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Footballer Benjamin Mendy spotted wearing Rolex

Shortly after completing his big-money transfer to Manchester City, French international defender Benjamin Mendy was spotted wearing one of the most exclusive sport watches in Rolex's current production lineup — the Cosmograph Daytona reference 116506 in 950 platinum. For a footballer making headlines both on and off the pitch, it was a considered choice: understated to the uninitiated, but immediately recognisable to any serious collector.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116506 was introduced in 2013 and represents the absolute pinnacle of the Daytona family. Crafted entirely in 950 platinum — a metal denser and rarer than white gold — the watch features Rolex's signature ice-blue dial, a colour that emerges naturally from the interaction of rhodium-based lacquer with the platinum case metal and is exclusive to the material. The chronograph subdials are rendered in a slightly darker slate tone, creating a subtle contrast that is far more sophisticated in the metal than in photographs. Powering the watch is the manufacture calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, offering a power reserve of approximately 72 hours and a frequency of 28,800 vph.

From a collector standpoint, the ref. 116506 occupies a unique position. Platinum Daytonas have historically been produced in limited annual quantities, making them genuinely hard to acquire at retail. The reference succeeded the earlier ref. 116506 variants with subtle dial and bezel refinements over its production run, and each iteration is carefully tracked by the collector community. The platinum case is paired with a matching platinum Oyster bracelet — no rubber strap option here — reinforcing its positioning as a dress-sport hybrid rather than a purely functional chronograph.

Benjamin Mendy, the French World Cup winner and Manchester City full-back, has long demonstrated an appetite for serious horology. His choice of the Daytona ref. 116506 aligns with a broader pattern among elite European footballers who favour Rolex's top-tier references over flashier independent brands.

On the secondary market, the platinum Daytona ref. 116506 consistently trades above its already substantial UK list price of £55,000, with grey-market examples regularly exchanging hands north of $85,000 USD depending on condition, papers, and box completeness. Demand shows no sign of softening.