Rolex - Perpetual London | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: 2000
    Reference No: 16520
    Model Name: "Zenith" Daytona
    Material: Stainless Steel
    Calibre: Automatic Chronograph Calibre 4030
    Bracelet/Strap: Stainless Steel Oyster Bracelet
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless Steel Fliplock
    Accessories: Original Rolex Box and Certificate

  • Artist Biography

    Rolex

    Swiss • 1905

    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.

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Ref. 16520
The Zenith Daytona was transformational to the watch industry. The very first contemporary wristwatch to generate world-wide waiting lists and such a total reinvention of the previous model that it's amazing Rolex didn't rechristen the line altogether. Over its 12 year production run, the 16520 was slowly updated in both technical and aesthetic terms, the apex of this evolution was reached in the A-series watches that now sported robust solid end-links, eternal Luminova dials, fatter, more legible text and 'high-speed' tachymetric bezel. This example, found in gorgeous condition, is presented with its original Rolex box and certificate.

2000

Price £29,500