Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Stormzy spotted wearing Rolex

At the 2020 BRIT Awards — a ceremony Stormzy dominated both on stage and on the red carpet — the South London rapper arrived wearing one of the most immediately recognizable references in contemporary watchmaking: the Rolex Daytona 116595RBOW in 18K Everose gold. On a night built around cultural statements, the choice of wrist wear was entirely deliberate.

Rolex introduced the 116595RBOW as part of its expanded Daytona precious-metal universe, pairing the brand's proprietary Everose gold case and bracelet with a bezel set in 36 individually selected baguette sapphires arranged in a precise chromatic gradient — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet — hence the Rainbow designation. The dial is fully pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds, leaving the hour markers and hands as the only unadorned elements. Beneath the case, the calibre 4130 automatic chronograph movement runs at 28,800 vph with a 72-hour power reserve, offering genuine mechanical substance beneath the spectacle.

Among collectors, the 116595RBOW occupies rare territory: a Rolex that is simultaneously a grail-level sports chronograph and a high jewellery object. Waitlists at authorized dealers stretch years into the future, and the reference almost never appears at retail. The UK list price sits at £220,000, yet auction results and grey-market transactions routinely reach two to three times that figure, reflecting both scarcity and sustained demand from collectors who treat Daytona references as long-term stores of value.

Stormzy's relationship with serious horology is well documented. He has been photographed with several significant references over the years, and his selection of the 116595RBOW at the BRITs — rather than a simpler dress watch — reads as a considered flex rather than a casual choice. The Rainbow Daytona has become a shorthand in popular culture for a specific tier of success, worn by athletes, musicians, and entrepreneurs who understand exactly what they are communicating.

On the current grey market, the Rolex Daytona 116595RBOW trades at significant premiums, with examples in full set condition routinely listed between $450,000 and $600,000 depending on condition and provenance. For a reference with a six-figure list price, that multiple underscores just how effectively Rolex has engineered scarcity around its jewellery Daytona family.