Watch Paparazzi

Actor Salman Khan spotted wearing Rolex

Salman Khan, one of Hindi cinema's highest-grossing actors, was photographed wearing a Rolex Yacht-Master II in 18k yellow gold — a watch that punches well above its retail price in terms of mechanical ambition. The blue ceramic bezel against the full yellow gold case and bracelet is immediately recognisable, and it sits prominently on Khan's wrist in the candid shot, the white dial catching light clearly.

The reference in question is the 116688, introduced in 2010 as the full-gold variant of the Yacht-Master II line Rolex launched in 2007. The watch measures 44mm — large even by contemporary standards — and is powered by the Calibre 4161, an in-house movement featuring a mechanical memory for regatta start sequences of between 1 and 10 minutes. The programmable countdown can be reset without stopping the movement, a feat of engineering that involved Rolex filing multiple patents. The white lacquer dial with gold applied indices and the blue Cerachrom bezel ring are confirmed on this reference.

Among collectors, the Yacht-Master II occupies an unusual position. It is technically one of Rolex's most complex watches, yet it has never achieved the grey-market premiums of the Daytona or GMT-Master II. This makes it a genuine value proposition in the Rolex sports lineup for buyers who prioritise horological substance over hype. The 116688 in yellow gold is the most opulent expression of the reference and wears large — it is unambiguously a presence piece rather than a tool watch.

Salman Khan's affinity for assertive luxury is well documented. A Bollywood actor with a career spanning four decades and a fanbase numbering in the hundreds of millions, Khan gravitates toward watches that project scale and confidence. The Yacht-Master II in yellow gold — bold, technical, and unsubtle — is entirely consistent with his public aesthetic.

At launch, the 116688 carried a retail price of approximately $38,900. The model has since been discontinued in this configuration as Rolex updated the Yacht-Master II line, which has pushed pre-owned examples into a stable grey-market range. Collectors seeking a full-gold, large-format Rolex complication with genuine mechanical depth continue to find the 116688 a compelling acquisition.