Watchmaker Philippe Dufour spotted wearing a Rolex

Philippe Dufour was photographed at his watchmaking bench — loupe fitted, hands at work on a movement — with a Rolex GMT-Master II 'Pepsi' clearly visible on his left wrist. The red-and-blue ceramic bezel and Jubilee bracelet are unmistakable, placing this as the current-generation reference 126710BLRO, introduced at Baselworld 2018 and one of the most significant Rolex releases of the past decade.

The 126710BLRO represents a landmark in Rolex's GMT lineage. It was the first steel GMT-Master II to wear the five-link Jubilee bracelet since the original 16710 era ended — a pairing that collectors had long requested. The 40 mm Oystersteel case houses the in-house Calibre 3285, a movement featuring Rolex's Chronergy escapement, a 70-hour power reserve, and a independently adjustable GMT hand that sets by the crown in one-hour increments. The bidirectional Cerachrom bezel insert, moulded from a single piece of ceramic, displays the iconic red-and-blue 'Pepsi' colourway that has defined the GMT-Master identity since 1955.

For collectors, the 126710BLRO occupies a peculiar position: it is simultaneously a reference-level horological tool and one of the hardest watches to acquire at retail. Waiting lists at authorised dealers routinely stretch years, and the secondary market consistently prices it at a substantial premium above list. Its appeal cuts across demographics — pilots, travellers, and watch enthusiasts equally — which only compounds scarcity.

That Philippe Dufour wears this particular Rolex says something considered. Dufour, whose Simplicity and Duality movements set benchmarks for hand-finishing that industrialised manufacture cannot replicate, is not a man who makes careless choices. The GMT-Master II is, by any measure, the opposite of what he produces — a high-volume, high-precision, manufacture-built instrument. His choice reads as the watchmaker's equivalent of a Michelin-starred chef eating a perfectly executed bistro classic: respect for engineering done right at scale.

On the grey market, the 126710BLRO trades between $18,000 and $22,000 depending on condition and papers, against a retail list of approximately $10,800. It is one of the clearest examples in horology of a watch whose market value is defined entirely by desirability rather than complication.