Launched in the late 1980s, the “new” Daytona with automatic movement immediately became a sensation: waiting lists to become an owner appeared in many retailers (possibly for the first time in horological history, for a sports watch) and a side result of such remarkable success was a rediscovered interest in manually-wound models, marking the beginning of Daytona collecting.

The model was available in steel (ref. 16520), in steel and gold (16523), and the present gold version ref. 16528. By the 1990s, both Rolex as a company and the public perception of the brand had evolved past the original “professional watches company” image and fully embraced the luxury market. As a result, more designs incorporated gemstones as this timepiece demonstrates.

Offered with box and punched guarantee as well as with both white and black dials - allowing for a dramatic change in the appearance of the watch if so the owner decides - it is noteworthy how Rolex managed to incorporate diamond indexes while maintaining overall very sober and masculine dial aesthetics.