Her eyes light up. A young socialite in the throes of new love looks on with anticipation as her wealthy boyfriend pulls out a jewellery box over dinner.
He carefully opens it up to reveal sparkling gold and diamonds inside, and his girlfriend squeals in delight as she holds out her hand for him.
But it’s not a diamond ring he’s slipping on her finger. Instead, he clasps a flashy Rolex watch around her delicate wrist.
Is she disappointed? Perhaps, at first. But this soon fades when she realises the significance of the gift.
Because among Australia’s young and hot A-list, a Rolex is the new, far cooler version of the corny American ‘promise ring’.
It means you’ve made it – you’re engaged to be engaged, so to speak – and it’s only a matter of time before you hear those four special words...
Among Australia’s young and hot A-list, a Rolex is the new, far cooler version of the corny American ‘promise ring’ and is a reliable indicator of a future engagement. (Pictured left: Lara and Sam Worthington in 2018; and right, Lara wearing a Rolex in 2014, the year the couple wed)
According to our society spies, the Rolex Club is the talk of the town right now. Every new girlfriend of a cashed-up athlete, finance bro or actor is dreaming of the day they get their gold watch, which means the countdown to an engagement is on.
The Swiss luxury watches have long been seen as a symbol of wealth and status since the company was founded in 1905.
Currently, the cheapest Rolex goes for $9,200 and the most expensive is $257,900.
But whether it’s simple platinum or encrusted in diamonds, wealthy Australian men have been using the Rolex as a symbol of more than just their riches.
Anyone familiar with showbusiness knows things aren’t serious until the Rolex is on the wrist. Take, for example, Lara Worthington (nee Bingle), the model wife of Avatar star Sam Worthington.
She had previously been engaged to Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke, but their engagement ended acrimoniously in 2010 – with no Rolex watch in sight.
According to Sydney folklore, a diamond ring may have ended up in the plumbing too.
But there were no such dramas when Lara fell in love with Sam – perhaps because he slapped a gold Rolex on her before popping the question.
Candice Warner (née Falzon) presents an unusual case of the diamond coming before the watch. She first received a TAG Heuer timepiece (left) early in her relationship with cricketer David Warner, before later having it upgraded to a $21,000 Rolex in 2016 (right)
Snezana Wood (née Markoski) also had to put in the hard yards to nab a Rolex watch from her husband Sam Wood, the Bachelor star-turned-fitness program millionaire
Snezana was spotted wearing platinum TAG Heuer in the first year of dating Sam after meeting on The Bachelor – but had secured her all-important gold Rolex by November 2019
Lara confirmed her relationship with Sam in October 2013. The following year, she was seen with a gold Rolex watch on her left wrist, and soon after moved from Sydney to New York to be with Sam.
The couple married in December 2014 and have since welcomed three sons, Rocket, 10, Racer, nine, and River, four.
Candice Warner (née Falzon) presents an unusual case of the diamond coming before the watch, as she didn’t flaunt her watch until her first wedding anniversary with David Warner.
The couple had a whirlwind romance in 2013, as they met, got engaged and fell pregnant within the span of six months.
The cricket WAG, 39, was seen wearing a TAG Heuer watch early in their relationship, with its first appearance being in 2013 just a few months after they started dating.
She welcomed their first daughter, Ivy Mae, in September 2014 and upgraded to a black designer watch. The following year, in April 2015, the Warners tied the knot and welcomed their second daughter, Indi Rae, in January 2016.
A few months later, in April 2016, Candice shared an image of the couple to Instagram at about the time of their first wedding anniversary. In the snap, she sported a $21,000 silver and gold Lady-Datejust Rolex on her left wrist.
Snezana Wood (née Markoski) also had to put in the hard yards to nab a Rolex watch from her husband Sam Wood, the Bachelor star-turned-fitness program millionaire.
Nadia Bartel never flashed a Rolex during her ill-fated marriage to Jimmy Bartel; however, she is sporting one after declaring new boyfriend Peter Dugmore (pictured together) was ‘the one’
Similar to Candice, she was spotted wearing platinum TAG Heuer in the first year of their romance after they met on reality TV in 2015.
Snezana and her daughter Eve, now 19, then relocated to Melbourne from Perth to start a life with Sam.
He popped the question six months later, but their marriage was put on hold when the former reality TV star discovered she was pregnant.
They welcomed Australia’s first Bachie baby, Willow Wendy Wood, in October 2017.
Still, it was two more years before Snezana was able to show off her own gold Rolex, which she debuted on Instagram in November 2019.
As for some of the newest couples on the scene, there is no shortage of Rolex watches being thrown around to.
Now the jury’s out on whether Nadia’s Rolex was a gift from Peter or if she bought it for herself (she can certainly afford it). But her timepiece has nonetheless set off rumours of an impending engagement
Nadia Bartel may not have been able to flash a Rolex while she she was married to former AFL player Jimmy Bartel, but it seems she now has her chance.
The Henne co-founder, 39, who shares two sons aged 10 and seven with her ex, split from Jimmy in 2019 and started dating model Peter Dugmore in early 2022.
They kept their relationship private for more than a year before the socialite told Daily Mail Australia in March she’d found ‘the one’ in Peter.
Just months later, in December, Nadia debuted a gold Rolex at a fashion launch and is now rarely seen without it when she attends star-studded events.
While it’s unclear if the watch is a gift from Peter or one Nadia bought herself (she can certainly afford it), the Rolex now has Melbourne’s ‘It’ crowd eagerly anticipating an engagement.
Nick Kyrgios made a spectacle of going steady with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi in September 2022 when he very publicly splashed $52,000 on her.
The tennis star, 29, shared a photo to Instagram as he flaunted the various items of jewellery he’d bought Costeen, to whom he was first romantically linked to in 2021.
Having decided the former psychology student was the one for him, Nick bought her a Van Cleef & Arpels vintage Alhambra bracelet, worth about $6,000.
A diamond Juste un Clou ring ($8,100) and a Juste un Clou bracelet ($6,800) also made the pricey collection – before Nick sealed the deal with a platinum Rolex worth $10,000.
Nick and Costeen are still going strong to this day, with the couple frequently teasing their followers that an engagement may be on the horizon.
Other sporting WAGs who have seemingly secured their Rolexes include Arabella Sherbourne and Chelsea Becirevic.
Nick Kyrgios made a spectacle of going steady with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi in September 2022 when he very publicly splashed $52,000 on her
Costeen’s luxury haul tellingly included a platinum Rolex worth $10,000
Arabella, 32, was first linked to the aforementioned Michael Clarke in June 2023, and he wasted no time gifting her a gold Rolex watch.
She debuted the pricey timepiece on Instagram in September 2024, almost a year and a half after they started dating, which suggests things are getting serious.
Arabella appeared to be over the moon in a series of Instagram snaps showing her sitting in Michael’s lap and cuddling up to him with the watch conspicuously on show.
Meanwhile, Chelsea, 24, also managed to secure her very own Rolex despite her seemingly tumultuous living situation with AFL star Ivan Soldo.
The woman dubbed ‘Australia’s hottest WAG’ gave up her glamorous Melbourne life to follow the Port Power star to Adelaide in November 2023 when he was traded from Richmond.
However, she made headlines in May 2024 when she suddenly left the country and moved to Dubai for a new life, saying it was a ‘struggle’ to live in Adelaide.
Michael Clarke’s new love Arabella Sherbourne debuted her pricey timepiece in September, almost a year and a half after the pair started dating, which suggests things are getting serious
Chelsea Becirevic, the woman dubbed ‘Australia’s hottest WAG’, was spotted wearing a new gold Rolex at the Melbourne races in November
For several months, she worked as an air hostess in the Middle East, but returned home in September, saying she ‘hated’ doing long-distance with Ivan.
There was speculation Ivan had then asked to be traded back to Melbourne to keep Chelsea happy, but that plan seems to have fallen through.
The couple now own a house together in Adelaide, having revealed its purchase in December.
Just weeks before they moved into the new home, Chelsea was spotted wearing a new gold Rolex at the Melbourne races in November.
After a flighty few years, it looks like the ruckman has her locked in – and footy insiders are betting on an engagement in 2025.
