Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Aaron Ramsey spotted wearing Rolex

Arsenal FC midfielder Aaron Ramsey was caught on camera with one of the rarest production Daytonas in Rolex's current catalogue strapped to his wrist — the Cosmograph Daytona in 950 platinum, reference 116506. The sighting, captured during what appears to be a promotional shoot for EA Sports FIFA's Ultimate Team campaign, places a watch with a UK RRP north of £50,000 firmly in the footballer's collection.

The Rolex Daytona 116506 was introduced at Baselworld 2013 as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Cosmograph Daytona line. Crafted entirely in 950 platinum — a first for the Daytona — it features the model's only ice-blue sunray dial, a colour Rolex exclusively pairs with platinum across its catalogue. The brown ceramic Cerachrom bezel, with its tachymetric scale, perfectly complements the dial's cool tonality and has become the watch's most recognisable visual signature. The case measures 40mm and houses the in-house Calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch and approximately 72 hours of power reserve — regarded by many watchmakers as one of the finest chronograph ebauches in series production.

From a collector standpoint, the 116506 occupies a rarefied tier. Production numbers are deliberately constrained, authorised dealer allocation is near-impossible outside long-standing client relationships, and the combination of platinum, unique dial colour, and technical movement creates a convergence of desirability that keeps grey-market premiums consistently elevated. It is not a watch that depreciates.

Ramsey's broader profile — a Champions League finalist, Welsh international captain, and later a Juventus and Rangers player — places him among a generation of footballers who treat serious watchmaking as a genuine interest rather than a status accessory. The choice of the 116506 over more visible stainless steel or gold Daytona variants suggests considered collecting rather than impulse acquisition.

On the secondary market, the Rolex Daytona Platinum 116506 trades well above retail, typically commanding between $75,000 and $95,000 USD depending on condition, box, and papers. With Rolex's 2023 transition to the updated 126506, the 116506 now carries the additional appeal of a discontinued reference, reinforcing its long-term investment narrative for collectors.