A yellow-gold Rolex GMT Master II reference 116758SANR has been marketed as the watch connected with Drake’s 2011 album Take Care. The reference is rare without a celebrity link: its bezel combines diamonds and black sapphires, while diamonds continue across the lugs and crown guards. The claimed album-era provenance makes the specific object interesting, but the model, the photographed watch and the documents offered with a sale must be assessed separately. A repeated online caption is not the same as an unbroken chain of ownership.
What defines reference 116758SANR
The watch uses a 40 mm case and Oyster bracelet in 18 ct yellow gold. Its bezel is set with baguette-cut diamonds and black sapphires, including a triangular stone at twelve, while the lugs and crown guards carry additional diamonds. A black dial and green GMT hand preserve the travel-watch display. Compare stone count, shape, setting height and the symmetry of the black hour markers. Aftermarket gem setting can resemble a factory layout from a distance but changes originality and value.
The Take Care connection
Drake wore gem-set yellow-gold Rolex watches during the visual period around Take Care, and a similar reference appears in imagery associated with that era. The example later offered publicly was described with an OVO owl engraving and supporting memorabilia. Those claims need to be tied to serial, purchase records, photographs and a credible transfer history. It is possible to identify the reference from visible features without proving that a particular watch is the exact object seen in every image.
Provenance deserves its own inspection
For a celebrity-associated watch, request dated invoices, service records, correspondence and high-resolution photographs of unique marks. Check whether engravings appear in earlier images and whether case wear is consistent across the timeline. Box and papers establish a relationship to a serial number but do not by themselves prove celebrity ownership. Independent specialists can examine documents and physical details before a large valuation is accepted.
GMT function beneath the jewellery
The model retains the GMT Master II’s central 24-hour hand, independently adjustable local hour and rotating 24-hour bezel format, although the gemstone bezel is less practical for reading than a printed ceramic insert. Operate the crown and confirm the local-hour jump, date movement and hand alignment. Gem setting should not interfere with bezel rotation or case sealing. On an interpretation, a fixed decorative bezel changes both function and construction.
Comparing a visual interpretation
Start with the gold tone and case proportions, then examine the stone layout under magnification. Baguette stones should sit evenly with controlled gaps, and the triangular marker at twelve should be centred. Check the OVO engraving only after the watch itself has been identified; an engraving can be copied more easily than a documented history. Any claim about gold content, diamonds, sapphires or water resistance needs independent testing.
Related references are organised in our Rolex GMT Master II replica watches archive. The BuyWatches UK homepage links to the wider collection index.
