Watch Paparazzi

Writer Giorgia Mondani spotted wearing Rolex

Watch Paparazzi caught Giorgia Mondani — publisher, author of the definitive Rolex encyclopaedia series, and one of the hobby's most credible voices — wearing what is arguably the rarest wrist-flex in her personal collection: the Rolex Daytona 'Capitano', a collaboration between Italian football icon Giorgio Chiellini and Paris-based customisation atelier MAD Paris, limited to just 20 numbered pieces worldwide.

The base reference is the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN in steel, arguably the most sought-after production sports watch of the modern era. MAD Paris, known for their museum-quality DLC treatments and dial modifications favoured by athletes and entertainers, subjected the entire watch — case, bracelet, bezel, dial furniture — to a matte black Diamond-Like Carbon coating. The tachymeter bezel retains its characteristic font but reads in stark contrast against the blackened aluminium insert. Most distinctive are the tricolore accents: the green running-seconds hand and red chronograph hand pay direct homage to the Italian national flag, while 'MAD CUSTOM' is printed at 6 o'clock on the blackened dial.

Chiellini commissioned the series to mark Italy's victory at UEFA Euro 2020 — won in the summer of 2021 — during his tenure as Juventus and Azzurri captain. The 20-piece edition was gifted and distributed within Chiellini's inner circle, making public examples extraordinarily scarce. The auction result of €62,500 at MeetingArt Watches underscores the compounding scarcity premium: a standard steel Daytona 116500LN already commands €18,000–€22,000 on the grey market; the 'Capitano' multiplies that figure threefold on provenance and edition size alone.

Giorgia Mondani's ownership is contextually fitting. As the author behind the Mondani Books Rolex reference library — the standard scholarly resource for serious collectors globally — her wearing this piece is both a personal statement and a collector's validation. Few people are better positioned to appreciate a Daytona variant that sits at the intersection of sporting history, fine watchmaking and bespoke craft.

For market context: MAD Paris collaborations on steel Daytonas have proven consistently strong at auction. With only 20 'Capitano' references in existence, price discovery remains thin but directionally clear — any future auction appearance is unlikely to settle below the €60,000 threshold established at MeetingArt, and demand from football memorabilia collectors adds a parallel buyer pool beyond horology.