Watch Paparazzi

Writer Giorgia Mondani spotted wearing Rolex

Giorgia Mondani, veteran watch author and founder of the reference platform Mondani Web, was recently spotted wearing a stainless steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116500LN with a black ceramic bezel and matching black dial. For someone whose career is built on cataloguing and contextualising Rolex's most significant references, the choice is anything but accidental.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN launched at Baselworld 2016 and represented a genuine technical step forward for the line. For the first time, Rolex fitted the Daytona with a Cerachrom ceramic bezel — virtually scratch-proof, UV-resistant, and available in black or white. Beneath the caseback sits the Calibre 4130, Rolex's entirely in-house chronograph movement featuring a column wheel, vertical clutch, and a 72-hour power reserve. The movement reduced the number of components compared to its predecessor by roughly 50, improving reliability and serviceability. The case measures 40mm in diameter, unchanged from the 116520 it replaced.

The black dial variant of the 116500LN has consistently outperformed its white-dial sibling on the secondary market, with collectors drawn to the high-contrast subdials and the stealthy aesthetic the combination of black ceramic and black dial delivers. The reference sits squarely in the modern Rolex collector canon — attainable on paper, but practically impossible to source at retail without an established relationship with an authorised dealer.

Mondani's credentials make this sighting particularly resonant. She is the author and publisher of some of the most comprehensive Rolex reference books in existence through Mondani Editore, and her platform Mondani Web serves as a go-to database for collectors and dealers globally. Seeing her wear the 116500LN rather than a vintage piece speaks to the reference's genuine standing in serious horological circles — this is not a lifestyle acquisition but a considered choice by someone with encyclopedic knowledge of the brand.

At an official retail price of approximately $14,870, the Rolex Daytona 116500LN in stainless steel is technically accessible, but grey-market premiums tell the real story. The reference currently trades at around $33,900 on the open market — a premium of well over 100 percent that reflects sustained global demand with no sign of softening.