Singer Alizée spotted wearing a Rolex

Beach settings rarely showcase serious horology, but French singer Alizée managed to do exactly that when she was photographed wearing a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in stainless steel with a black dial — a watch that carries far more weight in collector circles than its understated aesthetic might initially suggest. The sighting, captured in a candid summer moment, reveals the watch peeking out beneath friendship bracelets on her wrist, its signature pushers and tachymeter bezel unmistakable even at a glance.

The reference in question appears to be the 116520, produced from 2000 to approximately 2016. This was a watershed release for Rolex: it marked the debut of the Calibre 4130, the brand's first in-house chronograph movement, replacing the Zenith El Primero-based ebauche that had powered earlier Daytonas. The Cal. 4130 features a column wheel, vertical clutch, and a 72-hour power reserve — engineering refinements that gave Rolex complete control over the chronograph's performance and finishing. The black dial variant with white registers is the more aggressively sporty of the two dial options, offering maximum legibility against the open sub-dials.

From a collector standpoint, the 116520 occupies a fascinating middle ground. It is neither the ultra-exotic Paul Newman Daytona nor the newer ceramic-bezel 116500LN, yet it retains fierce demand precisely because it was the last all-steel Daytona with a steel bezel — a detail purists genuinely appreciate. Production ended when the 116500LN arrived with a Cerachrom bezel, instantly making the 116520 a definitive era piece.

Alizée, whose career launched in 2000 with the Mylène Farmer-penned 'Moi… Lolita,' has maintained a devoted following in France and across Europe. Her choice of a classic stainless Daytona rather than a more overtly flashy piece speaks to a considered, understated approach to watch collecting — the Daytona is recognizable to anyone who knows watches, invisible to those who don't.

On the grey market, the 116520 in black dial commands a significant premium over its original retail price. Examples in good condition regularly trade between $18,000 and $24,000 depending on box, papers, and service history — strong evidence that even discontinued references carry lasting value in the Rolex ecosystem.