Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were photographed at Disney’s Emmy Season Toast to TV this week dressed in their typical style: jeans, jackets and t-shirts and easy-going “I’ve made it” smiles.
But we’re not here today to discuss their red carpet looks.
We’re here to talk about what was on their wrists.
The two actors both appear to be wearing Rolex Daytonas, the brand’s iconic and hugely sought-after chronograph originally developed for motor racing in 1963 and now one of the most collected replica watches UK in the world.
The Daytona’s appeal is, in part, down to its design. The chunky chronograph manages to marry clean, balanced design with solid tool-watch origins, and for years it was produced in relatively modest numbers.
Add in a strong link to Paul Newman, whose own watch helped define the category, and you have AAA Rolex clone watches that sit at the very epicentre of the vintage market.
Even current versions are extremely difficult to buy at retail. Meanwhile, the right older examples can reach eye-watering prices.
For the photos, Ryan Reynolds’ watch looks to be one of those.
The dial appears to feature the contrasting sub-dials and stylised numerals associated with the so-called “Paul Newman” variant, most often seen in references 6263 or 6265 from the 1960s and 70s.
Depending on configuration and condition, these can range from around £250,000 to well over £1 million at auction.
McElhenney’s, by contrast, reads as a later, standard-dial top replica Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches, likely a reference 16520 or 116520.
These typically trade between roughly £15,000 and £35,000, still serious fake Rolex watches for sale, just operating at a different level.
One doesn’t like to speculate which star of the screen is paid more, but the gap between Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney isn’t hard to imagine. Reynolds operates in the upper tier of Hollywood, commanding fees that can stretch into eight figures per film and, more significantly, building a parallel career in business through ventures such as Aviation Gin and Mint Mobile, both of which delivered sizeable exits.
McElhenney, by contrast, has built his career as the nice-guy creator and star of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the co-creator of Mythic Quest, with income rooted in television production.
Sure, may now share ownership of Wrexham A.F.C., but financially they’re almost certainly in wildly different tax brackets.
They may both be proud owners of perfect copy Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches. But not all Rolexes are built the same.
