Basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo spotted wearing a Rolex

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks forward widely regarded as one of the most dominant players in the NBA, was recently spotted wearing a platinum Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 116506 — a watch that sits at the very top of the Daytona family's hierarchy and commands serious attention from collectors worldwide.

The ref. 116506 was introduced in 2013 as Rolex's celebration of the Daytona's 50th anniversary, marking the first time the Cosmograph had ever been offered in a 950 platinum case. The 40mm case houses Rolex's in-house caliber 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, offering approximately 72 hours of power reserve. The movement replaced the original Zenith El Primero base and is widely considered one of the finest chronograph calibers in the industry for its reliability and precision. The dial is rendered in Rolex's exclusive ice blue lacquer — a shade the brand reserves strictly for its platinum models — while the chestnut brown ceramic bezel carries tachymetric markings in platinum. The combination is visually distinctive and immediately identifiable at a glance.

Among collectors, the 116506 occupies a rare position: it is expensive enough at retail to deter casual buyers, yet desirable enough to trade well above list price on the secondary market. Production numbers remain low relative to steel and gold Daytona variants, and the platinum case, dial color, and ceramic bezel configuration exist nowhere else in the Rolex catalog. It is, in short, the connoisseur's Daytona.

Antetokounmpo has developed a reputation for wearing serious timepieces befitting his status as a global sports icon. A two-time NBA MVP, 2021 Finals MVP, and Olympic gold medalist, the Greek Freak's reach extends well beyond basketball courts into fashion and lifestyle — making a platinum Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116506 a fitting statement piece.

At retail, the 116506 lists for approximately $85,775. On the grey market, demand has pushed current valuations to around $127,000 — a premium that reflects both the watch's intrinsic rarity and enduring collector appetite for the Daytona name at its most elevated expression.