Manufacturer: Rolex Year: 2000 Reference No: 116589 Movement No: C0'027'145 Case No: P'903'132 Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona Material: 18K white gold, sodalite and sapphires Calibre: Automatic, cal. 4130, 44 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold Rolex folding deployant clasp Dimensions: 40mm. Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
Catalogue Essay
Rolex is incredibly imaginative in their use of precious materials. It has adorned their sports models with a variety of materials ranging from emeralds, rubellite, pavé work and even meteorite.
The present watch is fitted with a beautiful sodalite dial, which is a rich royal blue tectosilicate mineral. As each stone occurs naturally, no two sodalite dials are identical in appearance. Each one varies in shade and colour, giving each watch a unique look. The dial is furthermore set with diamonds in white gold chatons.
Of all Daytonas cased in precious metals, the most exclusive and desirable variant, is one fitted with a factory baguette bezel. The present watch is fitted with translucent and rich blue sapphires, which compliments the sodalite exceedingly well. It is furthermore presented in beautiful and unpolished condition, having been worn sparingly.
Founded 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.