Preserved in “new-old-stock” condition, the present 116520 is one of a pair of impeccably kept Cosmograph Daytonas, with white and black dials respectively, presented here with their full suite of original accessories.
Rolex’s Daytona Cosmograph has a long history beginning in the middle of the 20th century when “tool” wristwatches were offered by several manufacturers with a variety of complications ranging from dive and dual-time watches to chronographs. Rolex’s first Daytona was the reference 6239 released in 1963, and over the ensuing decades, the model evolved in to one of the most iconic and cherished wristwatches today. A revolutionary change occurred in 1988 with the release of the Daytona reference 16520 featuring a heavily modified version of Zenith’s El Primero movement. The first self-winding chronograph model in the history of the company resulted in unprecedented demand that required clients to wait as long as seven years to purchase one. Its ease of use, accuracy, and a larger, sportier design added to the Daytona’s desirability.
In 2000, the next revolutionary change occurred when Rolex released the reference 116520 now sporting the brand’s first, fully in-house chronograph movement, the caliber 4130. The present “D” series example from 2004 is in absolutely new condition with all factory stickers perfectly intact. The Daytona is a historic chronograph, and this is an extremely rare opportunity to own a truly “new-old-stock” example that has remained unworn for the last 18 years.
Founded 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.
