When Leonardo Dicaprio was announced as Rolex’s newest Testimonee—the Crown’s term for ambassadors—there was but one thing on our mind. While the brand will certainly support the legendary actor’s environmental projects down the line, we were most excited to see how the partnership would affect DiCaprio’s wrist. Well, his new position with Rolex paid immediate dividends. Leo was spotted courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game this week wearing a very cool neo-vintage Daytona.
This is a man who clearly has a favorite watch model. DiCaprio rocked a Daytona ref. 116509-ARPD—a piece not dissimilar from the “Racing”-dial version of the watch he wore back in January. Like that timepiece, this latest one marks an important part in Rolex’s history. The 116509 references introduced in the mid-2000s are the first Daytonas to feature Rolex’s first in-house chronograph movements.
Dating to the early 2000s, this particular piece is unusual compared to many other variants of the famed driver’s watch for its Arabic indices—as opposed to the baton-shaped indices of most references—as well as its exotic sub-registers: More than just a simple “panda” dial, this one has a silvered background with blue totalizers fit with red chapter rings and white printing. Unusual and cool, if we do say so ourselves! Those subdials earn this watch its “Panda” nickname. Panda dials—meaning white dials with black subregisters—are always sought after among Daytona variations.
The watch is very similar to the one DiCaprio wore two months ago, it’s clear he knows what he likes in a watch. The actor seems to subscribe to uniform dressing—potentially following the playbook from Daniel Radcliffe, who once wore the same outfit for months to thwart the paparazzi. If you were trying to spot the differences between DiCaprio’s courtside look this week and the one he wore back in January, you’d find few clues that these were two different nights. Even the Daytonas share a similar unique aesthetic. The only major giveaway is the solid-colored sudials.
DiCaprio is known for his reserved and classic style, and the Daytona fits right in: Born in 1963, the model was nearly called the Le Mans, but the name was quickly changed to honor the brand’s partnership with the famous Floridian speedway. Though Rolex has long used the watch an an award for winning drivers and Testimonees, the Daytona wasn’t always a top-tier collectable the way it is today. Dealers used to give them short shrift well into the ‘80s, and exotic-dial models—the kind which fetch six figures today—languished on shelves. Now, stainless steel Daytonas are all but impossible to buy at retail. If you do manage to snag one, you’ve got yourself a piece of wearable horological history that pairs well with everything.
The early in-house Daytonas are an interesting sub-niche of Rolex collecting, and the exotic-dial variants even more so. It would be interesting to take a peek inside DiCaprio’s watch box—we can only imagine he’s got plenty more heat in there. As his time as a Testimonee continues to unfold, we’ll hopefully get a peek at some more bangers!
