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Actor Francisco Denis spotted wearing Rolex

On the set of Netflix's acclaimed narco-thriller Narcos, Francisco Denis appears on screen wearing a substantial yellow gold watch that immediately draws the eye of any seasoned collector. Denis plays Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela, co-founder of the Cali Cartel, and the production's prop and costume team have dressed him accordingly — with what closely resembles a Rolex Day-Date in solid 18-karat yellow gold, featuring a black dial set with diamond hour markers and a baguette diamond at 6 o'clock.

The watch in question most closely matches the Rolex Day-Date 36 reference 18038, produced from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. This reference featured a 36mm 18k yellow gold case, fluted bezel, and was offered with a range of exotic dials including the black diamond configuration visible here. The movement of period-correct examples would have been the Calibre 3055, a self-winding perpetual with a day-and-date complication displaying the full day of the week at 12 o'clock — a signature feature that no homage or fashion watch replicates with full authenticity. Current production Day-Date 36 references (128238) now house the Calibre 3255, a generation-9 movement with 70-hour power reserve.

The caption raises a valid question about bracelet type and day-window positioning. On close inspection, the bracelet appears to be a Jubilee rather than the canonical President bracelet typically associated with the Day-Date, which is unusual but not unheard of — Rolex did produce certain Day-Date variants on Jubilee bracelets for specific markets. The day aperture positioning also raises some doubt, suggesting this could be a very high-quality period homage or a related model. That said, the dial finishing, the fluted bezel profile, and the overall proportions are consistent with genuine Rolex construction.

For collectors, the ref. 18038 with a black diamond dial occupies a sweet spot in the vintage Rolex market — desirable without reaching the stratospheric premiums of Stella or exotic dials. These pieces trade reliably in the $18,000–$28,000 range on the grey market depending on condition and originality of the dial.

Casting a Day-Date for a cartel kingpin is not mere costume drama shorthand. The Day-Date was literally the watch of choice for wealthy Latin American businessmen and political figures of that era, and its presence on Denis's wrist adds a layer of authentic period detail that sharp-eyed viewers will appreciate.