Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Daniele De Rossi spotted wearing Rolex

Daniele De Rossi, the combative midfielder who gave two decades of his career to AS Roma and lifted the World Cup with Italy in 2006, was recently spotted wearing one of the most coveted watches in the entire Rolex catalogue — the platinum Cosmograph Daytona reference 116506, with its signature ice blue dial and brown ceramic bezel. It is the kind of choice that signals genuine horological awareness rather than a stylist's shortlist.

Rolex introduced the ref. 116506 in 2013, the first Daytona ever cased in 950 platinum. The ice blue sunray dial — a colour Rolex reserves exclusively for its platinum sports and dress watches — features three matching subdials and is protected by a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The brown Cerachrom ceramic bezel carries the traditional tachymetric scale, here rendered with a platinum-filled engraving that resists fading indefinitely. Powering the watch is Rolex's Calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, roughly 72-hour power reserve, and COSC chronometer certification — widely regarded as one of the finest in-house chronograph ebauches in production.

For collectors, the ref. 116506 occupies a specific and unambiguous tier. It is a watch for buyers who already own every meaningful steel and gold Daytona variant and want the definitive statement piece. Production volumes are deliberately constrained, and Rolex's own boutique allocation is minimal, which means even list-price acquisition requires a pre-existing client relationship of considerable depth. The combination of ice blue dial and brown ceramic bezel is particularly sought after, often described as the most visually balanced configuration in the reference.

De Rossi's profile fits the watch. A player known for his loyalty and substance over spectacle — 18 years at Roma, 117 caps for the Azzurri — he gravitates toward a piece that rewards knowledge rather than shouts for attention. Since retiring from playing and moving into management, his public appearances have carried the same measured authority his on-field game always projected.

At an official retail price of approximately $75,000 USD (€69,900 EUR), the ref. 116506 is already a significant commitment. On the grey market, sustained demand from serious collectors pushes current valuations considerably higher, typically in the $110,000–$130,000 range depending on condition and completeness of set — a premium that shows no sign of correcting.