Entrepreneur Flavio Briatore spotted wearing a Rolex

Flavio Briatore and television chef Alessandro Borghese were recently photographed together, and eagle-eyed observers quickly noted that both men had reached for the same reference — the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona — albeit in markedly different executions. Borghese wore the white gold version on an Oysterflex bracelet, while Briatore, the veteran entrepreneur and former Renault F1 team principal, chose the stainless steel ref. 116500LN.

Introduced in 2016 at Baselworld, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116500LN represented a significant generational leap for the model. It was the first steel Daytona to house Rolex's in-house Calibre 4130, a COSC-certified chronograph movement featuring a column wheel and vertical clutch for smooth, precise chronograph engagement. The 40mm Oystersteel case is paired with a ceramic — Cerachrom — bezel in either black or white, replacing the aluminium insert of the previous ref. 116520. Water resistance sits at 100 metres.

From a collector's standpoint, the 116500LN occupies a near-mythological position. Waiting lists at authorised dealers stretched for years, and the watch became a cultural benchmark for grey-market premiums. The Cerachrom bezel solved the long-standing issue of fading on earlier aluminium bezels, while the Calibre 4130's architecture — with fewer components than its predecessor — is widely praised for reliability and serviceability. Both factors cemented the reference as a modern classic almost immediately upon release.

Briatore's affinity for luxury timepieces is well documented. The founder of Billionaire brand and long-time Monaco Grand Prix fixture gravitates toward pieces that carry genuine horological credibility rather than mere ostentation. Choosing the steel Daytona over the white gold variant his companion wore is itself a statement: understated, but unmistakably informed. In watch circles, the steel 116500LN often draws more respect than its precious-metal siblings.

Retail pricing for the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116500LN sits at approximately $14,550 USD, but the watch has not been readily available at that price through authorised dealers for years. On the secondary market, steel examples consistently trade between $28,000 and $35,000 USD depending on condition and box-and-papers status, reflecting a premium that shows little sign of softening.