Rolex Daytona 116506 'Baguette'

Sold
Sold
  • Free worldwide delivery

The modern Rolex sports watches aren’t really our cup of tea. There’s one exception though: the Daytona. And, this reference 116506 is platinum perfection.

We’re really charmed by the modern ceramic Daytona because they remind us of the vintage Valjoux-powered Daytonas. But this beauty is unmistakably modern. The 116506 is the very first Daytona executed in the noblest of materials: platinum. The first thing you’ll notice when picking it up is that it feels substantially heavier than a ‘regular’ Daytona. That’s because platinum is 34% heavier than 18k gold and a whopping 64% heavier than steel. The use of platinum not only gives the watch a luxuriously hefty feel but the white coloured metal allows the watch to fly under the radar.

This ref. 116506 was produced in 2016 and is executed in a luxurious 40 mm platinum case with polished lugs. The matching platinum Oyster bracelet features polished centre links, a detail that is continued on the platinum folding clasp. The cool look of the platinum case and bracelet is complemented by the lovely ice-blue dial with factory-set baguette cut diamond indices. The chestnut brown Cerachrom bezel infuses the watch with a warm glow.

The watch is in great condition, with some minor hairline scratches here and there, and comes as a full set with the original box and papers.

Introduction

Rolex Cosmograph DaytonaRolex started making chronographs in the 1930s, but it was only in 1963 that a named product line was introduced: the Cosmograph. In some early advertisements, Rolex referred to the watch as the ‘Le Mans’ after the famous race track in France, although the name never appeared on the dial. After a few years, the line was officially renamed Cosmograph Daytona, after the racetrack in Florida.The most noticeable difference between these Cosmograph (Daytona) models and earlier Rolex chronographs was the tachymeter scale (used for measuring distance and speed) that was moved from its traditional placement on the dial to the bezel. Furthermore, the dial was updated with the introduction of contrasting sub-dials.It's hard to imagine now, but Daytonas received little love after their release. Most Daytonas languished in dealer displays for years and only started to get noticed by Italian collectors and dealers in the late 1980s. Nowadays, Daytonas are among the most sought after Rolex models, fetching prices from $20,000 for modern ones to many millions for rare vintage references. A big contrast with the $210 list price when it was first released!

Shipping

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping by insured courier. Packages are generally dispatched within 2 days after receipt of payment and are shipped by private courier, PostNL, FedEx or Ferrari group; depending the value and destination. Consult us if you prefer another method of shipping. For all destinations tracking is available.