Four months prior, shortly after the arrival of Spring, the watch industry was fully focused on Geneva in preparation for Watches & Wonders 2022. Brands reveаl their newest models at this time. Enthusiasts eagerly await the newest offerings from Rolex each year. With the release of the Rolex GMT Master ref. 126720VTNR this year, the Crown stunneԀ us all. The watch was noteworthy not just for having a new bezel color—green and black—but also for having the date and crown moved from the watch’s right side to its left. This suggests that it’s a timepiece intended mostly for lefties.
It was the most talked-about watch of the year when it was first released (well, maybe second to MoonSwatch), since everyone wаnted to know what it would be like to wear a GMT-Master with a reversed crown. To put it plainly, it was an oddly entertaining move for the often somber Rolex. Furthermore, we haven’t truly seen one in the wild since March. And the reason for it is that, other from Russell Westbrook, no one else can acquire one. At the 2022 NBA Summer League, he was seen sporting his (the Watches & Wonders for hoops fans).
Each year, the NBA community gathers in Las Vegas, Nevada for an exhibition tournament that spans approximately ten days, giving every organization an opportunity to see their most recent draft picks compete. It’s also an opportunity for basketball journeymen and undrafted prospects to showcase their abilities in the hopes of getting called up. But the action on the court is but one aspect of it.
NBA stars, past and present, appear to be turning out to cheer on their team and potential colleagues with every Summer League that goes by. They’re showing off their finest watches and attire, you can be sure of that. Throughout the majority of the week, we kept a close check on the wrists in search of rivals to Westbrook’s GMT, but he stayed at the top.
Wearing the most anticipated watch of the year on his wrist and a blue T-shirt, Westbrook made a fairly drаmаtic entrance at SL this year. LeBron James, his current teammate, was seated on the other side of the gym, but that’s not really relevant. He had his own eye-catching watch and a Ziploc bag filled with trail snacks.
Westbrook has a history of donning more conventional Rolex watches, such as the Datejust and Day-Date. When it comes to the Crown, the majority of players in the league actually choose precious metals. Aside from King James’s OP 41 coral dial and Steph Curry’s Submariner, we seldom ever see the sturdy stainless steel sport watches. It goes without saying that Westbrooks’s wristwatch surprised him.
It’s obvious he’s proud of it. He had this exact watch on during Paris Fashion Week at the end of June, which is probably close to the time he picked it up because it doesn’t appear on his wrist – publicly – anyplace else until then, according to some further digging. Good for him, too, since as I mentioned earlier, obtaining a new stainless steel Rolex is no small accomplishment—especially since it’s not the most well-liked model in a fresh release year.