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Lot Essay
With Rolex blank Guarantee, spare white dial, instructions for use, information about the 2003 Rolex 24 Daytona race, original box and outer packaging.
With the advent of the new millennium, a new Daytona is released. Replacing reference 16520, reference 116520 is introduced in March 2000 at the Basel fair. The case has been redesigned with new glossy lugs, and the bracelet has solid links.
At the same time the new Rolex caliber, manufactured in-house, makes its first appearance. It features the Parachrom spiral, also created in the workshop of the company.
The design of the dials changes as well. The subsidiary registers now feature a lépine style, with small running seconds at 6 o'clock, while reference 16520 features a "hunter-style" configuration, with running seconds at 9 o'clock.
From a technical point of view, the new caliber maintains the COSC certification, has 44 rubies, a four-arms monometallic balance wheel made in Glucydur, micrometric "microstar" regulation featuring four elements screwed onto the balance wheel's ring, 28,000 alternations per hour, Kif shock-absorbing device.
Ultimately the new version of the Daytona, the first fully realized in-house, remains, thankfully, true to its roots. The designs of its illustrious predecessors, experience gathered along on the way, the sporty appeal, and the commercial successes all reverberate through time into this new model. Reference 116520 is destined, once again to make contemporary horology history, as it has been happening for more than 100 years to practically all models of the crowned house.
This lot is a remarkable example of reference 116520 in steel. The appeal of its black dial is quite incredible. The hour markers that are white with a contrasting black background seem to stand out, while the effect of the satin-finished register rings is more subtle. The most remarkable feature of this treasure, however, is its provenance. When a Daytona chronograph has been owned by a professional driver who actually raced on the famous American track, its appeal and collectibility are increased manyfold. When, however, the watch has been presented to him or her, as prize for one of his victories, the collectibility skyrockets. Indeed, this is the case of the present watch: it was presented to David Brabham as prize for the first place at the new Daytona Prototype Class in the 41st running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
This watch possesses one of the most complete sets of documentation ever seen, not only the box and guarantee, but also its manual and servicing instructions. A second white dial is also included in its original Rolex steel case. Finally, it comes complete with the original note handwritten by Brabham accompanying the gift and an autographed picture of the driver.
David Brabham
Born in Wimbledon, London on 5th September 1965, David Brabham spent his childhood in Australia. Son of three-time F1 world champion Sir Jack Brabham, he nevertheless took little interest in car racing during his early life. More focused on soccer and Australian Rules Football, it was only at 17, after discovering go-karting, that his true vocation, and the family DNA, became clear. He is one of the four Australians to ever win the Le Mans 24 Hour sports car race, in 2009. He also won, twice, the America Le Mans, in 2009 and 2010.
Of particular interest to the watch collector community is his feat of 2003 when, as part of the Multimatic Motorsport team including David Empringham and Scott Maxwell, he won the new Daytona Prototype Class in the 41st running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, receiving this watch as a prize.
With the advent of the new millennium, a new Daytona is released. Replacing reference 16520, reference 116520 is introduced in March 2000 at the Basel fair. The case has been redesigned with new glossy lugs, and the bracelet has solid links.
At the same time the new Rolex caliber, manufactured in-house, makes its first appearance. It features the Parachrom spiral, also created in the workshop of the company.
The design of the dials changes as well. The subsidiary registers now feature a lépine style, with small running seconds at 6 o'clock, while reference 16520 features a "hunter-style" configuration, with running seconds at 9 o'clock.
From a technical point of view, the new caliber maintains the COSC certification, has 44 rubies, a four-arms monometallic balance wheel made in Glucydur, micrometric "microstar" regulation featuring four elements screwed onto the balance wheel's ring, 28,000 alternations per hour, Kif shock-absorbing device.
Ultimately the new version of the Daytona, the first fully realized in-house, remains, thankfully, true to its roots. The designs of its illustrious predecessors, experience gathered along on the way, the sporty appeal, and the commercial successes all reverberate through time into this new model. Reference 116520 is destined, once again to make contemporary horology history, as it has been happening for more than 100 years to practically all models of the crowned house.
This lot is a remarkable example of reference 116520 in steel. The appeal of its black dial is quite incredible. The hour markers that are white with a contrasting black background seem to stand out, while the effect of the satin-finished register rings is more subtle. The most remarkable feature of this treasure, however, is its provenance. When a Daytona chronograph has been owned by a professional driver who actually raced on the famous American track, its appeal and collectibility are increased manyfold. When, however, the watch has been presented to him or her, as prize for one of his victories, the collectibility skyrockets. Indeed, this is the case of the present watch: it was presented to David Brabham as prize for the first place at the new Daytona Prototype Class in the 41st running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
This watch possesses one of the most complete sets of documentation ever seen, not only the box and guarantee, but also its manual and servicing instructions. A second white dial is also included in its original Rolex steel case. Finally, it comes complete with the original note handwritten by Brabham accompanying the gift and an autographed picture of the driver.
David Brabham
Born in Wimbledon, London on 5th September 1965, David Brabham spent his childhood in Australia. Son of three-time F1 world champion Sir Jack Brabham, he nevertheless took little interest in car racing during his early life. More focused on soccer and Australian Rules Football, it was only at 17, after discovering go-karting, that his true vocation, and the family DNA, became clear. He is one of the four Australians to ever win the Le Mans 24 Hour sports car race, in 2009. He also won, twice, the America Le Mans, in 2009 and 2010.
Of particular interest to the watch collector community is his feat of 2003 when, as part of the Multimatic Motorsport team including David Empringham and Scott Maxwell, he won the new Daytona Prototype Class in the 41st running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, receiving this watch as a prize.