Watch Paparazzi

Pilot Josh Cartu spotted wearing Rolex

Ferrari test pilot and entrepreneur Josh Cartu was recently spotted with a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116506 on his wrist — a watch that, despite its understated appearance, sits comfortably among the most coveted references in Rolex's modern catalogue. For a man who earns his keep pushing supercars to their limits, the choice feels entirely considered.

Introduced in 2013, the Rolex Daytona reference 116506 marked the brand's first use of 950 platinum for the Daytona case. The 40mm case houses the calibre 4130, Rolex's in-house self-winding chronograph movement featuring a column wheel, vertical clutch, and a 72-hour power reserve — a robust and technically accomplished movement that ended the brand's reliance on the Zenith El Primero base used in earlier ceramic-bezel Daytonas. The platinum variant wears an ice-blue dial with matching platinum subdials and a cerachrom bezel insert in a complementary blue ceramic, a combination exclusive to Rolex's platinum references. Screw-down pushers and a Oysterflex-adjacent oyster bracelet in matching platinum complete the specification.

From a collector standpoint, the 116506 occupies a rare position. Platinum Daytonas have historically commanded outsized attention at auction — a 116506 with a 'John Newman' dial variant has surfaced at auction houses drawing six-figure hammer prices. Even standard production examples carry significant grey market premiums, driven partly by chronic scarcity and partly by the model's status as the pinnacle of the Daytona family.

Cartu, known publicly through his family's involvement in Ferrari racing programmes and his own entrepreneurial ventures, has cultivated a visible affinity for serious horology. The 116506 is not a watch worn for flash — its platinum construction is visually quieter than gold, which may be precisely the point for someone operating in the world of precision engineering.

On the retail market, the Rolex Daytona 116506 carries a UK RRP in the region of £50,000, though authorised dealer availability is essentially non-existent for most buyers. Grey market values consistently exceed list price, making this one of the stronger value-retention propositions in modern Swiss watchmaking regardless of market conditions.