runs inside a 40mm Oyster case rated to 300 metres water resistance. Its bidirectional Triplock crown, aluminium blue bezel insert, and gloss black dial with gold applied hour markers define the aesthetic. The two-tone Oyster bracelet with an Oysterlock safety clasp completes a look that straddles sport and dress with practised ease.

Among collectors, the reference 16613 occupies a complicated but respected position. Purists who favour the steel-only 16610 often overlook it, yet the two-tone variant has developed a strong following of its own, particularly in configurations featuring the blue dial — nicknamed the "Bluesy" — which commands a meaningful premium over the black-dial version. Early examples with the original aluminium insert are now attracting serious attention as the reference ages out of recent memory and into collectible territory.

Jim Carrey is not a watch collector frequently documented in horological circles, which makes this on-screen sighting more a window into the wardrobe department's taste — or possibly Carrey's own — than a collector statement. Nevertheless, a working 16613 on a Hollywood set in 2011 speaks to the watch's near-universal legibility as a symbol of success without ostentation.

On today's grey market, the Rolex Submariner Date 16613 trades well above its original retail price, with clean examples in full set regularly achieving strong results. The blue-dial variant commands the highest prices, driven by both collector demand and the discontinued status of the aluminium bezel generation.