Basketball player Vassilis Spanoulis spotted wearing a Rolex

During a training session with the Greek national basketball team, veteran player Vassilis Spanoulis appeared wearing a white gold Rolex Day-Date 36 reference 118239—a timepiece that exemplifies restraint and luxury in equal measure. The chocolate brown dial immediately distinguished this particular Day-Date from its more common silver and champagne variants, catching the attention of watch enthusiasts observing the session.

The Rolex Day-Date 36 reference 118239 combines a 36 mm white gold Oyster case with Rolex's calibre 3155 automatic movement, a self-winding mechanism offering a 48-hour power reserve and chronometer-certified accuracy. The fluted bezel, a signature element of the Day-Date collection, frames the chocolate dial elegantly. The dial itself displays Roman numeral hour markers in white, paired with the day-of-week window at 12 o'clock and date window at 3 o'clock—the defining feature that gave the collection its name. The President bracelet, Rolex's three-link design exclusive to the Day-Date, connects via folding Oysterlock clasp. Water resistance reaches 100 meters, sufficient for daily wear despite the watch's dress-watch positioning.

Production of the reference 118239 spanned from 1988 to 2000, making it a transitional model between the 1960s-era Day-Date and the modern generation. The chocolate brown dial emerged as a limited variant during the 1990s, appearing less frequently than standard silver and champagne options. This rarity, combined with white gold's intrinsic value and the dial's distinctive warm tone, has elevated the 118239 chocolate variant into collector demand. Condition, service history, and original papers significantly impact valuation among serious horologists seeking authenticated examples.

Spanoulis's choice of the white gold Day-Date 36 aligns with his stature as a basketball icon and reflects a collector's understanding of Rolex's hierarchy. Unlike sports-oriented references favored by younger athletes, the Day-Date signals refined taste and long-term collecting vision. The chocolate brown dial adds contemporary warmth to a watch that traces its lineage to the 1956 original Day-Date, the first wristwatch to display both the day and date.

Retail pricing for a new Rolex Day-Date 36 in white gold currently sits around $38,000 USD, though the 118239 vintage reference trades on the secondary market between $8,000 and $14,000 depending on condition and provenance. Original chocolate dials command premiums over comparable champagne examples.