Rolex Daytona 16520

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THIS WATCH WITH SERIAL NUMBER A970527 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!In 1988, Rolex finally retired the vintage 6xxx series Daytonas with the hand wound Valjoux movement and plexiglass. In its stead, it introduced the completely updated ref. 16520 Daytona. This second-generation iteration was updated to a modern 40mm steel case with sapphire crystal, a glossy black dial, and a heavily modified Zenith El Primero self-winding movement. The Zenith-powered Daytonas were produced for just a decade until Rolex, finally we might add, introduced its first in-house chronograph movement in 2000.This 16520 dates back to 1999, the very last year the Daytona contained the cal. 4030 that was based on the legendary El Primero automatic movement. It was also the year that Rolex ceased using radioactive tritium compound. switching to the photoluminescent Luminova compound instead. However, Luminova was only used for one year, as Rolex switched to the use of Super Luminova in 2000.This 16520 is in honest condition, with a thick case and tight Daytona Oyster bracelet with the characteristic polished center links. 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

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.