Television presenter Trevor Noah spotted wearing a Rolex

Few watches make more contextual sense than a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona spotted inside a Formula 1 paddock, and Trevor Noah delivered precisely that statement at the United States Grand Prix qualifying session at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. The South African comedian and outgoing host of The Daily Show was photographed wearing what is almost certainly the reference 116500LN — the stainless steel Daytona with black Cerachrom ceramic bezel and white 'panda' dial — one of the most recognizable and coveted references in contemporary watchmaking.

The 116500LN marked a pivotal moment for the Daytona lineage when Rolex unveiled it at Baselworld 2016. It was the first Daytona to feature a ceramic bezel, replacing the earlier aluminum and sapphire crystal inserts of previous references. The black Cerachrom bezel, with its tachymeter scale, is virtually scratch-proof and UV-resistant, maintaining its deep gloss indefinitely. Inside the 40mm Oystersteel case beats the Calibre 4130, Rolex's proprietary automatic chronograph movement featuring a column wheel and vertical clutch, delivering a COSC-certified 72-hour power reserve. The white lacquer dial with contrasting black subsidiary counters — the so-called 'panda' configuration — is widely considered the cleaner, more legible of the two dial options offered alongside the inverse black dial variant.

From a collector standpoint, the 116500LN represents the holy grail of accessible sports watches. Demand has chronically and dramatically outpaced supply since its release, creating waiting lists at authorized dealers that stretch years. Its predecessor, the reference 116520, was discontinued upon the 116500LN's arrival, and both references now trade at substantial premiums on the secondary market.

Noah's choice to wear this particular reference at an F1 event is no accident of style. Rolex has been the Official Timepiece of Formula 1 since 2013, and the Daytona's own origins are rooted in motorsport — named after the Daytona International Speedway. The paddock is, in the truest sense, the watch's natural habitat.

At retail, the 116500LN lists at approximately $14,550 USD following recent price adjustments, though finding one at that price through an authorized dealer remains largely theoretical for most buyers. On the grey market, demand continues to push transaction prices well above the $25,000 threshold, cementing its status as both a wearable luxury piece and a resilient store of value.