Watch Paparazzi

Singer Bow Wow spotted wearing Rolex

Bow Wow, the rapper and actor born Shad Moss who rose to fame as a teenage protégé of Snoop Dogg, was recently spotted on the wrist with one of Rolex's most coveted precious-metal references — the Cosmograph Daytona 116528 in 18kt yellow gold, fitted with a champagne dial. It's a deliberate, confident choice that signals both horological awareness and a firm nod to the gold Daytona's deep roots in rap and hip-hop culture.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116528 sits at the apex of the standard Daytona lineup. The case is crafted entirely in Rolex's proprietary 18kt yellow gold, measuring 40mm across with the brand's characteristic tachymetric bezel rendered in matching gold. The champagne dial — warm-toned, lacquered, and subtly luminous under light — features contrasting subdials and applied gold indexes that together project understated opulence rather than loud excess. At its heart beats the caliber 4130, Rolex's fully in-house automatic chronograph movement introduced in 2000, offering a column-wheel and vertical clutch mechanism, a 72-hour power reserve, and a free-sprung Glucydur balance wheel. It was a movement that effectively liberated Rolex from its prior reliance on the Zenith El Primero base and remains one of the most respected chronograph calibers in production today.

Collector interest in the 116528 has been consistent across the decades. The reference ran from 2000 through to its eventual replacement by the ref. 116508 and later the current-generation 126528LN, making surviving examples increasingly sought after in the secondary market. The champagne dial variant in particular holds strong appeal for collectors who prefer the warmth of a gold-on-gold configuration over more contrasting dial treatments.

Bow Wow's affinity for high-end timepieces is well documented, and the 116528 fits naturally into the aesthetic that has defined his public image since his early career peak in the mid-2000s. The gold Daytona occupies a specific cultural space in hip-hop — it is aspirational without being obscure, universally legible as luxury.

At UK list pricing around £28,000, the Rolex Daytona 116528 in yellow gold has historically commanded grey-market premiums, though the current normalization of Rolex supply has softened some of the extreme markups seen during peak demand years. It remains a benchmark piece in the precious-metal sports watch segment.