Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 2012 Reference No: 116520 Case No: G'550’320 Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 4130, 44 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, max length 210mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster deployant clasp Dimensions: 40mm diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed Accessories: Accompanied by Rolex guarantee stamped Oriental Watch Co. Ltd., dated 1st March 2012, original purchase invoice, hang tags, leather card holder, instruction manual, product literature, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
Launched at the beginning of the millennium, the Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116520 marked an important milestone for Rolex with its new and improved in-house automatic cal. 4130, which replaced the El Primero based cal. 4030. With its final batch offered to the market in 2015, it made way for the ref. 116500LN which features a ceramic bezel instead of stainless steel.
The present example bears a “G” serial from circa 2012, featuring a classic black dial and offered in excellent overall condition. One of the most sought-after references in the Rolex line-up today, its iconic sporty aesthetic with muscular proportions is what makes it an all-time favourite among tool-watch enthusiasts. This is an effortlessly timeless reference made to be worn on any occasion, from exciting underwater excursions to landlocked adventures.
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.