The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona has achieved an iconic global status since its initial launch of the very first reference in the early 1960s. Ending a spectacular era for the manually-wound Daytona models, Rolex introduced their very first self-winding Daytona model in 1988 powered by the famous and newly developed Zenith El Primero based caliber 4030. Regarded as a major step up from its previous models, the aesthetics of the new model were also enhanced while retaining its important features.

The very first examples of the reference from circa 1989 bear an “L” serial with distinctive features that separate it from the rest. The dial is perhaps where this is most apparent. While regular examples of the reference feature 5 lines of text under the coronet, early examples were fitted with dials made by the famous Rolex supplier, Singer, with only 4-lines of text under the coronet: the line “OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED” present in the standard version is in this instance missing. Extremely rare, these dials were believed to have only been in production for less than a year between 1988 and 1989.

Another quirk, albeit less immediately apparent, of early examples bearing an “L” serial is the fact that they are fitted with a bezel graduated to 200 units per hour rather than the usual graduation to 400.