Among the many honors handed out at the BAFTA Film Awards 2026 — notable wins from the U.K.’s Oscar equivalent included a Best Picture victory for One Battle After Another and multiple awards for Sinners director Ryan Coogler — the biggest victory of the night surely had to go to Leonardo DiCaprio. Not for Best Actor (that predictably went to British actor Robert Aramayo), but for a dominant triumph in the more niche, less official category of best watch.
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America’s WWII advice for citizen saboteurs included telegram tampering and giving bad directions.While there were many nominees on the night, including a cheeky Cartier Tank Basculante on Paul Mescal, a variety of idiosyncratic Seamasters and a vintage Vacheron masterstroke from Michael B. Jordan, it was the Titanic actor’s timepiece, a watch so rare it has its own nickname, that was the clear and obvious winner.
Rolex fanatics will have instantly identified DiCaprio’s award-worthy accoutrement as the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Le Mans, an ultra-limited 2023 release in commemoration of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans race’s 100th anniversary.
Instantly recognizable for its polished white gold casing, reverse panda dial and red “100” ceramic bezel marking, the Dayton Le Mans is one of the rarer — and more coveted — Rolex watches to exist, even among a pantheon of legendary off-catalogue references. (Original pricing was speculated to start around $50,000, with secondary market valuations pushing well past $250,000.) While details are scant on the actual number of models that exist, DiCaprio is in elite company — other confirmed owners include Mark Zuckerberg and Michael Jordan.
A subtly splashy Rolex is nothing new for Leo; the actor has long been a company man, routinely parading out the brand’s latest and greatest on the world’s biggest red carpets and social soirees. (DiCaprio was recently spotted sporting last year’s debonair Land-Dweller release.)
Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that Leo is pulling out the big guns, er, watches, for what has become one of the tightest “Best Actor” races in recent Oscars history between himself and Timothée Chalamet. After all, nothing says “I’m still the big dog here” like busting out a haters-aint-got-these Rolex.
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