Watch Paparazzi

Model Faryal Makhdoom Khan spotted wearing Rolex

Faryal Makhdoom Khan, British-Pakistani model and prominent social media personality, posted this close-up wrist shot to her Instagram account @faryalxmakhdoom, revealing a stainless steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona sitting confidently alongside a stack of diamond rings. The candid, self-shot style is typical of her feed, but the watch detail is sharp enough to identify the reference with reasonable confidence.

The watch in question presents the hallmarks of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116520: a white lacquer dial with three recessed chronograph subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock, a steel tachymetric bezel with engraved scale, and the iconic Oyster bracelet with folding Oysterclasp. The 40 mm steel case and the absence of a ceramic bezel — which arrived with the 116500LN in 2016 — point clearly to the earlier steel reference. Rolex introduced the 116520 in 2000, and critically, it was the first Daytona to house the manufacturer's own calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with vertical clutch and 72-hour power reserve, replacing the outsourced Zenith El Primero base used in the preceding 16520.

The 116520 occupies a significant place in Rolex collecting history. Produced for sixteen years and perpetually waitlisted at authorised dealers, it was the benchmark steel sports Rolex of its era. Its discontinuation in favour of the ceramic-bezel 116500LN gave it immediate retrospective desirability. The white-dial variant is considered the cleaner, more legible option against the black dial, and commands consistent demand on the secondary market.

Faryal Makhdoom Khan is well known in UK celebrity circles as the wife of world champion boxer Amir Khan, and the couple are frequently associated with high-end luxury goods. Her choice of the steel Daytona — a watch that requires either connections or patience to acquire through official channels — reflects a considered taste rather than a purely conspicuous purchase.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116520 in steel with white dial originally retailed in the region of $11,550 USD at launch pricing. Today on the grey market, clean examples with original papers and bracelet trade comfortably between $18,000 and $22,000 USD depending on condition and service history, a premium that underlines the enduring appeal of this reference.