Watch Paparazzi

Singer Ozuna spotted wearing Rolex

Ozuna, the Puerto Rican singer who has held the record for most simultaneous Latin songs on the Billboard Hot 100, has been photographed wearing one of the most understated yet extravagant watches Rolex produces — the 18kt yellow gold Daytona ref. 116578SACO, a Baselworld 2019 'silent release' that slipped onto the market with virtually no official announcement and immediately became one of the hardest references to source.

The Rolex Daytona 116578SACO is built around the calibre 4130, Rolex's in-house automatic chronograph movement introduced in 2000 and widely regarded as one of the most robust and serviceably efficient column-wheel chronograph ebauches in production. It beats at 28,800 vph, offers approximately 72 hours of power reserve, and is housed in a 40mm 18kt yellow gold case. The bezel is where this reference separates itself entirely from the standard catalogue: 36 baguette-cut sapphires, graduating in tone from deep blue through violet, are channel-set across the full circumference. The mother-of-pearl dial — ivory in base tone with natural iridescence — carries diamond-set chronograph subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock, with a matching diamond-set crown guard surround.

From a collector standpoint, the 116578SACO occupies a peculiar and coveted position. Rolex produced it without a dedicated press campaign, and allocation was tightly controlled through authorised dealers, making it nearly invisible at retail from day one. It sits within Rolex's gem-set 'Rainbow' family — alongside the steel and Everose references — but the yellow gold and sapphire combination carries a particular visual weight that appeals to collectors who want the full precious-metal execution. Secondary market supply is genuinely thin.

Ozuna's watch collection is consistently high-calibre. He has been photographed previously with Patek Philippe complications and bejewelled Richard Mille pieces, placing him among a cohort of Latin artists — alongside Bad Bunny and J Balvin — who treat serious horology as a genuine area of personal interest rather than simple status signalling. The 116578SACO on his wrist is consistent with that collector profile.

At UK list price of £120,000 — approximately $150,000 USD at time of release — the Rolex Daytona ref. 116578SACO commands a meaningful premium on the grey market, where examples in full set condition trade significantly above retail when they appear at all. Demand consistently outpaces supply.