The annual Championships at Wimbledon in London is perhaps the most prestigious tennis event of the year. The Grand Slam tournament is also one of the longest running partnerships any sporting event has with Rolex, which has been its official timekeeper since 1978. “For almost 50 years, Rolex has championed the passion, skill and technical precision required to win The Championships, Wimbledon, the epitome of tennis elegance and tradition,” as the event’s organizers note.
Rolex’s Role in Professional Tennis
The start of the Wimbledon alliance marked Rolex’s initial entry into the world of tennis, which it now supports in a big way. Several of the top ranked players in the world, including Jannik Sinner, the winner of this year’s Championship, Carlos Alcaraz, Caroline Wozniacki, Ben Shelton, Coco Gauff, and the now retired but still legendary Roger Federer, are Rolex “testimonees,” and Rolex is now also Official Timekeeper of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
Timekeeping and Tradition
“Tennis is a game of technique and power, but also of perseverance and precision,” Rolex states. “It is a constantly evolving sport with new challenges, new stories and new champions. A discipline that Rolex has supported for almost 50 years by accompanying its most prestigious competitions.” Beyond their official timekeeping duties, it has become the done thing for celebrities attending the matches to wear stunning Rolex watches, and this year was no exception.
Rolex Daytona Watches Take Center Court
Let’s start with Sinner, the men’s singles champion, and Alcaraz, the runner-up. Sinner’s Wimbledon victory, his first, also marks the first-ever win there for an Italian player. He’s been a Rolex testimonee since 2020, having been signed by the watchmaker at the age of 18. After his dramatic win against Alcaraz, Sinner strapped on a rose gold Daytona with a “Sundust” dial and black ceramic bezel, Ref. 126515, on a rubber Oysterflex strap, which retails for $39,300.
Alcaraz meanwhile wore the new yellow gold Daytona with a turquoise dial – not officially a Tiffany & Co. tribute though that it what it’s often called – black subdials, and a black ceramic bezel, on a rubber Oysterflex strap. While the retail price of this piece, Ref. 126518, is $37,400, it sells on the secondary market for up to $175,000. Alcaraz wasn’t the only person at Wimbledon wearing this watch; actor Russell Crowe was also seen sporting the turquoise dial chronograph.
Rolex Land-Dweller & Platinum Daytona
Equally impressive on the Rolex Daytona front was the platinum model with an ice-blue dial, brown ceramic bezel and brown subdial rings, the Rolex 126506, worn by Spider-Man actor Tom Holland while watching the match. At $79,300, this piece retails for much more than the turquoise dial example, but actually sells for less than the rarer, newer release on the secondary market, up to $130,000.
More Rolex Watches Spotted on Stars in the Stands
Even more attention-grabbing however, because very few have been seen in public, were the new Rolex Land-Dwellers worn by Leonardo DiCaprio and Roger Federer, both Rolex testimonees. Both stars opted for the Oystersteel and white gold, white dial version. Elsewhere in the spectator stands, Nick Jonas wore a vintage yellow gold Rolex Day-Date with a diamond-set black dial, while John Cena sported a retro Rolex Explorer II with the white “Polar” dial, and the legendary Bjorn Borg wore a vintage gold Day-Date with a dark green dial on a black crocodile strap.
