Politician Julie Brodtkorb spotted wearing a Rolex

Norwegian business leader and former politician Julie Brodtkorb was recently photographed wearing a Rolex Daytona in two-tone steel and yellow gold, reference 116503 — a model that continues to command serious attention on both the primary and secondary markets.

The Rolex Daytona ref. 116503 measures 40mm in Rolex's proprietary Oystersteel paired with an 18k yellow gold bezel and crown guards. It runs on the Calibre 4130, an entirely in-house column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, offering approximately 72 hours of power reserve. Rolex introduced the 4130 in 2000, replacing the outsourced Zenith El Primero ebauche with a movement designed and built entirely within the manufacture — a watershed moment that cemented Daytona's technical credibility alongside its cultural status.

The reference 116503 entered production in the early 2000s and has remained a staple of the Daytona family ever since. The two-tone Rolesor configuration — combining the durability of Oystersteel with the warmth of yellow gold — traces its lineage directly to the Daytona models of the 1970s and 80s, when bi-metal references were among the most coveted in Rolex's sport line. Today the 116503 is appreciated by collectors who want the Daytona's motorsport pedigree without committing to a full precious-metal version.

Waiting lists for the ref. 116503 at authorized dealers remain long, making grey-market premiums a persistent reality. The official retail price sits in the mid-twenty-thousand-dollar range, yet street prices consistently exceed that, reflecting the enduring demand that has defined the Daytona nameplate for decades. Among two-tone variants, the yellow-gold-and-steel combination remains the most historically resonant and the most liquid on the secondary market.

Julie Brodtkorb, known for her roles in Norwegian business and public life, wears the Daytona in a context that underscores the watch's crossover appeal — equally at home on a professional's wrist as on a racing driver's. The 116503 is precisely the kind of watch that requires no introduction and makes no unnecessary statement, which may be exactly the point.