Royal Mswati Iii spotted wearing a Rolex

At a public ceremony in Eswatini, King Mswati III — Africa's last absolute monarch and ruler of the small landlocked kingdom formerly known as Swaziland — was photographed greeting guests while wearing one of Rolex's most extravagant creations: the GMT-Master II 116758SARU in 18k yellow gold. The pairing of Swiss haute horlogerie with traditional Swazi regalia is a striking contrast that underlines the king's well-documented appetite for luxury goods.

The 116758SARU is a 40mm-case variant of the GMT-Master II built entirely in 18k yellow gold, powered by Rolex's in-house Calibre 3186 movement — a self-winding 28,800 vph COSC-certified manufacture calibre featuring the Parachrom hairspring and a 48-hour power reserve. The watch's defining feature is its 'SARU' bezel: a Cerachrom-free configuration set with alternating blue sapphire and red ruby baguette-cut stones, separated by diamond spacers, giving the bezel its characteristic jewelled two-tone appearance. The pave diamond dial is equally unapologetic, eliminating conventional hour markers in favour of diamond-set indices on a fully diamond-paved champagne gold surface. The Oyster bracelet, also in solid 18k yellow gold with the Glidelock extension system, completes a package that weighs considerably more than a standard GMT.

From a collector standpoint, the 116758SARU occupies a curious position. It is simultaneously a serious horological instrument — housing one of Rolex's most capable GMT movements — and an unambiguous jewellery piece. Production numbers are modest relative to steel variants, and its appeal is unapologetically concentrated among buyers for whom gold alone is insufficient. The reference was introduced in the mid-2000s and has maintained steady demand among Middle Eastern, Asian, and African heads of state and royalty.

King Mswati III has a documented history of high-value acquisitions, which has drawn periodic scrutiny given Eswatini's development challenges. His choice of the 116758SARU — one of the most identifiable status symbols in Rolex's catalogue — is consistent with that pattern. Whether viewed as a celebration of craft or conspicuous consumption, it remains a horologically significant piece.

On the grey market, the 116758SARU commands prices broadly in line with its retail positioning of approximately $90,000 USD, with secondary market values fluctuating between $80,000 and $105,000 depending on condition, box, and papers — a reference that holds value precisely because its production is limited and its audience self-selecting.