Royal Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi spotted wearing a Rolex

Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Ajman, was recently photographed wearing an 18K white gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 116509 on the wrist — a watch that occupies a very specific and highly desirable corner of the Rolex universe.

The ref. 116509 is the white gold iteration of the modern Cosmograph Daytona, introduced by Rolex as part of the precious-metal Daytona family that succeeded the stainless steel ref. 116520. Beating inside is the Rolex calibre 4130, an in-house automatic chronograph movement developed entirely by Rolex and introduced in 2000. The 4130 is widely regarded as one of the finest column-wheel, vertical-clutch chronograph ebauches in production — reliable, efficient, and requiring service intervals of up to ten years. The case measures 40mm in diameter and is fitted with a white gold bezel set with a tachymetric scale. The blue dial — sometimes referred to as a "blue racing dial" — features applied white gold hour markers and three matching sub-registers, giving the watch a distinctly cool, monochromatic elegance that differentiates it sharply from the yellow or Everose gold variants.

Among collectors, the ref. 116509 with a blue dial is considered a sleeper in the white gold Daytona range. It does not carry the immediate visual weight of a diamond-set bezel version, yet the combination of white gold and blue creates a dial aesthetic that ages exceptionally well and photographs beautifully. The reference has been in production since the early 2000s and was eventually succeeded by the updated ref. 116519LN, though the 116509 retains strong collector loyalty.

Sheikh Ammar is no stranger to serious timepieces. The Crown Prince of Ajman is known for an understated but discerning personal style, and choosing the Daytona 116509 over more ostentatious complications reflects a collector's sensibility rather than a purely status-driven purchase. For a member of Gulf royalty, this is a deliberately restrained choice.

On the secondary market, the ref. 116509 in white gold with a blue dial trades at meaningful premiums to its UK list price of approximately £31,550, with grey-market values in the USD 42,000–48,000 range depending on condition and documentation. Demand for white gold Daytonas remains consistent, underpinned by the model's dual appeal to both watch enthusiasts and luxury buyers.