Rolex Daytona

Why We Love It We all know the Daytona Story, and it has proven to be a big favorite among the collectors. Why? Rolex's brilliant motorsports chronograph is in pole position in any category, vintage or modern. And while current automatic versions admittedly don't generally do as much for us as a nice hand-cranking example, a Daytona is a Daytona, and that is ok with us. This particular Reference 116523 is in outstanding condition throughout and features a two-tone 18K yellow gold and steel construction, a gloss white dial with gold subsidiary dial rings, and Rolex's in-house Calibre 4130 automatic-winding chronograph movement. Topping off the package, this variant is fitted to one of Rolex's absolutely excellent solid Oyster bracelets with an Easylink extension built into the clasp - a feature that you didn't know you needed until you have it! While not for everyone, there is something about a two-tone Daytona that just works. Be it the versatility, or the relative value next to its full-gold and full-steel counterparts, two-tone just works with the Daytona. Don't miss a chance to pick up this example - it will not last long. The Daytona Story The Rolex Daytona. King of the chronographs! Rolex first started experimenting making chronographs in the 1930s – first known as Cosmographs – which set the mold for what would ultimately evolve into the single best-known chronograph in the world. These early watches, like many chronographs of the period, had monochromatic dials and a tachymeter ring printed on the outer edge of the dial.  The design of the Cosmograph gradually changed its dial configuration (a shift from monochrome to the "panda" color schemes now closely associated with the model), and a relocation of the tachymetric scale to the bezel, which made it a clear sportsman's watch. In 1964 Rolex added the name Daytona to the model (taken from the 24 Hours of Daytona Race which Rolex started sponsoring in 1962), and its motorsports association was cemented. The earliest Daytonas relied on that well known manually-wound workhorse movement - the Valjoux 72. But in 1988 Rolex released a Daytona using Zenith's El Primero movement, making the Cosmograph Daytona now worthy of the appellation "Oyster Perpetual." These "Zenith" Daytonas have gained serious traction over the past decade on the vintage chronograph market, with potential to appreciate in value to lofty heights. Still, Rolex has never been the sort of brand to rely on off the shelf parts for long, so when the Reference 116520 debuted in 2000 at Basel World, it made headlines. This led to the eventual introduction of the current production model, Reference 116500LN, fitted with a black ceramic bezel that is arguably the most in-demand sports watch on the planet. Whether your taste runs to Pre-Daytona Cosmographs, hand-cranking Valjoux 72 powered models from the 1960s-1980s, or an Automatic Zenith or In-House model, a Rolex Daytona is quite simply a world-class chronograph with a righteous amount of pomp and circumstance justifiably included.