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Tennis player Roger Federer spotted wearing Rolex

Roland Garros has seen its share of quiet luxury courtside, but Roger Federer's wrist during his second-round French Open match against Marcel Granollers delivered something decidedly more statement: a Rolex Day-Date II in 18ct Everose gold, reference 218235, fitted with a black baguette diamond dial. Playing under midday sunshine on the Parisian clay, Federer — already one of the most decorated Rolex ambassadors in the brand's history — wore a timepiece that sits firmly at the summit of the Day-Date hierarchy.

The Day-Date II, produced between 2008 and 2015 before giving way to the larger Day-Date 40, ran a 41mm Everose gold case on Rolex's President bracelet — a configuration exclusive to the Day-Date line since its 1956 debut. Reference 218235 houses the calibre 3156, a self-winding movement with a 48-hour power reserve, Parachrom hairspring, and COSC chronometer certification. The black baguette diamond dial is one of the most labour-intensive configurations Rolex offers: each rectangular-cut stone is individually set in a process that demands extraordinary consistency across the full dial surface, with no printed indices whatsoever.

For collectors, the 218235 with a full baguette diamond dial occupies a specific and coveted niche. It is simultaneously a serious mechanical object and an unambiguous status symbol — the kind of piece that polarises purists but commands real secondary-market attention. The Everose gold alloy, a proprietary Rolex formula incorporating platinum to resist fading, ensures the case retains its warm tone over decades. Pre-owned examples in excellent condition continue to attract strong demand from Middle Eastern and Asian markets in particular.

Federer's relationship with Rolex stretches back to 2006, making him one of the brand's longest-serving and most visible ambassadors. That he would wear a piece this significant during an active Grand Slam match — not merely at a gala or press event — underscores how naturally the association sits. On or off the court, the ref. 218235 reads as a deliberate choice, not an afterthought.

At UK RRP of approximately £31,500 at time of sighting, the grey market for this reference in rose gold with diamond dial has historically tracked above retail, with well-preserved examples regularly appearing at auction and through secondary dealers in the $38,000–$48,000 range depending on condition and box-and-papers status.