Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Tyga spotted wearing Rolex

Tyga was recently photographed wearing what is arguably the most ostentatious configuration in the entire Rolex catalogue — the Daytona 116595RBOW in 18K Everose gold, complete with a rainbow baguette bezel and a fully pavé-set dial. For a rapper whose watch collection is as curated as his discography, the choice lands exactly where you would expect it.

The Rolex Daytona 116595RBOW was introduced in 2012 as part of the brand's high-jewellery expansion of the Daytona line. The case and bracelet are crafted entirely in Rolex's proprietary 18K Everose gold — an alloy engineered to resist fading. The bezel is set with 36 baguette-cut multi-coloured gemstones — sapphires, rubies, and emeralds — arranged in a carefully graduated spectrum that transitions across the tachymeter scale. The dial itself is pavé-set with diamonds, leaving almost no visible metal surface. Beneath the case, the Caliber 4130 automatic movement drives the column-wheel chronograph with a 72-hour power reserve and a vertical clutch, the same architecture found in Rolex's steel sport models.

From a collector's standpoint, the 116595RBOW occupies a unique position. It is simultaneously a serious mechanical chronograph and a fine jewellery object — a combination Rolex executes with rare discipline. The reference consistently outperforms its already elevated retail price on the secondary market, driven by limited production volumes and the sheer labour intensity of the gem-setting process. Auction appearances at Christie's and Phillips have seen examples exceed six figures comfortably, with condition and original paperwork carrying significant weight on realised values.

Tyga has built a reputation as one of hip-hop's more deliberate watch collectors, with previous sightings including AP Royal Oak Offshores and Richard Mille skeletons. The Daytona 116595RBOW represents a different register — less about technical avant-garde and more about the concentrated luxury of traditional Swiss gem-setting applied to a genuine chronograph icon.

At a UK list price of approximately £220,000 — translating to roughly $275,000 USD at current rates — the 116595RBOW is Rolex's de facto flagship statement piece. Grey-market premiums remain substantial, with well-documented examples trading well above list, reflecting both scarcity and sustained demand from collectors and high-profile buyers worldwide.