Writer Giorgia Mondani spotted wearing a Rolex

Giorgia Mondani — author, researcher, and one of the most authoritative figures in Rolex scholarship — was recently photographed wearing her own Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116500LN in the iconic 'Panda' dial configuration. Few wrists carry this watch with more earned credibility.

The Rolex Daytona 116500LN arrived at Baselworld 2016 as a landmark release. Housed in a 40mm Oystersteel case with a scratch-resistant black Cerachrom ceramic bezel, the watch marked a decisive break from the previous ref. 116520, which relied on a modified Zenith El Primero movement. The 116500LN introduced Rolex's in-house Calibre 4130 — a column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch, offering superior precision and a 72-hour power reserve. It was Rolex engineering the entire chronograph stack on its own terms.

The 'Panda' designation refers to the white lacquer dial with contrasting black registers at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock — a configuration with roots in Daytona references going back to the 6263 and 6265 of the 1970s. The inverse 'Reverse Panda' (black dial, white subdials) shares the same reference but commands a slightly different collector premium. Both variants of the 116500LN generated waiting lists that stretched years at authorized dealers almost from day one.

Giorgia Mondani is no casual collector. She is the publisher of Mondani Books and co-author of the benchmark volumes on Rolex wristwatches — texts that serious dealers and auction specialists treat as primary references. Her expertise spans vintage Daytona Paul Newman dials through to current production, making her choice of the 116500LN both a personal and professional statement about the reference's place in the marque's history.

On the secondary market, the Daytona 116500LN Panda has traded well above retail since its release, with grey-market premiums fluctuating but consistently significant. While the broader luxury watch market cooled from its 2021–2022 peaks, the 116500LN has held its value more stubbornly than most steel sports references, underlining its status as the benchmark modern chronograph.