President William Ruto’s arrival in Seville, Spain, on Sunday, June 29, was subtly overshadowed by a striking accessory that quietly stole the spotlight.
The Head of State stepped out in a bright yellow polo shirt and navy blue trousers in Seville, but attention shifted to his wrist, as he was spotted wearing what appeared to be a multi-million-shilling Rolex watch.
In images obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, the president is seen interacting with other diplomats in Seville, but what stood out most was his wrist accessory, which is, in many ways, a collector's item.
The particular Rolex worn by the president was a Rolex Daytona reference 16528, which was originally produced in the 1990s.
According to Chrono24, which is one of the world's leading watch markets, the piece worn by Ruto in Seville was originally produced in 1990. It is powered by the Zenith El Primero movement. This makes it a rare item, which is largely desired by collectors.
The watch bore a bold and elegant combination of an 18k yellow gold Oyster case and bracelet, paired with a black dial and three subdials in the traditional Daytona layout.
The bezel, which is the grooved ring holding the cover of a watch face, is made of matching gold and features a swanky tachymeter scale. Further, the watch rocks a sport-chronograph look thanks to screw-down pushers and a crown.
A quick spot check on the market data from trusted watch marketplaces placed the Rolex Daytona 16528 with original box and Rolex Service Centre (RSC) papers in the range of Ksh6.5 million and Ksh8.5 million (50,000 to 65,000 USD), depending on the condition and dealer.
The model spotted on Ruto's wrist appeared to be in prime condition and showed little to no signs of aftermarket modification. This suggests that the president's watch retained its full original factory finish, which largely boosts its collector value.
To put things into perspective, the fact that the president was wearing a Rolex Daytona places him in the same category as some of the most famous people in the world who have previously been spotted with the same brand, including singer Ed Sheeran and legendary movie star Sylvester Stallone.
This is also not the first time someone from Kenya's first family has been spotted with an expensive accessory. Last year, First Lady Rachel Ruto made a fashion statement by rocking a stunning Rolex Datejust 41 that carries a hefty price tag of between Ksh2 million and Ksh4 million.
Prior to that, Ruto, in his first year in office, was spotted with a Swiss-made International Watch Company (IWC) Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 18 karat Rose Gold Men's Watch.
