Watch Paparazzi

Rapper DaBaby spotted wearing Rolex

DaBaby was recently spotted wearing a heavily customized stainless steel Rolex Datejust II reference 116300, featuring a red Roman numeral dial alongside an aftermarket diamond bezel and fully iced-out Oyster bracelet. The configuration carries an estimated price tag of $35,000, reflecting both the base watch's value and the significant cost of professional aftermarket diamond setting.

The Rolex Datejust II ref. 116300 was introduced in 2009 as a larger 41mm evolution of the classic Datejust, bridging the gap between the standard 36mm Datejust and the more sportive Day-Date proportions. It houses Rolex's in-house caliber 3136, a self-winding movement with a Parachrom hairspring offering superior resistance to magnetic fields and thermal variations, beating at 28,800 vph with approximately 50 hours of power reserve. The case pairs a polished and brushed finish on the stainless steel Oyster case, and the reference was offered in an enormous range of dial and bracelet configurations before Rolex quietly retired it in 2016.

The ref. 116300 occupies an interesting collector position. Its discontinuation has driven steady appreciation on the secondary market, particularly for unusual dial variants. Red dials — whether lacquer, enamel, or otherwise — have historically commanded premiums across the Datejust family, and pairing that with Roman numeral indices creates a dressy, high-contrast aesthetic that contrasts sharply with the aftermarket diamond work on this specific piece. The afterset diamonds on the bezel and bracelet are a third-party modification, meaning this watch sits outside Rolex's official factory gem-set program, but in hip-hop and entertainment circles that distinction rarely diminishes desirability.

DaBaby, the Charlotte-born rapper behind platinum records including 'ROCKSTAR' and 'Suge,' has consistently gravitated toward Rolex references customized for maximum visual impact. The iced-out Datejust II aligns with a broader aesthetic in his watch rotation that prioritizes presence and craftsmanship-meets-customization over factory restraint.

At a $35,000 price point, this custom ref. 116300 sits meaningfully above a standard grey-market example of the same reference, which typically trades between $8,000 and $12,000 depending on condition and configuration. The premium reflects the aftermarket diamond work, which when executed by a reputable setter can rival — and in some cases exceed — the base watch's value. For collectors, the modification is polarizing; for the culture, it is entirely the point.