Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Drake spotted wearing Rolex

Drake was recently spotted on the wrist wearing one of the most recognizable and sought-after references in the modern Rolex catalogue: the Daytona 116595RBOW in 18K Everose gold, fitted with a diamond rainbow bezel and a fully pavé-set dial. For a collector of his calibre, the choice is entirely unsurprising — this is the watch that defines apex-level flex in fine horology.

Rolex introduced the 116595RBOW as part of its high-jewellery Daytona family, built on the same 40mm Oyster case that has anchored the Daytona line since its 1963 origins. The bezel is set with 36 baguette-cut precious stones — sapphires, rubies, tsavorites, and amethysts — arranged in a carefully graded chromatic sequence that transitions through the full visible spectrum. The dial is no less dramatic: a pavé of brilliant-cut diamonds covers virtually every surface, leaving only the applied hour markers and subdial registers to anchor legibility. Powering the watch is Rolex's Calibre 4130, an in-house column-wheel, vertical-clutch chronograph movement offering a 72-hour power reserve and exceptional reliability — a serious movement beneath a deliberately spectacular exterior.

In collector circles, the 116595RBOW occupies a peculiar position: it is simultaneously one of the most coveted and most divisive references Rolex produces. Purists who revere the Daytona's motorsport heritage sometimes bristle at the jewelled interpretation, but the secondary market tells a different story. Allocated almost exclusively to Rolex's highest-tier boutique clients, the reference rarely reaches open retail and commands a premium that places it firmly among the most financially significant sport watches on the planet.

Drake's watch collection is well-documented and genuinely serious — spanning Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet, with a particular affinity for statement Rolex pieces. The 116595RBOW fits neatly into that canon: it is technically impeccable, visually unapologetic, and near-impossible to acquire through conventional channels.

At a Rolex list price of approximately $315,000, the Daytona 116595RBOW is already among the brand's most expensive catalogue references. On the grey market, demand consistently pushes realized prices toward the $750,000 range, underlining just how constrained supply truly is. For Drake, it reads less as an investment and more as a statement of access.