Pilot Jorge Lorenzo spotted wearing a Rolex

Jorge Lorenzo, three-time MotoGP World Champion and two-time 250cc title holder, was recently spotted wearing a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in oystersteel with a black ceramic bezel and matching black dial — almost certainly reference 116500LN, the most collectible iteration of the modern Daytona lineage.

Introduced at Baselworld 2016, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN was a watershed moment for the reference. The switch to a Cerachrom ceramic bezel — machined from a single block of virtually scratch-proof zirconium oxide ceramic — gave the case a more contemporary, high-contrast look while dramatically improving durability. The 40mm oystersteel case houses Rolex's in-house Calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, offering a 72-hour power reserve and COSC-certified chronometer accuracy. The black sub-dials set against the matching black main dial create what collectors call the 'reverse panda' configuration — understated yet unmistakably purposeful.

From a collector standpoint, the 116500LN black dial is the holy grail variant of the ceramic Daytona. Demand has consistently outstripped supply since launch, with authorised dealer waitlists stretching years. Its predecessor, the 116520 with aluminium bezel, is itself a blue-chip collectible, but the ceramic reference made an immediate generational statement that the market has never stopped rewarding.

Lorenzo's affinity for precision instruments is well-documented — the Majorcan rider is known for his meticulous, data-driven approach to racing, qualities mirrored in the Daytona's origins as a tool watch designed for endurance motorsport at Daytona International Speedway. A chronograph built for racing sitting on the wrist of a man who dominated circuits at 200mph feels entirely organic rather than performative.

At an official retail price of approximately $14,550 USD for the stainless steel 116500LN, the reality of acquisition is considerably more complex. Grey-market premiums have pushed transaction prices well above $27,000 USD — sometimes significantly higher depending on provenance and condition. For a reference Rolex has since evolved into the updated 126500LN, mint 116500LN examples are only appreciating further, cementing their status as both wearable instrument and hard asset.