There are a few timepieces so elusive that only a handful of the horological cognoscenti have seen them in the flesh, its very existence shrouded in mystery. Having resided in one of the world's most prestigious and exclusive collections for many years, this singular white gold reference 16599SAAEC, also known as the "Rainbow Zenith Daytona", appears at public auction for the very first time.
For many years it was commonly accepted that Rolex produced the automatic winding Cosmographs with a variety of bezels - sometimes with diamonds, or even with different kinds of sapphires and even most exclusively, with emeralds. Yet, the market had only seen those set with one type of baguette stone. In fact, it was not until 2012 that Rolex had officially launched the "Rainbow" in yellow gold (116598RBOW), and white gold (116599RBOW), and later in 2018 that they launched the version in pink gold (116595RBOW).
Yet for one lucky customer already in approximately 1994, Rolex created a one-off unique masterpiece – a Cosmograph Daytona, reference 16599, with degradé hued sapphires, meant to mimic the colours of the rainbow. At the time of production, it was very likely the rarest, most luxurious and special Cosmograph available on the market. Indeed, the 5 letter abbreviation at the end of the reference 16599SAAEC refers to its namesake, with "SAAEC" referring to Sapphire Arc-en-Ciel - meaning "Rainbow" in French. Meaning, the original "Rainbow" with Zenith movement was launched close to 2 0 years before the official launch of the model in the Rolex catalog. And while Rolex had produced Day-Date Rainbows during this period, the present watch was the world's very first "Rainbow" sports watch.
It is most notably adorned with a beautiful and impressive bezel, which is set with gemstones that graduate in hue to mimic the color spectrum. The hand-matched beautiful sapphires display tones ranging from a vibrant and intense deep red, and slowly morph to mauve, orange, chartreuse, green, blue and finally deep purple. The bezel's beauty stems from the well-matched, pure and bright colored gemstones. The colors blend together seamlessly, attesting to Rolex's technical superiority and eye for color. The dial also displays gemstones in a rainbow hue, referencing the colors of the bezel.
While today the "Rainbow" Daytona is well-known and considered one of the most exclusive timepieces in the Rolex catalog - and indeed it is considered the elite of all Rolex Sports Watches - this present watch would have been a completely maverick concept, and nothing like the market had ever seen at the time. Interestingly, the rainbow color scheme is in the opposite direction of all later produced Rolex Daytona Rainbows (i.e. the order of the colors is backwards). So special is this model that the Rainbow concept spawned many similar examples among other watch brands - notably Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Hublot today all have their own version of the Rainbow in their catalogs.
The present Daytona is most notably fitted with the caliber 4030 - the very first self-winding chronograph movement originally fitted in the reference 16520. Technically impressive, it was powered by the automatic Zenith El Primero calibre, which was substantially modified by Rolex. The story of the Automatic Cosmograph Daytona actually begins with the caliber 4030. Rolex had chosen Zenith as the supplier of their very first automatic movements. However, not just content with the existing ebauche, Rolex made approximately 200 modifications to the Zenith caliber 400 before being satisfied with the product.
Components that underwent changes included the balance bridge with the addition of Rolex’s Micro-Stella adjustment system, as well as the shock-proofing system. The power reserve was furthermore increased from 42 to 52 hours. In addition, Rolex minimised the operating frequency of the original Zenith caliber from 36,000 beats per hour to 28,800. Most importantly, the movements underwent chronometer testing. The chronometer number was engraved on the movement, and the dials also bore the script “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified”.
The importance and rarity of the present watch cannot be overstated. A dream come true for many, it presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors to acquire the one and only Rainbow Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.
