Porcelain ‘Floating Cosmograph’ 16528 Rolex Daytona

Porcelain-Rolex-Daytona-16528-Floating-Cosmograph

It is difficult to overstate the importance of the 16520 (or 16528 here in yellow gold). The Cosmograph had become undesirable and a stagnant seller by the year 1988. For context, there are stories from that era of customers asking to buy special production Day-Dates, but having to purchase Daytonas to sweeten the AD’s books.…

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‘Beach’ 116519 Rolex Daytona

Beach-Dial-Rolex-Daytona-116519

The opulence and excess that was profuse to the early 2000s has a place. And that place is nowhere but the dial of a 116519. For all their reputation as a notoriously conservative watchmaker, when Rolex let their hair down they really know how to let their hair down. This has been demonstrated many times,…

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Mk2 ‘4-Liner’ 16520 Rolex Daytona

Mk2-4-Liner-16520-Rolex-Daytona

It is difficult to overstate the importance of the 16520. The Cosmograph had become undesirable and a stagnant seller by the year 1988. For context, there are stories from that era of customers asking to buy special production Day-Dates, but having to purchase Daytonas to sweeten the AD’s books. What the Daytona required was radical…

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116509 Sodalite Rolex Daytona

Sodalite-Rolex-Daytona-116509

Rolex have been doing unique dial or metal Daytonas for as long as Cosmographs have been not in the cosmos. However, in 2000, the manufacture released their very first in-house automatic Daytona utilizing the calibre 4130. Shortly thereafter, as something of a coming out party, the precious metals alternatives went a bit mad. The white…

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6240 Rolex ‘Large-Daytona’

6240-Rolex-Cosmograph-Daytona-Large-Dial

We’re back in the realm of Wilsdorf details again, but for good reason. I’ve covered a majority of the Cosmograph and Daytona’s evolution through the market’s flux. The 6240 is a rare bird I have never had the pleasure to cover. I would venture to suppose it is, arguably, the most important Cosmograph reference no…

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16520 ‘Patrizzi’ Rolex Daytona

Rolex-Daytona-16520-Patrizzi

If you are beyond sick of the modern collecting Daytona hype (right there with you), don’t be so fast to turn away. In fact, I’m about to offer a viable, collectible, possibly even better-valued alternative. The now so-called neo-vintage range of 16520 and 116520 Daytonas are, to some extent, the last iterations with significant variations…

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Tropical Transitional 6262 Rolex Daytona

Tropical-6262-Rolex-Cosmograph-Daytona

Tropical dials have a tendency to polarize watch collectors like few other topics. Godiva 1665 DRSDs, caramel 321 Speedmasters, and latte-brown Cosmographs all have one thing in common: encompassing adoration or outright hatred. I have yet to encounter any middle ground ambivalence in the zeitgeist. Think Patek’s green 5711 caused division? Bring a hazel-tan 3700…

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Pre-Daytona Rolex 6238

Pre-Daytona-Rolex-6238

Rolex AD hype appears to be all the community is capable of discussing right now. Yes, they’re a luxury marque. The antidote? Open yourself to the beautiful world of vintage ownership. Although it’s a perilous and much, much more fraught endeavor, vintage offers so much value even despite its recent rise. If you’re going vintage,…

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6239 Rolex Cosmograph-Only Dial

Rolex-Cosmograph-6239

Inverse panda, pump pusher, steel bezel, single-line Cosmograph text: these are things dreams are made of. I admit to being a fan of this reference to an almost child-like extent. I’ll try to rein that in as I feature this example. You will be familiar with the Circuit de la Sarthe of the US, Daytona,…

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Non-Sigma 6263 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

Rolex-Cosmograph-Daytona-6263-Non-Sigma

Today we’re getting a little nerdy within steel sport Rolex. 6263s can be found in a wide range of configurations, even for an early sport Rolex reference. Of those that don’t have Daytona in above above the 6 o’clock subdial, most are what are called ‘sigma’ dials. Sigmas either side of Swiss Made indicate precious…

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