Actor Mark Wahlberg spotted wearing a Rolex

Mark Wahlberg was recently photographed wearing one of the rarest factory-set Rolex references in circulation: the GMT-Master II ref. 126755SARU, a piece that arrived at Baselworld 2019 with virtually no fanfare — what collectors now call a 'silent release' — yet immediately commanded attention from the top tier of the watch world.

The 126755SARU is built on Rolex's current-generation GMT-Master II platform, housed in a 40mm Everose gold case — the brand's proprietary 18K rose gold alloy formulated to resist fading over time. Where a standard GMT-Master II wears a two-color ceramic Cerachrom bezel insert, this reference replaces that insert entirely with a hand-set alternating row of natural rubies and sapphires, delivering the same red-and-blue 'Pepsi' color scheme through precious stones rather than engineered ceramic. The dial goes further still: a full diamond pavé surface is paired with a President-style bracelet in which diamonds run continuously through the links. Power comes from Rolex's Calibre 3285, a manufacture movement featuring the Chronergy escapement, Paraflex shock absorbers, and a 70-hour power reserve — technical credentials serious enough to anchor a watch that could otherwise read as pure jewelry.

From a collector standpoint, the 126755SARU occupies a specific and rarefied niche. It is not the watch Rolex markets to its core sports-watch audience, but it demonstrates the full vertical integration of the manufacture — Rolex cuts, sets, and certifies every stone in-house. Production volumes are extremely limited, and the piece rarely surfaces at retail. Grey-market premiums over the already substantial list price are significant and consistent, reflecting genuine scarcity rather than speculative inflation.

Wahlberg has built a well-documented collection over the years that skews toward high-complication and high-jewellery pieces, and the 126755SARU fits that profile precisely. It is the kind of watch that rewards close inspection — the alternating ruby and sapphire bezel reads almost like the ceramic Pepsi at a distance, but reveals its true nature the moment light catches the stones.

With a UK list price of approximately £160,000 — translating to roughly $200,000 USD at prevailing rates — the ref. 126755SARU sits among the most expensive Rolex references in current production. Grey-market values track above list, and authorized dealer availability is effectively non-existent for walk-in clients. For collectors chasing the intersection of Rolex engineering and high jewellery craft, this reference remains one of the most compelling in the modern catalogue.