Sneakers and Watches: A Perfect Pair

Over the years of being in the watch community, it has become quite apparent that watch lovers also tend to be sneaker lovers, and this makes perfect sense in a lot of ways. A unique pair of sneakers, much like a watch, is a great way for the owner to express their individuality and to show off their personal style. Watches and sneakers are both highly collectable, expensive, and sometimes hard to attain. Men for the most part are limited in ways to accessorize an outfit, but watches and sneakers are the two main ways men can add some flair to their wardrobe. 

Watches and sneakers are also the types of things that collectors love to admire privately as well as show off publicly. Watch guys will buy fancy watch rolls, cases, and winders so they can admire their collection on their dresser. Sneakerheads will build out custom closets, complete with acrylic shoe boxes to easily gaze at their collection every time they walk by. Much like watches and the watch community, shoe lovers also engage in sneaker forums and follow countless sneaker accounts on Instagram. It doesn’t take long for people who love sneakers or watches to become avid collectors of both items. Like potato chips, once you pop, you just can’t stop.

We teamed up with our pal, @ilikerolexes who not only has the most incredible collection of Rolex watches we have ever seen (seriously), but also has a tremendous, fun, and colorful assortment of sneakers. He paired up some of his favorite Rolexes with some of his favorite sneakers for a fun and colorful style collaboration and we cannot wait to show you.

Watches and Sneakers: The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Line

1.  Rolex OP Yellow and Adidas NMD

We love pops of color and expressing individually here at Everest, so obviously we are obsessed with the brightly colored Rolex Oyster Perpetual line released in 2020. Up first is the 41mm Rolex OP41 in bright yellow paired with a matching pair of Yellow Adidas NMDs.

The name NMD is short for Nomad. The Adidas NMD collection contains casual sneakers with Boost cushioning and Primeknit uppers that come in an array of colors and funky patterns. Usually around $200 for a basic pair, these are the absolutely perfect match to the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yellow dial. Even the little flecks of silver/gray in the laces bring out the stainless steel case of the OP41.

2.  “Tiffany” Rolex OP41 and Nike Flyknit Airmax.

SWOOOOOON. The Tiffany dialed Rolex OP41 is without a doubt the most popular and most highly coveted Rolex from the Oyster Perpetual line. The color is so unique and classic, and appeals equally to both men and women. The watch has become so popular that now, after only a few months in existence, the waitlists are miles long and the secondhand market is selling them for nearly $15,000, almost 3x MSRP. No one can deny that it looks absolutely incredible paired with the Nike Flyknit Airmax. This turquoise color is hard to come by these days, but there are many other great options on the Nike Flyknit line.

3. Red Rolex OP41 and Red Adidas Iniki

Anyone else getting major nostalgia from these sneakers? I grew up in the 80s and 90s when the Adidas jacket (only rivaled to the Starter Jacket) was the height of all style and the ultimate indicator of popularity. On Christmas day when my nerdy fifth grade self opened that box and saw the (completely unflattering but who cares) bright red puffy jacket with white stripes down the arm and that Adidas logo, I literally thought I might die. I was so excited my braces almost popped right off my face. This was THE peak moment. These shoes remind me of that moment, and wow. What a time it was to be alive! The red dial Rolex OP is such a popular color all over Instagram and it blends perfectly with these little slices of nostalgia.

4. Green Rolex OP41 and Adidas Bape Ultra Boost

Who doesn’t love camo? Released in 2019, these Adidas shoes in the color “green camo” pair perfectly with the bright green dial of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual. Why blend in when you can stand out, right? These sneaks also come in a monotone color scheme of gray/black/and white which would pair nicely with an OP39 in white or better yet a Rolex Explorer II polar dial, or even a Daytona. The options are endless!

5. Blue Rolex OP41 and Nike Roshe NYC Edition

These polka dot shoes pay homage to the fashion trends of the 1940s and 1960s but still look completely fresh and fun in 2021. The lume-filled white raised indices carefully spaced on the blue sunburst dial of this Rolex Oyster Perpetual, makes it an absolute perfect match to these shoes. How fun!

Watches and Sneakers: The Elite Jeweled Line

1. The Rolex Submariner 116659SABR and Louboutin

Look, there are Rolex watches and there are Rolex watches. Lucky for us, our buddy @ilikerolexes has just about every iteration of Rolex you can find (and even ones you can't find). This Rolex Sub 116659SABR with blue dial and sapphire and diamond encrusted bezel is certainly something you don’t see every day. However, if you were to see her out in the wild, there is no better match than a pair of perfectly appointed Christian Louboutin sneakers. This particular Rolex and these shoes are both in the upper echelons of pricing, and they truly are a perfect pair. 

2.  The Rolex Yacht-Master “Gummy Bear” and Adidas NMD

Whether you call it the gummy bear, the haribo, or the tutti frutti, this is absolutely the team favorite watch and sneaker combo of the entire bunch. You cannot deny that the Rolex Yacht-Master Ref. 116655SATS in 18k rose gold looks freaking BOSS next to these Adidas sneakers in colorway “core black.” The funky colors, plus the black rubber oysterflex strap paired with the black rubber on the sneakers is just a bomb combo. People might ask why Rolex would put a $80,000+ watch on a rubber strap, but to be honest, we’ve been making high quality aftermarket rubber straps for Rolex owners for a decade here at Everest. Why? Because they look and feel fantastic.  We loved the look of a rubber strap back then and we love it even more now.

3.  The Platinum Rolex Daytona 116576TBR and Louboutin

Can you say grail watch? Wow, this Platinum Daytona with ice blue dial and diamond encrusted bezel is what dreams are made of. This watch, valued around $200K is worthy only of a fancy pair of light blue suede spiked low-top sneakers from designer Christian Louboutin. We also heard through the grapevine that this iteration of the Daytona might be discontinued this year in 2021. Even more reason to swoon over this watch and sneaker combo.

4. The Rolex Daytona 116588SACO and Nike Roshe Leopard Print

The Rolex Daytona is one of the most coveted Rolexes in existence today. The 18k rose gold 40mm Daytona 116588SACO with brilliant orange sapphire bezel is not one that you see often in the wild. Our friend @ilikerolexes loves warm colors, and orange is his most favorite, so it only makes sense he would rock an orange-jeweled Daytona. It takes a high degree of confidence to pull off a jeweled Rolex and animal print sneakers, but without a doubt, we are here for this bold and exciting combo. Of course this Daytona comes factory on a rubber strap, which makes it even hotter.  Rawr!

Watches and Sneakers: Classic Combo

1. Rolex Daytona and Black High-Top Louboutin

We’ll wrap it up today with a clean and classic combo of a Rolex Daytona 116500LN and some black leather high-top louboutin sneakers. Akin to the “little black dress,” the black-dialed Daytona will be timeless and classic forever and it looks great in any season. You also have to love how the tiny red text that reads "DAYTONA" complements the iconic red bottoms of the Louboutins.  This combo would be perfect for a crisp night out in New York City, or a leisurely walk along the Bay in San Francisco.

What did you think of these Rolex and sneaker combos? Which were your favorites? Let us know in the comments and please share this fun article! And of course, make sure to give our pal @ilikerolexes a follow on Instagram and show him some love. His collection is truly incredible, he engages with his followers, and he’s an all-around good dude.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 collection in an Everest Leather Watch Roll

Already have a great shoe or watch collection? Shop Swiss-Made accessories for your watches here, and express yourself with one of our many rubber and leather strap options for Rolex, Tudor, and Panerai owners.