Footballer Karim Benzema spotted wearing a Rolex

Karim Benzema made a triumphant homecoming to Olympique Lyonnais, the club where he developed as a teenager before joining Real Madrid, bringing the Ballon d'Or with him. On his wrist for the occasion was one of the more extraordinary versions of the modern Rolex Daytona — the reference 116518LN in 18K yellow gold with a meteorite dial and OysterFlex bracelet, a watch that matches the weight of the moment in every respect.

The Rolex Daytona ref. 116518LN sits at a compelling intersection of haute horology and motorsport heritage. Introduced as part of Rolex's expansion of exotic-dial offerings, the 116518LN houses the calibre 4130, an in-house automatic chronograph movement with a column wheel and vertical clutch — a significant technical step up from the earlier Valjoux-based references. The 40mm yellow gold case is paired with a black ceramic bezel insert engraved with the tachymetric scale, the 'LN' suffix denoting that cerachrom bezel. The meteorite dial, sliced from Gibeon iron meteorite and displaying its characteristic Widmanstätten crystalline pattern, is unique to each watch by definition — no two are alike.

The OysterFlex bracelet, introduced by Rolex in 2015, replaces traditional metal links with a high-performance elastomer structure over a flexible titanium and steel blade. It wears with the solidity of metal and the comfort of rubber — a technically sophisticated solution that suits an athlete's active lifestyle without compromising the watch's formal presence.

Among collectors, the 116518LN meteorite dial commands serious attention. Exotic-dial Daytonas — meteorite, aventurine, and gem-set variants — consistently outperform standard references on the secondary market, driven by their scarcity and the visual drama they bring. The yellow gold and black ceramic combination gives this particular configuration a boldness that resonates with younger collectors and high-profile figures in sport and entertainment.

Benzema, who won the 2021 Ballon d'Or after a career-defining season for Real Madrid, has a well-documented affinity for significant timepieces. The Rolex Daytona ref. 116518LN carries a retail price of approximately $33,550, though current grey-market valuations place it closer to $106,000 — a premium that reflects both the model's enduring desirability and the persistent gap between Rolex allocation and demand.