Pilot Valentino Rossi spotted wearing a Rolex

Cameras caught nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi leaning over a motorcycle tyre to sign autographs at what appears to be a fan or promotional event. Peering beneath his signature yellow number 46 Monster Energy × Yamaha cap, eagle-eyed spotters immediately clocked the two-tone bracelet glinting at his wrist — a Rolex GMT-Master II in the classic Jubilee-adjacent Oyster configuration of alternating stainless steel and 18-carat yellow gold.

The reference in question is almost certainly the 116713LN, produced by Rolex from 2008 until its discontinuation around 2019. The 40 mm Oyster case in steel and yellow gold houses the manufacture's Calibre 3186 movement — a COSC-certified automatic beating at 28,800 vph with a 48-hour power reserve and Rolex's Parachrom Breguet overcoil hairspring for enhanced shock and magnetic resistance. The defining visual signature of the 116713LN is its monochromatic black Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert, a break from the earlier two-colour bezels that historically defined the GMT-Master lineage. The black dial features Chromalight luminescent hour markers, a date window at 3 o'clock, and the distinctive green GMT hand — functional tools for tracking a second time zone.

Among collectors, the 116713LN occupies a nuanced position. Purists who prize the original red-and-blue 'Pepsi' or red-and-black 'Coke' bezels sometimes dismiss the all-black variant as understated for a two-tone case, yet that restraint is precisely what gives the reference crossover appeal — equally at home in a boardroom or a paddock. Its discontinuation has only reinforced demand on the secondary market.

For Rossi, whose race number 46 is one of the most recognised in motorsport history, the GMT-Master II is a logical companion. The reference's aviation and travel heritage aligns naturally with the lifestyle of a professional racer who logs thousands of air miles per season across Grand Prix circuits on multiple continents.

On the grey market, the 116713LN commands a meaningful premium over its original retail price, reflecting both the two-tone construction — labour-intensive by Rolex's own production standards — and the scarcity that follows any discontinued reference. Buyers seeking this specific combination of ceramic bezel and Rolesor bracelet will need to look to authorised pre-owned channels or specialist dealers.