8085
Rolex
Ref. 16520, inside caseback stamped ‘16500’
Cosmograph Daytona "Tropical Dial"
A highly rare and collectible stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with bracelet, "Tropical" dial, warranty and presentation box
Full-Cataloguing
- Highly collectible “Tropical” dial with W serial
- Accompanied by full set of accessories
- First released in 1988, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 16520 was the firm’s first Daytona model to feature a self-winding caliber. The reliable Zenith El Primero, considered as one of the best self-winding chronograph movements at the time, was chosen as the base, which Rolex further upgraded to achieve their remarkable cal. 4030. Discontinued in 2000, it was replaced by the ref. 116520 featuring Rolex’s first in-house self-winding chronograph movement.
- “Tropical” dials are arguably the most aesthetically striking dial variations found on the ref. 16520. The subsidiary dials of these pieces darkened (“tropicalized”) over time to various degrees of hue, intensity, and evenness, and consequently attractiveness.
- The present ref. 16520 is a well-preserved example, it is being offered complete with its original box and warranty, making it an exceptional find for discerning collectors seeking a rare and significant Rolex Daytona.
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.