Designer Michael Kors spotted wearing a Rolex

Michael Kors was recently photographed wearing what appears to be a stainless steel Rolex Submariner Date against an urban skyline backdrop — a pairing that feels almost too on-brand for a designer whose aesthetic has long celebrated polished metropolitan confidence. The watch sits firmly on his wrist, the Oyster bracelet clearly visible with its characteristic three-link construction and polished centre links catching the ambient light.

The Rolex Submariner Date, reference 116610LN, represents the modern benchmark iteration of a dive watch lineage that dates to 1953. Powered by Rolex's in-house Calibre 3135 — a 28,800 vph movement with a 48-hour power reserve and Parachrom hairspring — it offers a water resistance of 300 metres. The defining visual feature of the post-2010 116610LN is its unidirectional rotating bezel fitted with a matte black Cerachrom ceramic insert, virtually scratch-proof and UV-resistant, replacing the earlier aluminium insert. Case diameter is 40mm, a size that remained standard until the 41mm 126610LN succeeded it in 2020.

From a collector standpoint, the 116610LN occupies a near-perfect sweet spot. It was produced in sufficient volume to remain attainable in concept, yet demand perpetually outstrips authorised dealer allocation. On the grey market it consistently trades at a significant premium to retail. Its ceramic bezel, COSC-exceeding movement accuracy, and Rolex's obsessive quality control make it a genuine tool watch that functions equally well on a construction site or a fashion week front row.

For Michael Kors, the choice is revealing. His brand empire — built on the proposition that luxury should feel effortless and wearable — mirrors exactly what the Submariner represents in horology. He isn't wearing a Patek or an AP; he's wearing the watch that a successful, style-conscious professional reaches for daily. It is unpretentious by luxury standards, yet universally understood as a statement of achievement.

The 116610LN has since been discontinued and replaced by the 126610LN, which has driven secondary market values on the older reference upward among purists who prefer the 40mm case. Grey market pricing for a well-maintained 116610LN currently hovers well above its original retail price, underlining that this is not merely a fashion accessory — it is a sound, liquid asset worn on the wrist of one of fashion's most commercially astute operators.