Actor Sam Rockwell spotted wearing a Rolex

At the 90th Academy Awards ceremony in March 2018, Sam Rockwell accepted the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' wearing a piece of horology that deserves its own statuette: a Rolex GMT-Master II reference 16710 in stainless steel with a black aluminum bezel and the distinctive red GMT hand. The red hand — a detail that helps distinguish the 16710 from later references — cuts a striking contrast against the matte black dial, visible even under the Dolby Theatre's broadcast lighting.

The GMT-Master II ref. 16710 was produced from 1989 to 2007, bridging the gap between the original GMT-Master lineage and the modern ceramic-bezel era. Its Calibre 3185 movement introduced an independently adjustable GMT hand, allowing the wearer to set a second time zone without disrupting the running of the local hours hand — a genuine functional advancement over the earlier Cal. 3075 found in the ref. 16760. Case diameter sits at 40mm on an Oyster case with a sapphire crystal and Triplock crown seal, paired with the classic jubilee or oyster bracelet. Rockwell's example appears fitted on an Oyster bracelet.

The 16710 occupies a sweet spot in Rolex collector culture precisely because it is the last pre-ceramic GMT-Master II. The aluminum bezel inserts on these references develop a sought-after patina over time and cannot be replicated with modern materials. Variants with the "Coke" (black-and-red) or "Pepsi" (blue-and-red) bezels command premiums, but the all-black bezel example Rockwell wears is the clean, utilitarian option — arguably the most versatile of the family.

Rockwell has cultivated a reputation for understated, considered style, and the 16710 fits that profile precisely. It reads as a watch chosen for personal meaning rather than display — a working professional's instrument rather than a red-carpet trophy piece. That tension between formal black-tie context and a no-nonsense steel tool watch makes this sighting genuinely compelling.

On the current grey market, the Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 16710 in full black bezel configuration trades robustly, benefiting from strong collector demand for pre-ceramic references and the general appreciation of vintage-adjacent Rolex sport models. Expect to pay a meaningful premium over its original retail price, with condition and bracelet stretch being the primary value drivers.