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Actor John Travolta spotted wearing Rolex

In FX's Emmy-winning 2016 limited series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, production's costume department made a quietly authoritative choice for John Travolta's portrayal of flamboyant defense attorney Robert Shapiro: a solid 18k Everose gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 116515 worn on a black leather strap. The pairing — warm gold against dark leather — projects exactly the brand of moneyed, media-conscious confidence that defined Shapiro's public persona during the Trial of the Century.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116515 was introduced in the mid-2000s as part of Rolex's push to bring the Daytona fully in-house from a movement perspective. Its Calibre 4130, developed entirely by Rolex, replaced the outsourced Zenith El Primero-based Calibre 4030 that had powered the steel and gold Daytonas since 1988. The 4130 features a column-wheel chronograph mechanism, a vertical clutch for cleaner starts, and a 72-hour power reserve — a significant technical step forward. The case measures 40mm and the ref. 116515 is distinguished by its use of Everose gold, Rolex's proprietary 18k rose gold alloy formulated with a small percentage of platinum to resist fading over time.

Among collectors, the ref. 116515 occupies a specific and coveted niche. It is appreciably rarer on the secondary market than its stainless steel counterpart, the ref. 116500LN, and commands a premium that reflects both material cost and relative scarcity. The combination of the chocolate or black dial variants with the black leather strap — exactly as seen in American Crime Story — is considered one of the most elegant configurations in the Daytona lineup, appealing to buyers who want visual warmth without the sportier bracelet aesthetic.

For Travolta, this was not a casual prop choice. The actor is a known watch enthusiast, and the decision to dress Shapiro in one of Rolex's most prestigious production references adds a layer of period-appropriate character detail. Shapiro was famous for his expensive tastes and carefully cultivated image; a rose gold Daytona reads as precisely the kind of understated luxury statement such a figure would make.

On the current grey market, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116515 in Everose gold trades at approximately $55,000, a figure that reflects sustained demand and the enduring premium attached to precious-metal Daytonas. Rolex's official retail price for the reference sits in the mid-to-upper $30,000 range depending on configuration, making grey-market premiums significant but consistent with broader Daytona market dynamics.