Rolex Daytona 16518 'Inverted 6'

Sold
Sold
  • Free worldwide delivery

THIS WATCH WITH SERIAL NUMBER N436560 WAS STOLEN FROM OUR SHOP DURING A BREAK-IN ON OCTOBER 22, 2020.FOR A LIST OF ALL THE WATCHES THAT WERE STOLEN, PLEASE CLICK HERE.PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU COME ACROSS ANY OF THE STOLEN WATCHES. THANK YOU! It’s time for an ‘Automatic Daytona Only’ thematic drop this week!After retiring the 6xxx series Daytonas in 1988, Rolex introduced the completely updated ref. 165xx Daytona with the modern 40mm case with sapphire crystal and a heavily modified Zenith El Primero self-winding movement. Three executions with a metal bracelet are well-known: stainless steel (ref. 16520), two-tone (ref. 16523), and 18k yellow gold (ref. 16528). Yet, there was a fourth addition to the family. This ref. 16518 was executed in yellow-gold but came on a leather strap.This 16518 dates back to 1991 and is executed with a ‘racing dial’. In the place of the traditional indexes, we find applied 18k yellow-gold Arabic numerals, giving the watch a luxurious sporty appearance. The glossy white dial sports three chronograph counters with black outer rings. Characteristic of early Zenith Daytonas, the bottom counter features an ‘inverted 6’ that actually looks like a 9. The watch is in great condition with a thick case and sharp edges. The watch comes on a brown Rolex leather strap with an 18k yellow-gold folding clasp. The inside of the clasp reveals a cool little detail as it’s stamped with the reference number of the watch! The watch 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!

Specifications

Shipping

Packages are generally dispatched within 2 days after receipt of payment and are shipped within the Netherlands by Registered Mail through the Dutch carrier PostNL and for other countries by Fedex. Consult us if you prefer another method of shipping. For most destinations tracking is available.