Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Luka Modric spotted wearing Rolex

Luka Modric, one of the most decorated midfielders of his generation and a Ballon d'Or winner in 2018, has been spotted wearing the stainless steel Rolex Daytona reference 116520 — a watch whose collector credentials rival the achievements of the man on whose wrist it sits. The sighting confirms a taste for classic, understated horology rather than flashy novelty, a choice that speaks volumes about Modric's broader aesthetic.

The Rolex Daytona 116520 was introduced at Baselworld 2000 and represented a landmark moment for the brand: the debut of the in-house Calibre 4130, replacing the Zenith El Primero-derived movement that had served the Daytona since 1988. The 4130 is a column-wheel, vertical-clutch chronograph movement offering approximately 72 hours of power reserve, with just 247 components — fewer than most comparable ebauches, which translates directly into improved reliability and easier servicing. The 40mm stainless steel case houses a white or black dial with contrasting subdials, and the reference ran in production until 2016, when it was succeeded by the 116500LN with its ceramic bezel.

Among collectors, the 116520 occupies a canonical position. It is frequently cited as the definitive modern Daytona — the last iteration to feature an aluminium bezel with tachymeter insert, giving it a deliberately tool-watch appearance that purists prefer over the ceramic successor. White-dial examples command particular attention, and well-preserved full-set specimens consistently outperform retail expectations on the secondary market. The reference has never been cheap to acquire through authorised dealers, and years-long waiting lists made grey-market acquisition the default route for most buyers.

Modric's connection to Real Madrid, where he has spent over a decade and collected five UEFA Champions League titles, places him among football's true elite. Off the pitch, his watch choices have tended toward restrained luxury rather than ostentatious statement pieces, making the 116520 a natural fit — quietly expensive, deeply respected, impossible to dismiss.

On the current grey market, a stainless steel Rolex Daytona 116520 in good condition with original bracelet trades between $18,000 and $25,000 depending on dial colour, box-and-papers status, and service history. White-dial examples with full documentation sit at the upper end of that range. Official retail pricing for the 116520 was approximately $12,400 at discontinuation — a figure that now reads as a historical footnote given sustained secondary-market demand.