Watch Paparazzi

Boxer Ricky Hatton spotted wearing Rolex

Ricky Hatton, the Manchester-born boxing legend who unified the IBF and WBA light welterweight titles during his celebrated career, was recently caught on camera wearing one of Rolex's most distinctive discontinued references — the GMT-Master II 116718LN in 18ct yellow gold, here presented with a striking green dial.

The Rolex GMT-Master II reference 116718 sits at the intersection of tool-watch heritage and luxury horology. Introduced at Baselworld 2007, it brought the first-generation black Cerachrom ceramic bezel to a full yellow gold case — a material pairing that felt both bold and traditional. The 40mm Oyster case houses the calibre 3186, a COSC-certified self-winding movement beating at 28,800 vph with Rolex's Parachrom Hairspring offering superior resistance to shocks and magnetic fields. Power reserve sits at approximately 50 hours. The bidirectional GMT hand allows independent setting of a second time zone, a practical complication rooted in the model's origins as a professional pilot's instrument developed in collaboration with Pan American Airways in the 1950s.

The 116718 was quietly retired in 2019 when Rolex introduced the updated GMT-Master II references with the calibre 3285 and redesigned case architecture. That discontinuation immediately elevated the reference among collectors. The green dial configuration is particularly uncommon, sitting outside Rolex's most widely catalogued dial options for this reference and adding a meaningful premium in secondary market negotiations. Yellow gold GMT-Master IIs occupy a specific collector niche — less ubiquitous than the two-tone Jubilee variants, more overtly luxurious than stainless steel examples.

Hatton, known professionally as 'The Hitman', retired with a record that included wins over Kostya Tszyu and Luis Collazo, cementing his status as one of Britain's finest post-millennium fighters. His taste in watches runs consistent with his profile — unambiguous, high-quality, and carrying genuine substance beneath the surface flash. A full yellow gold Rolex GMT communicates exactly that.

On the grey market, the 116718LN in yellow gold commands a meaningful premium over its original retail position, driven by discontinued status and persistent demand from collectors who value pre-3285 calibre references. Budget accordingly if you want one.