165
Rolex
Ref. 16520
Cosmograph Daytona "Porcelain" Dial
A very early, collectible and in close to as-new condition stainless steel automatic chronograph wristwatch with "porcelain" dial, green sticker to the back, bracelet, warranty and box
Full-Cataloguing
- Chronograph
- Exceedingly rare and collectible R-series example with “porcelain” dial
- Preserved in virtually mint condition, still bearing the Rolex sticker to the back
- Offered with its original Warranty Certificate and box
Without a doubt, this is one of the best-preserved examples of a “Porcelain Dial” Zenith Daytona to ever come to market. Featuring all of its original factory finish in unmolested condition and accompanied by its original accessories, in this instance the expression “virtually mint” is not an overstatement.
Occurring occasionally in conjunction with the “Floating” dial configuration—and never with any other configuration, with the exception of prototype examples—“Porcelain Dials” are defined by their hyper-glossy finish. Obtained through a thick layer of transparent lacquer, it grants the dial a shine close to that of porcelain, a material often employed on 19th-century watches, thus creating an intriguing intellectual link between two enormously distant categories of timepieces. Rarity, aesthetic appeal, and condition combine in this watch to create an irresistible collectible.
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.