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Tennis player Roger Federer spotted wearing Rolex

Roger Federer, one of sport's most recognizable Rolex ambassadors, was recently spotted wearing the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 126500LN — the latest-generation iteration of watchmaking's most coveted chronograph, and the first Daytona to house Rolex's newly developed caliber 4131.

The ref. 126500LN sits at the center of the current Daytona lineup. It wears a 40mm Oystersteel case paired with a black monobloc Cerachrom bezel, the tachymetric scale rendered in platinum-coated ceramic — a material Rolex adopted for its scratch resistance and color stability under UV exposure. The black dial version carries three black subsidiary registers, creating a monochromatic aesthetic that has become one of the most sought-after dial configurations in the reference's short production history.

The movement is the real story. The caliber 4131 replaced the legendary caliber 4130 — a movement that powered every Daytona from 2000 to 2023 and earned a reputation among collectors as one of the finest chronograph ebauches ever produced. The 4131 retains the vertical clutch and column wheel architecture of its predecessor but introduces a new escapement, a redesigned oscillator, and a 72-hour power reserve, up from 72 hours nominal in prior variants. Rolex rates the movement to Superlative Chronometer standards, meaning it is certified to ±2 seconds per day after casing — stricter than COSC specification.

Federer's relationship with Rolex stretches back decades, making him one of the brand's most prominent sporting faces globally. His choice to wear the 126500LN in public, rather than a precious-metal variant, reinforces the Oystersteel Daytona's status as the reference that serious collectors — and insiders — gravitate toward. The steel Daytona has historically carried the longest waitlists at authorized dealers, a dynamic that the generational movement update has only intensified.

At a retail price of approximately $16,550, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 126500LN is effectively unobtainable at list through official channels. On the secondary market, examples trade well above retail, reflecting persistent demand that new production has not yet absorbed. For a watch already embedded in horological history, the caliber 4131 upgrade gives collectors a substantive reason to treat the 126500LN as a distinct chapter rather than a simple evolution.