Tennis player Carlos Alcaraz spotted wearing a Rolex

Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish tennis sensation and multiple Grand Slam champion, made a striking appearance at a major tournament final wearing a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Rainbow in yellow gold. The watch, glimpsed on his wrist as he presented the trophy, represents one of the most coveted and expensive variants in the modern Daytona lineup.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116598RBOW houses the Caliber 4130 automatic chronograph movement, a column-wheel mechanism with 44 jewels that delivers 72 hours of power reserve. The case measures 40 mm in diameter and 12.65 mm in thickness, machined from 18-karat yellow gold. The dial is a glossy black with three subsidiary registers for chronograph functions—small hours at 3 o'clock, running seconds at 6 o'clock, and elapsed minutes at 9 o'clock. The baguette-cut hour markers are applied in gold, providing sharp legibility against the dark background. The bezel is the watch's signature feature: 36 graduated baguette-cut sapphires set in yellow gold, graduating in color from deep purple through blue, green, and yellow—a rainbow spectrum that justifies the model's name. Water resistance reaches 100 meters.

Rolex introduced the Rainbow Daytona in 2012, marking one of the brand's most ambitious jewelry-watch collaborations. The ref. 116598RBOW remained in production through 2016 and became an instant collector favorite, commanding a significant premium over the standard steel or gold Daytona. The rainbow sapphire bezel, combined with baguette hour markers and yellow-gold construction, transformed the tool watch into haute horlogerie territory. Variants exist with white-gold cases and different bezel configurations, but the yellow-gold Rainbow with this specific dial remains among the most sought-after.

Alcaraz's choice of the Daytona Rainbow underscores the chronograph's transcendence from sports watch to status symbol in elite circles. At 23 years old and already a dominant force in professional tennis, Alcaraz joins a lineage of athletes and collectors who favor the Daytona as a personal statement. The pairing of a young champion with a six-figure watch at an official tournament ceremony signals confidence and refined taste.

Retail pricing for the ref. 116598RBOW reached approximately £150,000 (roughly USD $185,000) at discontinuation. Current pre-owned and grey-market examples trade between USD $220,000 and $280,000, depending on condition and service history. Waitlists at authorized dealers remain prohibitive; most acquisitions occur through specialist dealers and auction houses. The Rainbow Daytona's scarcity and prestige make it a benchmark luxury collectible.