Athlete Marcell Jacobs spotted wearing a Rolex

Italian sprinter Marcell Jacobs — the man who clocked a stunning 9.89 seconds in the 100 metres to claim Olympic gold — has been photographed wearing one of the most recognisable sports watches in the world: the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 'Panda' in stainless steel, reference 116500LN. The sighting places Jacobs firmly in the company of collectors and athletes who understand that on-wrist presence matters as much off the track as on it.

The ref. 116500LN, introduced at Baselworld 2016, marked a watershed moment for Rolex. It was the first steel Daytona to feature the manufacture's own calibre 4130, a column-wheel, vertical-clutch chronograph movement with a 72-hour power reserve and a COSC-certified precision of -2/+2 seconds per day. The switch from the legendary Zenith El Primero-derived calibre 4030 to a fully in-house movement gave Rolex complete control over the complication for the first time. The 40mm Oystersteel case pairs with a ceramic (Cerachrom) bezel — replacing the aluminium insert of previous generations — offering near-total scratch resistance on the tachymetre scale. The 'Panda' designation refers to the white lacquered dial with black contrasting registers, a colour scheme that traces its roots back to the earliest exotic-dial Daytonas of the 1960s.

Among collectors, the 116500LN occupies a unique position: it is simultaneously an entry point into vintage Daytona appreciation and a highly liquid asset in the grey market. Waiting lists at authorised dealers stretched to a decade at peak demand, and the reference became a symbol of the post-2017 watch market boom. The ceramic bezel 'Panda' in particular commands consistent premiums, its clean aesthetic ageing better than the 'reverse Panda' black-dial sibling in many collectors' eyes.

Jacobs, who became the first Italian and first European to win Olympic 100m gold since 1992, has cultivated a sharp personal style that reflects his cross-cultural background — born in Texas, raised in Desenzano del Garda. Pairing his achievements with a Daytona — historically the watch of champions and motorsport legends — reads as both intuitive and considered.

On the secondary market, the steel 116500LN 'Panda' trades well above retail. Rolex discontinued the 116500LN in 2023, replacing it with the updated ref. 126500LN, which has only intensified demand for the outgoing reference among purists who prefer the 40mm case diameter and the proven calibre 4130 in its original configuration.