Mark Wahlberg’s $500K Rainbow Rolex Sparked a Fake Watch Debate — But It’s All Real

In 2019, actor and entrepreneur Mark Wahlberg wore a timepiece so flashy, so colorful, and so drenched in diamonds that the internet couldn’t believe it was real. The watch? A Rolex Daytona “Rainbow”, featuring a bezel of multicolored sapphires, factory diamonds on the dial, and a rose gold case.

Wahlberg posted it casually on Instagram — no tags, no captions — just a wrist shot flex with the watch peeking out of a black sleeve. But within hours, the image made waves across watch collector communities, and many questioned its authenticity.

Why the Confusion?

The Rainbow Rolex Daytona is one of the rarest pieces Rolex has ever produced. The brand is notoriously secretive about quantities, but experts estimate only 200–300 factory pieces exist — all offered exclusively to Rolex’s most elite clients.

What threw people off?

• The color pattern looked “too perfect”

• The diamonds looked aftermarket (they weren’t)

• Wahlberg is a Hollywood actor, not a known collector like John Mayer

But it turns out — he is.

Rolex Confirms It’s Authentic

Watch insiders eventually confirmed that Wahlberg’s Daytona was factory-set, not customized. He had sourced it through a private Rolex dealer in Beverly Hills, and it was 100% real. The reference? 116595RBOW.

Since then, Wahlberg has been spotted wearing multiple Rolex grails, including:

• Platinum Daytona with ice blue dial

• GMT-Master II “Pepsi”

• Green Dial Rolex Day-Date

He's now considered one of the most low-key but serious celebrity collectors in the luxury watch world.

What This Meant for the Watch World

• The incident highlighted how even real watches can look “too good”

• It fueled new conversations about watch authentication

• Dealers began offering provenance paperwork even for celebrity clientele

• Resellers were reminded that factory diamonds ≠ aftermarket bust down

It also proved that Hollywood A-listers like Wahlberg aren't just flexing — some are serious collectors who get access the average buyer never will.