Introduction
Perhaps one of the most iconic timepieces to have ever hit the market, the Rolex Daytona is widely recognized as one of the most desirable watches there is. Distinguished by its three generations, what we have here is the 2nd generation 5-digit reference, known as the "Zenith" Daytonas due to their movement (the Rolex cal. 4030) being a heavily modified version of the Zenith-supplied El Primero movement. Forgoing its date function, slowing the movement's frequency down to increase the power reserve, and featuring fewer parts to improve reliability, the cal. 4030 found within the Zenith Daytonas is one of the finest pieces of horological engineering to come out of the late 80s and 90s (1988-2000). Still a mechanically astute timepiece to this day, the Zenith Daytona exists through a wide variety of references, of which, the ref. 16520 is the purest. A wonderful expression of Rolex's engineering capabilities and the consistency in their iconic design language, the Zenith Daytona is the unsung hero in the Daytona's lineage. Still, it won't be for long when collectors begin to unravel the story and see the value these incredible timepieces hold. Whilst most of the P serial production Daytonas ended up being 116520s with the newer in-house 4130 movement, there were a few Zenith movement 16520s that came out of Geneva during that period. These "Last of the last" 16520s are highly coveted and rarely come up for sale.
Loupe This Scorecard
Grade
M 8.5
Status
Vetted & Approved
Included
Watch Only
Est. value range
$15,000 – $25,000
The Details
Brand
Rolex
Dimensions
40mm
Model
Daytona
Movement
Automatic cal. 4030
Reference
16520
Bracelet
Stainless steel Oyster bracelet
Year
2000
Condition
Excellent
Material
Stainless steel
Included
Watch only
Dial Color
Black
THE CONSTRUCTION
Fitted with a stainless steel case, bracelet and bezel, the ref. 16520 is the purest form of Daytona with its aesthetic harking back to the Rolex chronographs of old, unlike its ceramic bezel cousin.
THE MOVEMENT
Released in 1988, the "Zenith" generation of Daytona models represent the increasingly forgotten period of watchmaking whereby collaboration was key to the success of brands regardless of their size - as demonstrated by the ref. 16520's automatic cal. 4030 movement., which is based on Zenith's El Primero movement.
TIMING MACHINE READOUT
This reading was taken (crown down) with a ONEOF Accuracy Boutique Edition timing machine at time of cataloging. It is provided as a courtesy only, and shall not be construed as a warranty or guarantee of any kind. Please refer to our terms and conditions of sale for more information.
Condition
Watch is in excellent overall condition. Case with surface wear visible, small scratches predominantly visible on the polished surfaces. The bezel has all of the black enameling intact, with minor wear on the edges. The luminova dial and hands are in near-mint condition, without any visible flaws. The crystal has a few minor scratches on it, visible between the 6 o'clock and 8 o'clock indexes. There are 12 links total on the band, 2 of them being removable. The band exhibits little stretch.
Our Perspective
A legendary timepiece for all the right reasons, the Rolex Daytona exists in a world of its own, unrivalled by most other sports chronographs. Positioned within its lineage as the original 'modern' Daytona, the "Zenith" Daytona will certainly prove to be an important piece of the Daytona's history for a very long time yet. We love that this is one of the very last highly coveted "P Serial" examples.
Justin Gruenberg
Co-founder
