Actor Naga Chaitanya spotted wearing a Rolex

Naga Chaitanya, one of Telugu cinema's most prominent leading men, was recently spotted on the wrist with a Rolex Submariner ref. 116610LN — a watch that needs no introduction but rewards closer inspection every time it appears.

The Submariner ref. 116610LN entered production in 2010 as a direct successor to the ref. 16610, introducing a wider 40mm case with more refined lugs, a larger crown, and critically, the Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert in matte black. That unidirectional rotating bezel, graduated to 60 minutes, is virtually scratch-proof and UV-resistant — a meaningful upgrade over its aluminum predecessor. Inside beats the Rolex Calibre 3135, a self-winding movement with a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring, offering approximately 48 hours of power reserve and chronometric precision certified to +/- 2 seconds per day. The matte black dial carries applied hour markers with Chromalight luminescent fill, and the Oyster bracelet is fitted with the Glidelock extension system for use over a wetsuit.

Production of the 116610LN officially ceased in 2020 when Rolex introduced the ref. 126610LN, which brought a larger 41mm case and the upgraded Cal. 3235 movement. That transition has cemented the 116610LN's status as the definitive last expression of the 40mm Submariner — a milestone in a lineage stretching back to 1953. Collectors regard it as a highly wearable, historically significant reference that bridges the vintage and modern eras of the model.

Naga Chaitanya has built a reputation as one of South Indian cinema's more style-conscious actors, and the Submariner choice here is telling — it signals understated authority rather than conspicuous luxury. The 116610LN is exactly the kind of watch worn by someone who knows watches, not merely someone who spends on them.

On the grey market, the Rolex Submariner ref. 116610LN commands prices well above its original retail, reflecting both discontinued status and enduring global demand. Examples in excellent condition with box and papers regularly trade between $13,000 and $16,000 depending on service history and seller. For a reference no longer available new from an authorized dealer, that premium is entirely rational — and shows no sign of softening.