Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Giorgio Chiellini spotted wearing Rolex

Giorgio Chiellini, one of the most decorated defenders in Italian football history and a cornerstone of both Juventus and the Azzurri, was photographed pitchside — likely during a major international tournament given the visible Ukraine accreditation lanyard — with a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona strapped to his wrist. The piece stands out clearly in the image: a steel-toned bracelet and case, tachymeter bezel, and a distinctive black dial with red sub-register details point squarely to the 18k white gold Daytona family.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 116509 is powered by the in-house Calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch and approximately 72-hour power reserve — a significant technical step forward when Rolex introduced it in 2000, replacing the Zenith El Primero-based movement. The 40mm case in 18k white gold is paired here with what appears to be a black dial in the 'Arabic' numeral configuration, with red-tipped chronograph hands and red-ringed sub-dials, a combination sometimes referred to informally as the 'Le Mans' dial aesthetic. The bezel features engraved tachymeter graduations in the white gold metal itself, rather than a ceramic insert — a hallmark of the pre-116500LN precious-metal variants.

For collectors, the white gold Daytona 116509 with this specific black Arabic dial occupies serious territory. It is rarer than the stainless steel 116500LN that dominates grey-market headlines, and its value is anchored in both the precious metal case and the relative scarcity of the dial variant. Market premiums over retail are consistent and the piece rarely sits unsold.

Chiellini's affinity for understated yet high-quality objects mirrors his playing style — nothing flashy, everything deliberate. A white gold Daytona is precisely the kind of watch a serious collector would choose: recognisable to those who know, invisible to those who don't.

On the grey market, the 116509 in this dial configuration commands strong prices well above its already substantial retail figure, reflecting both the precious metal content and enduring demand for sporting Rolex chronographs in collector circles.