Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 2006 Reference No: 116519 Movement No: C 0’093’778 Case No: D597’738 Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona Material: 18K white gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. 4130, 44 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold Rolex Oyster deployant clasp Dimensions: 40mm Diameter Signed: Dial, case, movement and clasp Accessories: Further accompanied by Rolex Guarantee dated August 2006
Catalogue Essay
To many, Rolex has long been at the forefront of experimenting, researching and developing new dial materials. The meteorite dial was an advancement for the industry, as to many it was a wonder to sport something out of this world on their wrists.
Each Rolex wristwatch fitted with a meteorite dial will never be the same, the natural pattern on the dials will always be different from one dial to another. For each dial made, a slice of Gibeon meteorite is cut accordingly with a layer of acid-wash applied on the surface to enhance the natural mottling of the meteorite. To no surprise, the newly developed dial material was introduced firstly on the Day-Date and Daytona.
The present example of a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116519 encased in white gold is a rare example fitted with a meteorite dial.
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.