Watch Paparazzi

Television presenter Ellen spotted wearing Rolex

During a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show that also featured DJ Khaled, host Ellen DeGeneres was photographed on set wearing a Rolex GMT-Master II reference 116719BLRO — the white gold iteration of the iconic 'Pepsi' bezel GMT, one of the most historically charged references in Rolex's modern catalogue.

The 116719BLRO is built around the calibre 3186, a self-winding movement beating at 28,800 vph and offering roughly 50 hours of power reserve. It features Rolex's proprietary Parachrom hairspring, which provides resistance to magnetic fields and thermal variation. The case is 40mm in 18k white gold — a noble metal choice that gives the familiar Pepsi colour scheme a cooler, more formal character compared to stainless steel. The bi-directional 24-hour bezel is fitted with a ceramic 'Cerachrom' insert in the signature blue and red combination, a palette that traces its roots directly to the original GMT-Master reference 6542 introduced in 1955 in partnership with Pan American World Airways.

From a collector standpoint, the 116719BLRO occupies an intriguing position. It was discontinued in 2018 when Rolex reintroduced the Pepsi combination in Oystersteel as the 126710BLRO — a release that generated extraordinary demand but fundamentally shifted the market dynamic. The white gold 116719BLRO, by contrast, never generated the same feverish headlines, yet its rarity in precious metal makes it objectively the more exclusive piece. Collectors who understand the reference appreciate that it never attracted the same grey-market hysteria, partly because the price point filtered out casual speculators.

Ellen DeGeneres has worn notable timepieces on and off camera throughout her career, and the choice of the 116719BLRO speaks to a collector with genuine taste rather than someone simply reaching for the most talked-about reference. Pairing an understated but deeply significant Rolex with a guest like DJ Khaled — himself a prolific and vocal watch collector — suggests the choice was anything but accidental.

At original retail the 116719BLRO carried a UK RRP of approximately £27,500, translating to roughly $36,000 USD at the time of release. On today's grey market, demand for discontinued white gold GMT references has been steady among knowledgeable buyers, with examples in good condition trading above retail.