Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Daniele De Rossi spotted wearing Rolex

Daniele De Rossi, the combative midfielder who spent the better part of two decades at AS Roma before lifting the World Cup with Italy in 2006, has been photographed wearing a stainless steel Rolex Pre-Daytona Chronograph Reference 6034 — a watch that occupies a genuinely pivotal moment in Rolex's horological timeline.

The Rolex Reference 6034 was produced in the late 1950s and early 1960s, bridging the gap between the brand's earlier sports chronographs and the legendary Cosmograph Daytona that would debut in 1963. What distinguishes the 6034 immediately is its dial-printed tachymeter scale, positioned inside the chapter ring rather than on a dedicated bezel. When the Daytona arrived, Rolex moved that scale to the engraved bezel and never looked back — making the 6034 the last of its kind. The case measures approximately 36mm in stainless steel, housing a Valjoux-based manual-wind chronograph movement, typically the calibre 72 or a close variant, beating at 18,000 vph with a column-wheel mechanism that delivers a precise, tactile pusher action still admired by watchmakers today.

Among vintage Rolex collectors, the Reference 6034 occupies a specific and coveted niche. It is not as universally recognised as the early Daytona references — the 6239, 6241, or 6262 — but serious collectors understand exactly what it represents: a transitional reference produced in limited numbers, with multiple dial configurations including subsidiary seconds and two-register layouts. Condition is everything with the 6034; original glossy dials with intact printing command meaningful premiums over restored examples.

De Rossi's choice of a pre-Daytona rather than a contemporary Rolex speaks to a collector sensibility that goes beyond trophy watching. The man who made over 600 appearances for Roma clearly has a feel for originals over replicas — fitting for someone who defined an era before the modern game's commercialisation took hold.

On the grey market, well-preserved examples of the Rolex Pre-Daytona Reference 6034 in stainless steel typically trade between $18,000 and $35,000 depending on dial condition, pushers, and case sharpness. There is no current retail equivalent — this is strictly a vintage proposition, and the market for transitional Rolex chronographs continues to attract informed buyers who regard the 6034 as an undervalued chapter in one of watchmaking's most celebrated stories.