Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Raheem Sterling spotted wearing Rolex

Raheem Sterling, one of the Premier League's most recognizable attackers, was photographed wearing a stainless steel Rolex Daytona reference 116500LN — a watch that, despite its relatively modest retail price, is arguably the hardest timepiece in the world to purchase at an authorized dealer without years of purchase history.

The Rolex Daytona 116500LN debuted at Baselworld 2016 and represented a significant technical evolution for the model. Gone was the aluminum Zenith El Primero-derived movement era; the 116500LN runs Rolex's in-house calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch that delivers smoother engagement and a 72-hour power reserve. The ceramic Cerachrom bezel — offered in black or white — replaced the previous aluminum unit, providing vastly superior scratch resistance and UV stability. The case measures 40mm in Oystersteel with a tachymetric scale engraved into the bezel itself.

From a collector standpoint, the 116500LN occupies a rare position: it is simultaneously a mainstream cultural object and a technically serious chronograph. The calibre 4130 is widely praised by enthusiasts for its reliability and service intervals, and the reference quickly rendered its predecessor, the 116520, a collector's piece in its own right. Waiting lists at authorized dealers have remained essentially permanent since launch, making the grey market the only realistic acquisition route for most buyers.

Sterling's affinity for high-profile timepieces is well documented, and the Daytona 116500LN fits the profile of a footballer's watch perfectly — instantly recognizable to a broad audience, robustly built for an active lifestyle, and carrying undeniable resale credibility. The black-dial variant spotted here is generally considered the more restrained of the two configurations, though neither could be described as low-key given the watch's cultural cachet.

At UK retail, the Daytona 116500LN lists at approximately £9,100, which translates to roughly $11,400 USD. On the secondary market, however, demand consistently pushes transaction prices into the $18,000–$22,000 range for unworn examples, reflecting a grey-market premium that has remained stubbornly elevated for the better part of a decade.