Reference 16520 was Rolex’s first Daytona to house an automatic movement. At the time of launch in 1988, it quickly became a cult classic and garnered an immediate waiting list at Rolex retailers. Today, the Zenith Daytona has become an even more collectible watch due to its rarity, good looks and importance within the history of Rolex.

The degree of desirability of the “Zenith Daytona” varies with the different dial variations that exist, and some iterations - such as the “Floating” ones, or the porcelain dials, or the “Four Liners” - have come to be recognized as supremely collectible timepieces. The most popular being the so called “tropical” dial where the registers have turned darker in color, the most coveted and rarest being by far the “Darth Vader” like the present example that features subsidiary dials with dark “espresso-like” hue earning its nickname inspired by the dark Sith lord. Extremely rare as these imperfections are natural occurrences, most examples feature an non uniform change in hue, making examples that are uniformed extremely desirable and scarce.

The present example is distinguished by its virtually "new old stock" condition, and is offered with its punched guarantee papers, box, and calendar card. It even still features the green sticker on the caseback - the extreme rarity and superlative condition of the present “Dark Vader” make it a must have for the Daytona collector.