Watch Paparazzi

Singer John Mayer spotted wearing Rolex

John Mayer has long operated on a different level from the average celebrity watch wearer — the guitarist has publicly discussed Patek Philippe perpetual calendars, independent watchmakers, and the mechanics of tourbillons with genuine fluency. His appearance wearing the Rolex Daytona 116598RBOW, the so-called Rainbow Daytona in 18K yellow gold, is therefore entirely consistent with a collector who understands exactly what he has on his wrist.

The Rolex Daytona reference 116598RBOW is built around the manufacture Caliber 4130, Rolex's in-house chronograph movement that replaced the outsourced Zenith El Primero ebauche in the early 2000s. The 4130 runs at 28,800 vph, offers a 72-hour power reserve, and features a column wheel and vertical clutch — specifications that give it a smoother engagement and more precise elapsed-time readings than its predecessor. The 40mm yellow gold case hosts a dial set with a pave of diamonds, while the bezel carries 36 baguette sapphires arranged in a carefully graduated rainbow sequence from deep violet through red. Each stone is individually matched for color transition, a process Rolex's Geneva gem-setting atelier treats with the same precision the brand applies to its movements.

The 116598RBOW debuted around 2012 and immediately became one of the most coveted — and most discussed — references in the modern Rolex lineup. Collectors either consider it a masterpiece of integrated gem-setting on a serious chronograph platform, or an exercise in excess; very few are neutral. The yellow gold version commands particular attention because the warm metal tone amplifies the color saturation of the sapphire graduation in a way the white and Everose gold variants do not replicate.

Mayer's collector credentials give the sighting genuine weight. He is not wearing this piece as a fashion accessory — he is wearing it as someone who has almost certainly considered it alongside a significant portion of the market's ultra-high-end chronograph offerings.

On the market, the Rolex Daytona 116598RBOW carries a UK list price in the region of £100,000. Grey-market premiums have historically pushed transaction prices significantly beyond retail, with strong auction results and persistent demand from collectors in Asia and the Middle East keeping secondary values elevated well above list.