Watch Paparazzi

Singer Vasco Rossi spotted wearing Rolex

Vasco Rossi, the Zocca-born rock legend who has sold over 35 million records and routinely fills Italian stadiums to capacity, was photographed on his 71st birthday wearing a Rolex Daytona reference 116520 with a white dial — one of the most celebrated stainless steel chronographs of the modern era.

The ref. 116520 was introduced in 2000 as a landmark moment for Rolex: it was the first Daytona to house a fully in-house movement, the automatic Calibre 4130. That self-winding chronograph ebauche featured a column wheel and vertical clutch — mechanisms borrowed from high-end Swiss independents — offering a smoother engagement and greater long-term reliability than the Zenith El Primero-based Cal. 4030 it replaced. The 40mm oyster case in 904L stainless steel, tachymetric bezel in steel, and sapphire crystal defined a clean, functional aesthetic that has aged exceptionally well. The white dial configuration pairs ivory-toned registers against the bright main dial, lending the watch a classic, almost vintage feel within a contemporary architecture.

Among collectors, the 116520 occupies a singular position. Discontinued in 2016 when Rolex introduced the ceramic-bezel ref. 116500LN, the 116520 immediately appreciated on the grey market. The white dial variant — always the more elusive of the two dial options alongside black — commands a consistent premium. Early examples with serial numbers indicating pre-2005 production attract particular attention for their slightly different dial printing and lume plots.

Vasco Rossi's affinity for the Daytona is not surprising. The watch carries the same no-nonsense, blue-collar credibility that defines his music — working-class roots dressed in an undeniably iconic package. At 71, Rossi remains one of the few Italian artists capable of headlining 100,000-seat venues, and his wrist game reflects a collector's instinct rather than a stylist's brief.

On the market, a steel Rolex Daytona 116520 in white dial with box and papers trades comfortably between $18,000 and $24,000 depending on condition and production date, with premium examples pushing higher. Retail was set at approximately $12,400 before discontinuation — a figure that now reads as a distant memory.