Featured image: Kevin Sweeney, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bernie Sanders is reported to wear a modest Citizen Eco-Drive, a solar-powered quartz watch worth roughly $200, while Donald Trump is most often identified with a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date 36 worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Quick answer Sanders is reported to wear a black-dial Citizen Eco-Drive; no source confirms the exact model, though one 2021 feature suggests a roughly $180 to $200 three-hand model. Trump is widely reported to wear a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date 36, often attributed to reference 118238 but never confirmed by him. The two sit at opposite ends of the price scale: about $200 versus about $25,000 or more pre-owned.
Side-by-side comparison
The two watches could hardly be more different on paper. One is a light-powered quartz piece sold in department stores, and the other is a precious-metal automatic from one of the best-known luxury makers.
This table sets out what is documented, and flags what is only reported. Prices are approximate US dollars.
| Detail | Bernie Sanders | Donald Trump |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Citizen | Rolex |
| Model | Eco-Drive, exact model unconfirmed | Day-Date 36 in yellow gold, reference widely reported as 118238 |
| Movement | Solar-powered quartz (Eco-Drive) | Automatic (Caliber 3155 in the 118238) |
| Approximate price | About $180 to $200 for the suggested model when new; Eco-Drives generally run about $100 to $300 | Roughly $25,000 pre-owned for a 118238; about $51,000 new for the 40 mm Everose gold Day-Date 228235 |
| How often seen | Reported on his wrist in 2016 coverage and again in a 2021 feature | Seen repeatedly over many years, though specific sightings are hard to date |
| Image it conveys | Practical, understated, everyday | Classic status watch, nicknamed the “President” |
For the full detail on each man, see our deep dives on the watch Bernie Sanders wears and the watches Donald Trump wears.
Bernie Sanders: a Citizen Eco-Drive
Sanders has never publicly named his watch, and he has not been associated with any sponsorship or collecting hobby. Everything we know comes from watch journalists who looked at photographs, which is why the model stays unconfirmed.
The earliest documented reference we found is a May 2016 JCK roundup of presidential candidates’ watches. Its caption says Sanders “supported a Citizen Eco-Drive before it was popular.” That is the main primary-style source, and it names a brand and technology, not a model.
A 2021 webChronos feature went further. It described a stainless steel Eco-Drive with a black dial, three hands, bar indexes and a calendar window, which it said was believed to be identical to the one on his wrist for several years. It cited a price of $180 to $200 and a May 2003 North American launch. The photo file for the featured watch is labeled BM0910-57E, but the article does not confirm that is the reference, so treat it as a likely match, not a fact.
Eco-Drive is Citizen’s light-powered quartz system, which charges from any light source and removes the need for battery changes. That makes it a practical choice, and it fits the low-key picture most coverage paints. Our Citizen hub covers other models in the line.
Donald Trump: a gold Rolex Day-Date
Trump’s best-known watch is a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date 36 with a fluted bezel, President bracelet and champagne dial. Enthusiast sites widely attribute it to reference 118238, an identification made from photos. Trump has not confirmed it, and at least one site names a different reference, so the exact number stays unverified.
Gold Day-Dates have long been associated with the Rolex “President” nickname, and this one has appeared in public for years. A 2020 Truth About Watches commentary called it simply a gold Day-Date without citing a reference.
The Day-Date uses an automatic movement, with Caliber 3155 in the 118238, and is rated to 100 meters. Our Rolex hub lists more of the brand’s models.
Specific sightings are harder to pin down than the general picture. Collectors tend to date the watch from photographs, and several sites disagree on details such as dial color and reference number, so we describe it as widely reported, not confirmed.
Other watches linked to Trump
A 2016 JCK roundup, the same one that mentioned Sanders, identified a Vacheron Constantin on Trump’s wrist, and later coverage tied a thin rose gold Historiques Ultra-Fine 1968 to his 2016 election night. Streamer Adin Ross is reported to have given him a 40 mm Everose gold Day-Date, reference 228235, in August 2024, according to our deep dive. Trump-branded watches sold by a licensing partner exist as well, but they are not Rolex products.
Where to buy
Compare the same watch on both sites: eBay for pre-owned and vintage pieces, Amazon for new stock.
Citizen Eco-Drive BM7390 Field Watch Alternative
Citizen Eco-Drive black dial three-hand date watch Alternative
Seiko 5 gold-tone day-date automatic Alternative
Rolex Day-Date 36 yellow gold (pre-owned)
Prices and availability change; check the listing before you buy.
What the contrast says
Both approaches are common in watch collecting. One values function and low cost, the other values heritage, precious metal and recognition. The watches simply reflect different tastes in what a watch is for.
In practical terms, the Citizen needs no servicing schedule and can be replaced for the price of a restaurant dinner. The Rolex is a mechanical, precious-metal piece that holds much of its value and typically needs a professional service every several years. Those are the real differences between the two, and both choices are common among watch owners.
It is worth noting that a watch is only a partial picture of any person. We are describing what has been documented about the objects, not drawing conclusions about the people who wear them.
Other leaders have also been studied through their watches, such as Ronald Reagan’s steel Rolex Datejust and Barack Obama’s Jorg Gray.
How to get each look affordably
For a Sanders-style watch, a Citizen Eco-Drive with a black dial, three hands and a date window is the closest idea. Models such as the Citizen BM7390 field watch (about $120 to $200 at retail) or the many three-hand dress Eco-Drives (about $150 to $300) cover the same ground. Citizen sells these new today.
For a Trump-style look, the signature is a gold-tone day-date with a fluted bezel and a three-link bracelet. Gold-tone Seiko 5 automatics cost about $150 to $300, Orient Bambino models about $200 to $500, and gold-tone Citizen Eco-Drive day-date watches about $150 to $350. None of these are Rolex products, but they echo the style at a small fraction of the cost.
If you want to compare how coverage has treated either man, the 2016 JCK piece is a good place to start, because it placed both watches in the same roundup. Newer reports on each are collected in the linked deep dives.
FAQ
What watch does Bernie Sanders wear?
He is reported to wear a Citizen Eco-Drive, a solar-powered quartz watch, based on a 2016 JCK caption and a 2021 webChronos feature. No reliable source names the exact model.
What watch does Donald Trump wear?
He is most often identified with a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date 36, widely attributed to reference 118238. He has not confirmed the reference, and he has been linked to other watches including a Vacheron Constantin.
How much is Bernie Sanders’ watch worth?
The model suggested by webChronos was priced at about $180 to $200 when sold new. Eco-Drive watches in general cost about $100 to $300.
How much is Donald Trump’s Rolex worth?
A yellow gold Day-Date 118238 sells for roughly $25,000 pre-owned, and the newer 40 mm Everose gold Day-Date 228235 lists for about $51,000. Values vary by condition and market.
Which watch is more expensive, Sanders’ or Trump’s?
Trump’s gold Rolex is far more expensive, by a factor of about a hundred based on the approximate figures above. Sanders’ reported Citizen costs around $200.
Sources
- JCK: Wrist Watching: What the Would-Be Presidential Candidates Are Wearing
- webChronos: Celebrity Watch Hunting, Bernie Sanders
- The Truth About Watches: Trump’s Rolex Day-Date Analyzed
- Wrist Enthusiast: What Watch Does Donald Trump Wear?