Product Description
It's surprising, but different parts of a watch can tell you a lot about it, if you're into that sort of thing. For all but the most hardcore Rolex enthusiasts this solid white gold Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509 is hiding a small but notable change in plain site: the tachymeter numerals on the white gold bezel are all oriented toward the center of the dial as opposed to being upright all the way around. When this reference was released in 2004 this was not at all insignificant news in the nuanced world of Rolex. In fact it marked the way forward for all modern Daytonas since. Now the dial is another animal as well - silver with a glossy black crown and lettering at the 12 and eye-catching glossy black Arabic numerals mirroring the center orientation of those on the bezel - this is not one we see very often. Add to that the red arrow-tipped chronograph hand that matches the sub dial totalizer hands, which match the sub dial numerals and the "Daytona" at 6 and it's clear that someone thought this through. Like all modern Daytonas the 116509 is outfitted with the august caliber 4130 - an in-house, automatic, chronometer-rated, column-wheel chronograph movement - and Rolex's patented screw-down, Triplock crown so it's as technologically sound as it is visually arresting. What it's not is vintage-inspired in any way, save for a small detail common to all Daytona Cosmographs: sub dials that in some way contrast the dial. In this case the numeral tracks of the sub dials are black and "snailed" with engraved concentric circles. It's just match(y) enough to be off-setting and brilliant. In 1963 when the Cosmograph was brand new this might have seemed an odd design flourish but it was more utilitarian than fashionable. The Cosmograph was purposely designed for professional racing drivers to wear on-track to calculate speed and time laps during a race so at a glance contrasting dials were easier to read. Originally known only as the Cosmograph, the "Daytona" moniker found it's way to the dial in 1964 during the third year of Rolex's sponsorship of what is now known as the Rolex 24 At Daytona endurance race. This 116509 is a different breed of cat but without question it'll get the most attention and start the most conversations at a gathering of Rolex enthusiasts - no one will have seen anything like it. They don't make 'em like this anymore.
