Rapper Drake spotted wearing a Rolex

Drake — rapper, producer, and by now a well-documented watch collector operating at the highest level — was recently photographed wearing the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in Everose gold, reference 116505, spotted and verified by Rome-based trusted dealer Conte Orologi in collaboration with Mondani Web. The sighting shows the Toronto artist stacking multiple Rolex references simultaneously, a habit that separates casual luxury consumers from those who actually know the material.

The ref. 116505 is one of the most technically and aesthetically coherent watches Rolex produces. At its core sits the caliber 4130, an in-house column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, 72-hour power reserve, and a parts count dramatically lower than the Zenith-based caliber 4030 it replaced. Rolex developed the 4130 entirely in-house over several years, debuting it in 2000 — a statement of manufacturing independence that reshaped how the industry viewed the brand's engineering credibility. The case is crafted from Rolex's proprietary Everose gold alloy, a platinum-doped 18k rose gold formula engineered to resist the fading that affects conventional rose gold over time.

Among collectors, the 116505 occupies a firm middle ground between accessibility and aspiration. It is a current-production reference, meaning it lacks the scarcity premium of discontinued steel Daytonas, but the Everose execution elevates it into a different category entirely — one defined by material permanence and subtle understatement relative to white gold or diamond-set alternatives. Dial variants, particularly those with meteorite or chocolate dials, command significant premiums on the secondary market.

Drake's relationship with Rolex is well established. His collection has included custom-set Daytonas, GMT-Masters, and various bespoke commissions. Choosing to wear the 116505 in a relatively stock configuration — rather than a heavily modified or iced-out variant — suggests a collector's appreciation for the reference on its own terms.

On the grey market, the Everose Daytona 116505 trades above retail, sustained by consistent demand and Rolex's controlled supply. Standard dial configurations hold value reliably, while rarer dial executions can push significantly beyond list. For a watch worn visibly by one of the most photographed artists in the world, the exposure does the reference no harm.