Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Hanan Dashti spotted wearing Rolex

Spotted on the wrist of Kuwaiti entrepreneur Hanan Dashti during what appears to be a business outing in a European city, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Rainbow in 18k yellow gold is one of the most coveted and discussed references in modern watchmaking. The sighting pairs a quietly powerful professional aesthetic — long wool coat, grey turtleneck, understated gold jewellery — with a watch that commands attention the moment light hits its bezel.

The reference in question is the 116598RBOW, Rolex's yellow gold Daytona Rainbow, introduced to widespread collector hysteria at Baselworld 2012 and subsequently updated. The 40mm yellow gold case houses Rolex's in-house Calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch and approximately 72-hour power reserve — widely regarded as one of the finest chronograph ebauches in series production. The black dial features diamond-set hour markers and champagne-coloured subsidiary registers, creating a deliberate contrast against the dark background that draws the eye toward the bezel.

That bezel is, of course, the centrepiece of the entire proposition. Rolex sets 36 baguette-cut sapphires in a precisely graduated colour sequence — deep ruby reds at 12 o'clock transitioning through orange, yellow, lime, green, turquoise, and deep blue sapphires back to red — with brilliant-cut diamonds flanking the lugs on the case sides. Achieving chromatic uniformity across the full spectrum requires sourcing stones over an extended period; Rolex has never disclosed production volumes, but scarcity is structural rather than merely manufactured.

For collectors, the 116598RBOW occupies a peculiar position: simultaneously one of the flashiest references in the Oyster Professional catalogue and one of the most technically credible. It is a full-specification Daytona chronograph dressed in gemstones, not a quartz fashion piece. That dual identity drives its market performance — grey market premiums have remained elevated and consistent since the reference first appeared.

Hanan Dashti, known across the Gulf region as a prominent businesswoman and tastemaker, wears the piece without ostentation, which is perhaps the most telling endorsement of all. At an official retail price in the region of $250,000 and grey market values that have consistently exceeded that figure, the Rolex Daytona Rainbow ref. 116598RBOW remains one of the most desirable — and financially robust — watches in any serious collection.