Rolex Daytona 16520

Rolex Daytona First Series Cosmograph Zenith 1988 16520

Basic Info Listing code : REHDF4 Brand : Rolex Model : Daytona Reference number : 16520 Dealer product code : 20260427-5157 Movement : Automatic Case material : Steel Year of production : 1988 Condition : Used (Very good) Scope of delivery : Original box, no original papers Location : Belgium, KNOKKE-LE-ZOUTE Price : 33,920 Availability : Item is in stock Caliber Movement : Automatic Case Case material : Steel Case diameter : 40 mm Bezel material : Steel Crystal : Sapphire crystal Bracelet/strap Clasp : Fold clasp Introduced in 1988, the automatic Daytona marked a decisive turning point in Rolex history. After more than two decades of manual-winding chronographs, the brand brought its most celebrated model into the modern era with a self-winding movement. Based on a high-grade Zenith calibre and extensively reworked by Rolex to meet its exacting standards, it gave birth to what collectors today recognize as the legendary Zenith-powered Daytona generation. Reference 16520, introduced alongside this innovation, immediately set itself apart. Today, these early automatic examples occupy a special place in the lineage of the Daytona, representing the bridge between vintage and contemporary Rolex chronographs. The present watch is a particularly attractive and early specimen. Its crisp white dial displays the coveted “four-line” configuration, a detail eagerly sought after by collectors, while the hour counter reveals the distinctive inverted “6”. The bezel further enhances the watch’s desirability: graduated to 400 units per hour and featuring the rarer “225” marking, it belongs to a configuration that has become especially prized among connoisseurs of early Zenith Daytonas. Bearing an “L” serial number, the watch dates to the beginning of production, within the first two years following the reference’s launch. As such, it stands among the earliest automatic Daytonas ever manufactured. The dial retains its original tritium luminous material, confirmed by the “T Swiss Made T” signature at six o’clock, an important detail, as later examples would transition to Luminova. Preserved in excellent overall condition, this reference 16520, combining early-production details, coveted dial traits, and the celebrated Zenith-based movement, it represents a highly appealing example of the watch that transformed the Daytona forever.