Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Marouane Fellaini spotted wearing Rolex

Marouane Fellaini, the Belgian midfielder who built his European reputation across Everton and Manchester United before relocating to the Chinese Super League with Shandong Luneng Taishan, was recently spotted wearing one of the most coveted and technically complex pieces in Rolex's contemporary catalogue — the Cosmograph Daytona Rainbow in 18kt Everose gold, reference 116595RBOW.

The 116595RBOW sits at the apex of Rolex's gem-set Daytona lineage. Its 40mm Everose gold case houses the manufacture Calibre 4130, a self-winding chronograph movement with a column wheel mechanism and vertical clutch, offering a 72-hour power reserve and COSC-certified chronometric precision. The dial features 11 baguette-cut sapphires as hour markers, each cut individually and graduated across the full colour spectrum. The defining spectacle, however, is the bezel: 36 baguette-cut sapphires arranged in seamless rainbow gradation from deep violet through to vivid red — a setting process so labour-intensive that production numbers remain extraordinarily limited.

Rolex introduced the Rainbow Daytona concept in 2012, initially in white gold, before releasing the Everose gold variant. The reference 116595RBOW quickly became a benchmark of aspirational watch collecting, blending Rolex's motorsport chronograph heritage with high jewellery craft. Its rarity is structural rather than artificial — the sheer complexity of sourcing, grading, and setting matched baguette sapphires in chromatic sequence means supply has never met demand.

Fellaini has long demonstrated a taste for statement horology, and the Rainbow Daytona is very much in character — a piece that commands attention without sacrificing horological credibility. At 6ft 4in, his wrist presence does justice to the bold 40mm case, and the warm Everose gold tone sits naturally against his complexion.

On the secondary market, the 116595RBOW commands a significant premium over its already substantial retail price, regularly trading between $150,000 and $200,000 depending on condition, papers, and box completeness. With the UK list price sitting at £92,100, grey-market premiums of 60–80% above retail are routine. This is a watch that collectors pursue actively and retailers allocate reluctantly — a true trophy piece by any measure.