Footballer Filippo Inzaghi spotted wearing a Rolex

Filippo Inzaghi, now head coach of Serie B side Benevento, was recently spotted wearing a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116520 in stainless steel with a white dial — one of the most coveted reference numbers in modern watchmaking, and a fitting choice for a man whose career was defined by precision timing.

Introduced in 2000, the Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116520 marked a turning point for Rolex. It was the first Daytona to house an entirely in-house movement: the calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch, offering smoother engagement and greater reliability than the ébauche-based movements it replaced. The 40mm stainless steel case pairs an oyster bracelet with the signature tachymetric bezel, while the white 'panda' dial — black subdials on white — remains one of the most visually balanced executions in the lineup. The ref. 116520 remained in production until 2016, when it was succeeded by the ceramic-bezelled ref. 116500LN.

Among collectors, the 116520 occupies a particular sweet spot. It is the last steel Daytona with an aluminium bezel insert, which many purists prefer for its warmer aesthetic against the bracelet. Pre-owned examples in good condition command serious attention, and the white-dial variant consistently outperforms its black-dial counterpart on the secondary market. Finding one at or near retail during its production run was, for most buyers, essentially impossible.

Inzaghi's watch credentials are well matched to the piece. The former striker scored 43 goals for AC Milan in European competition — the club's all-time record — and netted 25 times for the Italian national team, placing him sixth on the country's all-time list. A two-time Champions League winner, Inzaghi built a reputation on razor-sharp positioning and timing, qualities that translate naturally into an appreciation for a chronograph built around exactitude.

On the grey market, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116520 in stainless steel with a white dial trades firmly above its original retail price. Depending on condition, box and papers, examples change hands between $18,000 and $27,000 — a premium that reflects both the reference's discontinued status and its enduring desirability among serious collectors.