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Lot Essay
For collectors of the finest Rolex wristwatches, in particular the Cosmograph Daytona, details are everything. The watches that exhibit distinctive or unique variations from the regular serial production watches are some of the most sought after of all. Similarly, for some Cosmograph Daytona references examples exist with prototype dials that are recognized as highly important links charting the early development and progression of a reference through to its final production model.
The present reference 116520 dating from 2000, the first year of manufacture, is fitted with one of the incredibly rare prototype dials made by Singer that are transitional and form a link between the model’s predecessor, the reference 16520 and the then new reference 116520, these prototype dials uniquely share characteristics of the dials of both references. Very few examples of this prototype, nicknamed the ‘Moonraker’ by scholars and collectors, are known publicly. Furthermore, and adding another possibly unique aspect to the present watch are the red chronograph and register hands that are visually stunning against the white surface of the dial.
The distinguishing features of the ‘Moonraker’ prototype reference 116520 dial are:
The indexes and graphics have remained the same as the reference 16520 but the chapter rings for the registers are of 116520 type; the white surface of the dial has a matte ‘grainé’ slightly textured effect; the ‘T Swiss Made T’ designation firmly dates this prototype dial from the year 2000 as the year Rolex was making the changeover from using tritium to LumiNova for the luminous indexes and hands. From 2000 onwards, the designation read only ‘SWISS’.
An amazing addition to any comprehensive Daytona collection, this ultra-rare and visually striking ‘Moonraker’ prototype is undoubtedly a key and historic component in the development of the automatic Cosmograph Daytona.
The present reference 116520 dating from 2000, the first year of manufacture, is fitted with one of the incredibly rare prototype dials made by Singer that are transitional and form a link between the model’s predecessor, the reference 16520 and the then new reference 116520, these prototype dials uniquely share characteristics of the dials of both references. Very few examples of this prototype, nicknamed the ‘Moonraker’ by scholars and collectors, are known publicly. Furthermore, and adding another possibly unique aspect to the present watch are the red chronograph and register hands that are visually stunning against the white surface of the dial.
The distinguishing features of the ‘Moonraker’ prototype reference 116520 dial are:
The indexes and graphics have remained the same as the reference 16520 but the chapter rings for the registers are of 116520 type; the white surface of the dial has a matte ‘grainé’ slightly textured effect; the ‘T Swiss Made T’ designation firmly dates this prototype dial from the year 2000 as the year Rolex was making the changeover from using tritium to LumiNova for the luminous indexes and hands. From 2000 onwards, the designation read only ‘SWISS’.
An amazing addition to any comprehensive Daytona collection, this ultra-rare and visually striking ‘Moonraker’ prototype is undoubtedly a key and historic component in the development of the automatic Cosmograph Daytona.