Rolex’s Cosmograph Daytona is one of the most iconic and cherished wristwatches for collectors today, and its evolution is legendary. Over its 70-year lifespan, it has become revered for its timeless design, durability, and wearability.

Though the reference 16250 has increased in collectability in recent years, examples from the first few years of production are particularly coveted due to their idiosyncratic details. R-serial reference 16520s, the first year of production, have possibly the most distinct traits of the entire reference. This early, R-series example features a so-called ‘porcelain’ dial, named for its highly lacquered and reflective surface which makes the black ink printing reflect below the surface of the dial. Of additional interest is the “staccato” or “floating” Cosmograph logo, only found on the earliest variants.

Other details include the “inverted 6” on the 12-hour counter and early bezel calibrated to 200 units per hour rather than 400 units found on later examples. Not only the first Daytona fitted with an automatic movement, it was also the first to feature a sapphire crystal and larger case diameter measuring 40 millimeters.

In celebration of the Daytona’s 25th anniversary, Rolex released at Basel in 1988 the first self-winding chronograph model in their history. The technically innovative reference 16520 was powered by an automatic Zenith El Primero caliber, which was substantially modified by Rolex. At the time of the launch, the reference became a cult classic and garnered an immediate waiting list at Rolex retailers. Remaining in our opinion unpolished, the present lot offers an opportunity to obtain a wearable classic with highly coveted features found only on the rarest of examples.