Watch Paparazzi

Basketball player Anthony Davis spotted wearing Rolex

Courtside at what appears to be a Los Angeles Lakers home game at Staples Center, Anthony Davis — sidelined but clearly not dialing back the wrist game — was photographed wearing one of Rolex's most visually complex and coveted high-jewellery sports watches: the Cosmograph Daytona 'Eye of the Tiger,' reference 116588TBR, in 18-carat yellow gold.

The watch's defining feature is its extraordinary open-worked dial, officially described by Rolex as a 'Cathedral' motif. Black grand feu lacquer is applied in sweeping, interlocking curves between hand-set brilliant and baguette diamonds, creating an almost baroque stained-glass effect. Three champagne-gold subsidiary chronograph dials — 30-minute counter at 3, running seconds at 6, and 12-hour counter at 9 — anchor the composition. The bezel is set with 38 baguette-cut diamonds totalling approximately 2.71 carats, held in individual claw settings that follow the Daytona's characteristic stepped profile. The case measures 40mm across in polished 18ct yellow gold, paired here with a grey Oysterflex rubber strap — Rolex's in-house elastomer bracelet on a metal blade insert — rather than the integrated bracelet option.

Power comes from the Rolex calibre 4130, the manufacture's in-house column-wheel chronograph movement with vertical clutch engagement, offering 72 hours of power reserve and a 28,800 vph beat rate. It is widely regarded as one of the finest chronograph ebauches in production today, prized for its efficiency and chronometric precision.

From a collector standpoint, the 116588TBR occupies a rare intersection: it carries the mechanical credibility of the standard steel Daytona while operating in a separate stratosphere of exclusivity. Production numbers are extremely limited, and the watch is effectively unobtainable through Rolex's authorised dealer network at list price. The grey market has responded accordingly, with examples routinely trading at 40–50% premiums over retail.

Davis, a two-time All-Star and 2020 NBA Champion, is a known watch collector. Choosing the 'Eye of the Tiger' — a watch whose nickname evokes both predatory focus and flamboyant self-expression — reads as a deliberate statement rather than a casual flex. At a retail of $98,750 and a street value pushing $140,000, it is entirely consistent with his standing among the NBA's elite.