Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Fabio Cannavaro spotted wearing Rolex

In an archival photograph circulating among collectors and watch enthusiasts, Fabio Cannavaro — Italy's legendary defender and 2006 FIFA World Cup winner — is seen wearing a stainless steel vintage Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 6239 fitted with a black 'Paul Newman' dial and pump pushers. It is a quiet, understated flex from a man whose football career was anything but.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 6239 holds a foundational place in horological history. Produced from 1963 to roughly 1969, it was the first reference to carry the Daytona name, honoring the famous Florida racing circuit. The 6239 is distinguished by its pump pushers — fixed, non-screw-down chronograph actuators — a transitional detail that would be replaced on later references. The movement is the manual-winding Valjoux 72, a highly regarded ebauche known for its robustness and smooth operation. Case diameter sits at 37mm, compact by modern standards but perfectly proportioned against the period aesthetic.

The so-called 'Paul Newman' dial — a nickname popularized after the actor and racing driver was photographed wearing a similar example — transforms the ref. 6239 from a collectible into a grail-level object. The exotic dial variant features contrasting sub-register finishes, square indices within the subsidiary dials, and Art Deco-influenced open Arabic numerals. On a black dial, the effect is particularly dramatic. These dials were not universally available; Rolex offered them as an option, and relatively few survived in unworn or lightly worn condition.

Cannavaro's watch credentials go beyond a single trophy piece. Reports indicate he also owns a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona with a bakelite bezel and panda dial — likely a ref. 6238 or early 6239 — suggesting he approaches vintage Rolex with the same tactical intelligence he applied on the pitch. For a man who captained Juventus, Real Madrid, and the Italian national team, wearing one of the most historically significant racing chronographs ever made feels entirely appropriate.

On the current market, a stainless steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 6239 with a black Paul Newman dial in collector-grade condition commands extraordinary premiums. Auction results from Christie's, Phillips, and Sotheby's have placed comparable examples well into six figures, with exceptional specimens exceeding $300,000. No official retail price exists for this vintage reference.