191
Rolex
Ref. 16520
Cosmograph Daytona "High Serif"
A very fine and rare stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with bracelet, “high serif” white dial, guarantee and presentation box
Full-Cataloguing
- Chronograph
- Rare transitional series with High Serif letters
Over the years, the "Zenith Daytona" has become increasingly collectible due to its rarity, handsome aesthetics, and its important place within Rolex's history.
Produced circa 1989 and bearing an “L” serial, the present example is among the rare and highly coveted early Zenith Daytona models. While the first half of the L-series featured the classic 4-line dial, this later L-series example displays a scarce transitional configuration, introducing the 5-line layout for the first time, along with the distinctive “High Serif” Cosmograph signature, characterized by its more pronounced serif lettering.
Preserved in excellent overall condition, this important transitional Daytona represents a compelling acquisition for the discerning Rolex collector.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.