Updated 2019
The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116520 is no longer in production, but it continues to have a great following among watch enthusiasts. A newer model, introduced in 2016, the 116520LN offers a ceramic bezel and an updated movement. Still, there is a waitlist for all new Daytonas models. So, if you want this iconic watch and make an investment, you need to look at the pre-owned market.
Cosmograph Daytona – Black Dial – 40 mm
Model 116520
Cosmograph Daytona – Black Dial – 40 mm
Model 116520
As defined by Rolex
Daytona
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- A legendary beach in Florida, synonymous with speed.
- An iconic chronograph that was born to race.
- The trophy for every winner of Le Mans and the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
- Equipped with a tachymetric scale on the bezel to measure speed.
- Enables precision timing to one-eighth of a second.
- Powered by calibre 4130, Rolex’s high-performance mechanical chronograph movement.
- The Rolex Way.
The Cosmograph Daytona, introduced in 1963, was created to meet the high demands of professional racing drivers. With its reliable chronograph and bezel with a tachymetric scale, it allows drivers to perfectly measure average speeds up to 400 kilometers or miles per hour, as needed. An icon eternally joined in name and function to the high-performance world of motorsports.
With its state-of-the-art technology, poignant heritage and sporting air, the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona swiftly became an iconic watch. Its dial carries in red letters the name “Daytona” – the most famous motor racing circuit in the United States.
In 1935, while automobile technology was still in its early stages, British daredevil Sir Malcolm Campbell, with a Rolex on his wrist, set the world land speed record and entered history by exceeding 300 miles (484 kilometers) per hour in his famous “Bluebird”.
Rolex unveiled the Cosmograph Daytona in 1963, a tribute to its growing ties with motor sport and speed. The rest, as they say, is history.
Key Features of this Watch
- Fixed bezel with engraved tachymetric scale
- Screw-down winding crown
- Triplock triple waterproofness system
- Sapphire dial window. As you may know, s
apphire is the most expensive and durable crystal, approximately three times harder than mineral crystals and 20 times harder than acrylic crystals. - Waterproof to 100 meters/330 feet
Other Features
- Monobloc middle case
- Screw down case back
- Perpetual mechanical chronograph, self-winding
- Officially certified Swiss chronometer
- Center hour, minute and seconds hands, small seconds hand at 6 o’clock.
- Chronograph (center hand) accurate to within 1/8 of a second, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock.
- Stop-seconds for precise time setting
About the Brand
‘Look in all the dictionaries, there is no word for what we do. It’s not ‘tradition’, though our craft is timeless. ‘Limitless’ is too limiting. ‘Enduring’ is not enduring enough. ‘Innovation’ can only begin to describe it. We sculpt, paint and explore. But explorers, sculptors, and painters we are not. This is the only thing we make. The only thing we will ever make. There is no word for what we do. There’s only a way. The Rolex Way.’
Rolex.com
The history of Rolex and Swiss watchmaking are totally intertwined. A trailblazer in the development of the wristwatches, the brand is at the birth of numerous major watchmaking breakthroughs and has registered over 400 patents in the journey of its lifetime. Rolex designs, develops and produces internally all the essential parts of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial, and bracelet.
Rolex watches have proven themselves from the beginning in the most extreme conditions imaginable – from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains, in the air, and on the race track. They make sure all Rolex watches can live up to their high expectations by putting each and every single one through extreme testing before allowing it to leave their site.
Waterproofness
The Oyster case is a pivotal part of the history of Rolex. It clamps shut like an oyster shell and can survive underwater due to two major changes: a screw-down back and bezel and a screw-down waterproof winding crown. Invented by Rolex in 1926, the Oyster case was put to a real-life test a year later when a young sportswoman named Mercedes Gleitze swam the English Channel wearing a Rolex Oyster.
Overall
We all know the value of a Rolex watch, but choosing the right one can prove tricky. It may seem like each watch is built and designed for a specific purpose or type of person.
The Cosmograph Daytona is tailored for the track and the concert hall. It is known to be one of the hardest to get watches. Authorized dealers are given ONE per year (actually two, but one is black dial, and one is a white dial). The white-dial is in most demand, therefore, rarer.
This watch is in a category by itself and will never grow out of fashion. Whether it is an object of love, desire, investment, or indulgence; wanting one is no sin, and owning one sheer pleasure.
Of course, other than its aesthetic beauty, is the feeling of confidence and pride one gets in owning a very high-quality timepiece.
It reflects different things to different people, owners and viewers alike. It will outlast its owners and will increase in value each year.
