Watch Paparazzi

Pilot Pastor Maldonado spotted wearing Rolex

Pastor Maldonado, the Venezuelan racing driver best known for winning the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix with Williams — and for a string of incidents that made him one of the sport's most talked-about competitors — has been photographed wearing a heavily customized version of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 116520, reworked by what appears to be a specialist atelier into a skeleton concept piece with a distinctly motorsport-inspired aesthetic.

In its factory configuration, the Daytona 116520 is powered by the in-house Rolex caliber 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, approximately 72-hour power reserve, and a 28,800 vph beat rate. Rolex introduced the caliber 4130 in 2000, replacing the ébauche-based caliber 4030, and it remains widely regarded as one of the most robust and reliable chronograph movements in production. The 116520 case measures 40mm in stainless steel with a tachymetre-engraved bezel and was discontinued in 2016 when Rolex introduced the ceramic-bezel 116500LN.

The piece Maldonado wears departs dramatically from that factory spec. A skeleton treatment opens the dial to expose the movement architecture beneath, re-finished with a blue-grey tonal palette that evokes carbon fiber and titanium — materials native to Formula 1 construction. The bezel has been replaced with one machined in titanium, a metal prized in watchmaking for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and hypoallergenic properties, lending the watch a matte, muted presence that contrasts with the Daytona's usual high-polish identity.

Custom and aftermarket Daytona modifications occupy a contested space in collector culture. Purists reject any deviation from factory specification, and Rolex voids its warranty on altered pieces. However, a niche but active market exists for high-quality skeleton conversions on desirable references, particularly when the underlying movement's integrity is maintained. The 116520 remains a sought-after base for such work given its mechanical pedigree and cultural cachet.

For Maldonado — whose F1 tenure ran from 2011 to 2015 across 95 race starts — the choice reads as consistent with a personality that never played it safe. Whether on the grid or on the wrist, convention was rarely the priority.