Watch Paparazzi

Cricketer Virat Kohli spotted wearing Rolex

Virat Kohli has been spotted on the wrist with one of the most coveted references in the entire Rolex catalog: the Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116506 in platinum, featuring the model's iconic ice blue dial and brown ceramic bezel. For a player of Kohli's stature and global profile, it is a fitting choice — understated to the uninitiated, immediately significant to anyone who follows the watch market.

Introduced by Rolex in 2013, the ref. 116506 marked a landmark moment for the Daytona line. It was the first Daytona crafted entirely in 950 platinum, and the ice blue dial — a colour Rolex reserves exclusively for its platinum models — gave the piece an identity distinct from every gold or steel variant in the collection. The brown ceramic bezel, housing a tachymetric scale, further separates it from the white gold ref. 116519LN and the steel ref. 116500LN. Inside runs the calibre 4130, Rolex's proprietary self-winding chronograph movement featuring a vertical clutch and column wheel, offering a power reserve of approximately 72 hours and a level of finishing that has earned widespread respect among movement enthusiasts.

Among collectors, the 116506 occupies rare territory. Platinum Daytonas are produced in far smaller numbers than their steel or gold counterparts, and the combination of precious metal, exclusive dial colour, and movement quality places them at the apex of the reference's hierarchy. The piece does not appear at auction with any frequency, and when it does, it commands serious attention.

Kohli has long been associated with serious horology. The Indian captain has been photographed over the years with references from Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Richard Mille, but the 116506 represents arguably the most technically and materially significant piece he has worn publicly. It is a watch that rewards knowledge — easy to overlook, impossible to forget once identified.

At retail, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116506 carries a list price of approximately $85,775 USD. On the secondary market, demand consistently pushes values well above that figure, with current grey-market pricing sitting around $134,000 USD — a premium that reflects both scarcity and enduring collector appetite for platinum Daytonas.