Watch Paparazzi

Tennis player Grigor Dimitrov spotted wearing Rolex

Grigor Dimitrov, the Bulgarian tennis star who claimed the ATP Finals title in style, was spotted on the wrist wearing what is arguably the most exclusive variant in the entire Rolex Daytona catalogue: the Cosmograph Daytona reference 116506 in 950 platinum. It is a watch that rewards attention in exactly the same way Dimitrov's game does — understated until you look closely, then impossible to ignore.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116506 was introduced in 2013, marking the model's 50th anniversary and representing the first time Rolex had produced a Daytona in platinum. The 40mm case is crafted from 950 platinum and pairs with an ice-blue dial — a colour Rolex traditionally reserves for its platinum-cased sports watches, making the material instantly identifiable at a glance. The dial features a cerachrom bezel insert in a chocolate brown ceramic, which offers both scratch resistance and long-term colour stability. Subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock complete the classic Daytona layout.

Beneath the case sits the calibre 4130, Rolex's proprietary column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch mechanism. Beating at 28,800 vph with a 72-hour power reserve, the 4130 is widely regarded as one of the most robust and technically accomplished chronograph ebauches in modern watchmaking. Rolex developed it entirely in-house, replacing the older Zenith-based calibre 4030 and cementing the Daytona's status as a serious manufacture piece.

For collectors, the reference 116506 occupies a specific and coveted tier. It was discontinued and succeeded by the ref. 116506 update and later the ref. 126506, but platinum Daytonas of any generation remain genuinely scarce on the secondary market. The chocolate ceramic bezel and ice-blue dial combination is considered one of the most cohesive and desirable dial-bezel pairings Rolex has ever produced on a sport chronograph.

Dimitrov, long associated with an elegant, almost classical style both on and off the court, wears the platinum Daytona ref. 116506 as a statement of quiet confidence. With a UK list price of approximately £54,300 and grey-market premiums keeping secondary values well above retail, this is a piece that reflects both taste and serious horological investment.