Watch Paparazzi

Actor Aron Piper spotted wearing Rolex

Aron Piper, the Spanish-German actor who built an international following through his role as Ander Muñoz in Netflix's hit series Élite, was recently spotted wearing a stainless steel Rolex Oysterquartz Datejust, ref. 17000, fitted with a classical Roman numeral dial. It is not the obvious flex — and that is precisely what makes it interesting.

Rolex introduced the Oysterquartz Datejust ref. 17000 in 1977 as a direct response to the Quartz Crisis that was reshaping the Swiss watch industry. Rather than dismiss battery-powered movements, Rolex engineered the caliber 5035 — a high-frequency quartz movement with exceptional accuracy — and housed it inside a completely original case architecture. The angular, integrated case with its sharply faceted lugs and brushed-and-polished surfaces was a radical departure from the round Oyster silhouette, and it remained in production until 2001, spanning nearly 25 years. The Roman numeral dial variant adds a layer of classical elegance that contrasts beautifully with the watch's modernist lines.

For decades, the Oysterquartz suffered an undeserved reputation as a second-tier Rolex, penalized by collectors who equated quartz movements with inferior watchmaking. That perception has shifted meaningfully in the past five years. Seasoned collectors now recognize the ref. 17000 for what it is: a perfectly executed, period-correct expression of 1970s haute horlogerie, built to Rolex's exacting tolerances and finished with the same care applied to any sport or dress model in the catalogue. Clean examples with original dials and matching bracelets are increasingly difficult to find.

Piper's choice of the Rolex Oysterquartz Datejust ref. 17000 fits a pattern visible across a younger generation of European celebrities — an appetite for vintage Rolex that moves beyond the predictable Submariner or Daytona and signals genuine horological curiosity. Wearing a watch that rewards knowledge rather than instant recognition is a statement in itself.

On the secondary market, honest stainless steel examples of the Rolex Oysterquartz Datejust ref. 17000 with Roman numeral dials typically trade between $2,500 and $4,500 depending on condition, dial originality, and bracelet completeness — representing exceptional value for a genuine Swiss manufacture timepiece bearing the Rolex crown.