Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Bugzy Malone spotted wearing Rolex

Bugzy Malone has built a reputation as one of British rap's most meticulous operators, and the watch on his wrist reflects that precision. The Mancunian rapper was recently spotted wearing a stainless steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 116500LN in its all-black configuration — black dial, black sub-registers, and the distinctive black Cerachrom ceramic bezel that made this generation of Daytona a watershed moment for the line.

Rolex introduced the ref. 116500LN at Baselworld 2016, marking the first time the Daytona had ever worn a ceramic bezel. The move was significant: it replaced the aluminium insert that had defined earlier references and brought the Daytona in line with the ceramic-bezel standard Rolex had already established across its GMT-Master II and Submariner lines. At the heart of the watch beats the calibre 4130, an in-house column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, offering a 72-hour power reserve and COSC-certified chronometric precision. The case measures 40mm in Oyster steel, with a tachymeter scale engraved into the ceramic and a screw-down pushers and crown maintaining water resistance to 100 metres.

Among collectors, the 116500LN with a black dial — often referred to simply as the 'black-on-black' Daytona — holds a particular cachet. The contrast between the matte black ceramic bezel and the sunken black registers on the dial creates a purposeful, tool-watch aesthetic that the white-dial variant simply doesn't replicate. Waiting lists at authorised dealers have remained measured in years since launch, making grey-market acquisition the realistic route for most buyers.

Bugzy Malone, whose real name is Aaron Davis, has long operated at the intersection of graft and style. His discography and business interests reflect an eye for quality without excess — the 116500LN fits that register precisely. It is not the flashiest choice in Rolex's catalogue, but it is arguably the most strategically correct one.

At retail, the Rolex Daytona ref. 116500LN lists at approximately $14,870. On the secondary market, however, demand continues to push values considerably higher, with current grey-market pricing sitting around $33,900 — a premium that shows no serious signs of collapsing.