Watch Paparazzi

Pilot Valentino Rossi spotted wearing Rolex

Valentino Rossi, the most decorated motorcycle road racer in Grand Prix history, was spotted wearing a stainless steel Rolex Submariner Date reference 116610LN during his appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where nine-time MotoGP World Champion accepted an invitation from Formula 1 star Fernando Alonso to compete alongside him in one of motorsport's greatest endurance events. The wrist shot places one of the world's most recognizable dive watches on one of the world's most recognizable wrists.

The Rolex Submariner Date 116610LN, produced from 2010 until its succession by the 126610LN in 2020, represents the first generation of Submariner to feature Rolex's proprietary Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert. That black unidirectional rotating bezel resists fading, scratching, and ultraviolet degradation in a way its anodized aluminum predecessor simply could not. Inside the 40mm Oyster case sits the calibre 3135 automatic movement, a column-wheel controlled mechanism with a Parachrom hairspring, delivering roughly 48 hours of power reserve and a COSC-certified chronometric performance of -2/+2 seconds per day. Water resistance is rated to 300 metres.

Among collectors, the 116610LN occupies a particularly solid position. It was the definitive everyday Submariner for an entire decade, long enough to accumulate serious provenance but recent enough that examples in excellent condition remain accessible. The transition to ceramic elevated it above vintage charm into serious tool-watch territory, and the reference has become a benchmark by which virtually every other sports watch is measured. Clean, unpolished examples with original bracelets continue to attract serious attention on the secondary market.

Rossi's choice is telling. The "Dottore" has never been a conspicuous watch collector in the public sense, which makes the Submariner an authentic fit — functional, understated, universally legible. A man who spent decades reading track conditions at 200 mph has little patience for decoration over substance. Wearing it at Le Mans, in the company of Alonso, adds another layer of motorsport biography to the reference's already considerable story.

At retail, the 116610LN listed at approximately $8,550 USD before its discontinuation — a price that now feels remarkably restrained given the grey market's sustained appetite for it. Pre-owned examples in strong condition regularly trade between $13,000 and $16,000 USD depending on box, papers, and bracelet integrity, a premium that shows no sign of collapsing.