Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 2019 Reference No: 116518LN Case No: 8S’12Y’502 Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. 4130, 44 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Rubber Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Rolex deployant clasp Dimensions: 40mm diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed Accessories: Accompanied by Rolex guarantee stamped Yung Hsin Watch Co., Taipei dated 4th January 2019, product literature, leather card holder, hang tags, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
- Housed in an 18K yellow gold 40mm Oyster case, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116518LN is a striking interpretation featuring black accents and a ceramic bezel. This spectacular example displays a sporty aesthetic courtesy of an Oysterflex rubber strap, developed and patented by Rolex.
- At the heart of this Daytona beats Rolex’s cal. 4130, an in-house self-winding chronograph movement superseding the house’s previous use of the Zenith El Primero chronograph calibre, demonstrating Rolex’s unceasing pursuit of independence and perfection. With a 72-hour power reserve and chronometer certification, the cal. 4130 combines high precision with reliability.
- Enhanced by the engraved tachymeter scale on the ceramic bezel, the dial allows for the measurement of speeds. This ref. 116518LN was launched as the first Cosmograph Daytona on Oysterflex, and due to its desirability remains challenging to obtain at retail.
- Preserved in excellent overall condition, the present timepiece in yellow gold is surely a very distinctive and elegant timepiece built for everyday wear with a dash of gold and further accompanied by all its original accessories.
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.