Basketball player Jimmy Butler spotted wearing a Rolex

Jimmy Butler turned up in front of GQ's cameras wearing what most collectors would consider the single hardest Daytona to actually acquire at retail — the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116588SACO. The shoot provided a rare close look at a reference that Rolex has never formally spotlighted in any major campaign, which only deepens its mystique among serious enthusiasts.

The 116588SACO is built on the standard 40mm Daytona case architecture but executed entirely in 18K yellow gold. The defining feature is the bezel, which is paved with 36 baguette-cut orange sapphires — a chromatic choice that departs sharply from the diamonds and blue sapphires more commonly seen across Rolex's gem-set lineup. The black lacquer dial carries diamond hour markers, and the three champagne-toned chronograph subdials provide a warm contrast that ties the overall composition together. The black Oysterflex strap — a reinforced elastomer bracelet developed by Rolex and introduced in 2015 — adds a sporting register that keeps the watch from reading as purely ceremonial. Under the case, the Calibre 4130 automatic chronograph movement runs the show, offering a 72-hour power reserve and the column wheel and vertical clutch architecture that underpins every modern Daytona.

Rolex quietly introduced this reference in 2018 with a list price of $143,550, placing it at the very top of the standard Daytona price structure. It has never appeared on open shelves in any meaningful quantity. Authorized dealers rarely acknowledge its existence, and when examples do surface, they tend to flow directly to clients with deep purchasing histories. The combination of orange sapphires, yellow gold, and Oysterflex is specific enough that production numbers are assumed to be extremely limited, though Rolex publishes nothing.

Butler has built a reputation as a genuinely considered watch collector rather than someone acquiring trophies for social media. His presence in a GQ shoot wearing the 116588SACO suggests personal ownership rather than a stylist pull — the kind of detail that matters to watch people.

On the grey market, examples of the Daytona 116588SACO trade well above list when they appear at all, with authenticated pieces commanding premiums that reflect both rarity and the current sustained demand for gem-set Rolex references in yellow gold.