Featured image: Kevin Sweeney, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Donald Trump is most often identified with a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date 36, widely reported to be reference 118238 on a President bracelet with a champagne dial. The reference is inferred from photographs (one enthusiast site names it as an 18038 instead), and Trump has not confirmed it.
Quick answerPresident Trump’s go-to watch appears to be a 36mm yellow gold Rolex Day-Date “President” (likely ref. 118238). He has also been given a 40mm Everose gold Day-Date and has promoted watches sold under his own name.
Where to buy
Compare the same watch on both sites: eBay for pre-owned and vintage pieces, Amazon for new stock.
Rolex Day-Date 36 118238
Rolex Day-Date 18038
Prices and availability change; check the listing before you buy.
Where things stand in October 2026
Donald Trump is the 47th President of the United States, in his second term that began in January 2025. This page is only about his watches. For a guide to the separate licensed Trump Watch brand sold at GetTrumpWatches.com, see our Trump Watches guide. Gold Rolex Day-Dates have long been associated with him, and that connection has become more visible in the past year, as covered below.
The main watch: Rolex Day-Date 36
The Day-Date is Rolex’s flagship dress watch, made only in precious metals since 1956. Trump’s is a classic 36mm yellow gold example with a fluted bezel and a President bracelet. One watch writer, who relies on photos, identifies it as the ref. 118238, a model introduced around 2000, and says he has been seen with it since at least 2016. Luxury Bazaar bases that on the absence of lug holes, the shape of the lugs and how the bracelet end-links sit, and says he has been seen wearing it while golfing. Wrist Enthusiast instead names the older ref. 18038, so treat any reference as an informed guess rather than an official identification.
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Watch | Rolex Day-Date 36, ref. 118238 (reported) |
| Case size | 36mm |
| Material | 18k yellow gold, fluted bezel, President bracelet |
| Movement | Rolex Caliber 3155, self-winding, about 48 hours of power reserve |
| Water resistance | 100 meters |
| Approximate price | Roughly $25,000 pre-owned for a 118238 (discontinued reference) |
The gifted Day-Date 40
In August 2024, streamer Adin Ross gave Trump a 40mm Everose gold Day-Date with an olive dial and Roman numerals (ref. 228235). It uses the newer Caliber 3255 with about 70 hours of power reserve. Public photos of Trump actually wearing it are hard to find. At 2026 list prices, a Day-Date 40 in Everose gold sits around $51,000.
Rolex and the White House in 2026
In September 2026, TMZ, citing a Vanity Fair report, wrote about custom “White House” Rolexes being worn by several officials. They are reportedly modified Day-Date and GMT-Master models made by a third-party customizer in London. They have blue dials, a gold presidential seal and stars at the 45 and 47 positions, with “White House” engraved on the caseback. Rolex does not make these, and the White House declined to comment on the report. The reporting does not say Trump himself owns one.
Trump-branded watches
In 2024, Trump promoted a line of watches sold under his own name by a licensing partner. These included gold-tone models and a limited high-end “Victory” tourbillon priced around $100,000. They are not Rolex products and are a separate story from the watch he wears himself. We found no verified report of Trump selling one of his personal Rolexes in recent months, so we do not claim one.
Other watches linked to Trump
- Vacheron Constantin Historiques Ultra-Fine 1968: a thin, square, rose gold dress watch with a manual-winding movement, which Barrington Watch Winders reports he wore on the night of his 2016 inauguration. JCK also noted a Vacheron on his wrist in a May 2016 roundup of the presidential candidates. Gold versions list at around $32,000, per Wrist Enthusiast.
- Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse: a yellow gold oval watch with a blue dial and a beaded or woven bracelet, described by two sources as part of his collection. No reference is given; Wrist Enthusiast estimates around $24,000 for a typical example.
- Universal Genève Senna Chronograph (ref. 198.310): Barrington says he auctioned one at Antiquorum in 1999. That is historical, not a current watch.
- Rolex Daytona: a “panda-faced” Daytona is mentioned in passing by one article, with no details, so we treat it as unverified.
Reports about his collection rest mostly on photographs, so accept the brands but be cautious about specific references.
How to wear a watch like Trump
The look is simple: a round yellow gold watch on a gold bracelet, sleeves just long enough to reveal it, and usually a plain dial. If you want to wear a 36 mm gold dress watch, keep the rest of your jewelry minimal and let the watch be the one gold item. A bracelet that fits snugly but not tight lets the watch slide under a shirt cuff.
Affordable Day-Date style watches
The Day-Date look is a round gold-tone case, champagne dial and a three-link bracelet. If you want that style without the price:
- Seiko 5 day-date gold-tone automatics: around $150 to $300, with a day and date window.
- Orient Bambino or Orient Star gold-tone models: around $200 to $500.
- Citizen Eco-Drive gold-tone day-date models: around $150 to $350, solar powered.
Browse our best dress watches under $500 and homage watches guides. For other presidential and political watch stories, see Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Warren Buffett’s gold Rolex.
For a side-by-side with Bernie Sanders’ Citizen Eco-Drive, see Bernie Sanders vs Donald Trump: their watches compared.
Among world leaders, Vladimir Putin’s watch collection — anchored by Blancpain and A. Lange & Söhne — occupies a very different register from Trump’s Day-Date.
FAQ
What watch does Trump wear?
Mostly a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date 36, reported to be ref. 118238.
Does Trump wear a White House Rolex?
Reports in September 2026 describe custom “White House” Rolexes worn by aides. They do not say Trump owns one.
How much is Trump’s Rolex worth?
Comparable 36mm gold Day-Dates (ref. 118238) are listed at about $25,000 pre-owned. A new Day-Date 40 in Everose gold lists around $51,300.
Does Trump wear a Vacheron Constantin?
Reports say he has worn a Vacheron Constantin Historiques Ultra-Fine 1968, including on the night of his 2016 inauguration.
Is Rolex the official watch of the White House?
No. Rolex has no official White House role, and the custom pieces are made by a third party.
Sources
- Luxury Bazaar: Donald Trump Rolex Day-Date guide
- TMZ: Trump White House Rolexes
- Wrist Enthusiast: Donald Trump’s watches
- Barrington Watch Winders: Donald Trump’s watches
- JCK: What the would-be presidential candidates are wearing
- NBC News: Trump promotes watches branded with his name