Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Declan Rice spotted wearing Rolex

New York City provided the backdrop for this sharp wrist sighting: Declan Rice, photographed atop what appears to be a Midtown Manhattan observation deck, wearing a stainless steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona on his wrist. The Empire State Building visible in the distance made for an appropriately cinematic setting for one of the most recognisable watch references in the world.

The watch in question is the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 116500LN in its white-dial 'Panda' configuration. Introduced at Baselworld 2016, the 116500LN replaced the long-running 116520 and brought a significant upgrade: a black Cerachrom ceramic bezel in place of the earlier aluminium insert. The 40mm Oystersteel case houses Rolex's Calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, offering 72 hours of power reserve and COSC-certified precision. The white lacquer dial with contrasting black subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock — the classic 'Panda' layout — remains one of the cleanest executions of a racing-inspired dial in watchmaking.

From a collector standpoint, the 116500LN Panda is benchmark material. It sits at the intersection of legibility, mechanical sophistication, and cultural cachet. Since its introduction, waiting lists at authorised dealers have stretched to years in most markets, and the reference has never traded close to retail on the secondary market. It represents a rare case of a contemporary Rolex that immediately achieved icon status upon release, rather than accumulating it over decades.

Declan Rice, currently at Arsenal following his £105 million transfer from West Ham in 2023, is among the most prominent footballers in England. Off the pitch, Rice has demonstrated a clear affinity for quality over ostentation — the Daytona, despite its value, wears as a relatively modest 40mm steel sports watch that reads understated to the uninitiated.

On the grey market, the 116500LN Panda continues to command a substantial premium over its official retail price of approximately $14,550 USD, with current secondary market values sitting comfortably in the $26,000–$30,000 range depending on condition and papers. For a footballer of Rice's stature, it is arguably the most considered entry point into serious watch collecting.