good evening everyone.
Also known as the "King of Rolex ," the Daytona is arguably the most popular Rolex model. In 2016 , the new Ref . 116500LN was released, further accelerating the popularity of the Daytona. Not only the new model, but also the older Ref. 116520 and Ref. 16520 models are trading at high prices on the market.
So this time, we will go back three generations of the Rolex Daytona and compare them thoroughly (Ref. 116500LN , Ref. 116520 , Ref. 16520 )! If you want a Daytona but are unsure which model to buy, or if you want to know the history of the Daytona, this is a must-read, so be sure to read until the end.
Introducing the three generations of "Daytona"
First, let us introduce the three Daytona models we will be comparing: Ref.16520 , Ref.116520 , and Ref.116500LN .
| Case diameter | 40mm | Bezel | stainless |
| Dial | Black or white | Luminous | Tritium or Luminova |
| material | SS | bracelet | SS |
| Waterproof | 100m | Drive system | Automatic |
| Cal | 4030 | Power reserve | Approximately 52 hours |
The Ref. 16520 is the fourth generation Daytona, manufactured from 1988 to 2000. It is equipped with an automatic movement based on Zenith's El Primero, a famous chronograph movement. The previous models Ref. 6263 and Ref. 6265 were equipped with manual movements, but this model is the first to be equipped with an automatic movement. There are individual differences depending on the production period, and some models are rare and trade at high prices.
[ Representative rare specimens ]
・Earliest period: Only seen in R/L numbers, step-down, 4- line notation, reverse 6 x single buckle, 200 Taki, 225 Taki
- Only seen on black dials, where the sub-dials have turned brown, commonly known as "Patrizzi dials"
・P-number model made near the end of production
*Dropped paragraph: "COSMOGRAPH" at the 12 o'clock position is printed one line space apart.
*Four-line notation: The "OFFICIALLY CERITIFIED" at the 12 o'clock position has been deleted.
*Reverse 6: The number “6” on the dial at the 6 o’clock position is inverted, making it look like the number 9.
*200 Tachymeter: The tachymeter bezel has a maximum reading of 200 .
*225 Tachometer: The number 225 is written between the 200 and 250 on the tachymeter bezel .
| Case diameter | 40mm | Bezel | stainless |
| Dial | Black or white | Luminous | Luminova or Chromalight |
| material | SS | bracelet | SS |
| Waterproof | 100m | Drive system | Automatic |
| Cal | 4130 | Power reserve | Approximately 72 hours |
The fifth generation Daytona, Ref. 116520 , was manufactured from 2000 to 2016. This model is equipped with a long-awaited fully in-house chronograph movement, and while the basic design is the same as the previous model, it has been updated in details such as changing the layout of the sub-dials and enlarging the indexes. The luminous paint used was "Superluminova" until around 2013 , but has since been changed to "Chromalight", which is patented by Rolex. The buckle changed from a type with holes to a matte/no holes type commonly known as a "matte finish" around 2008 , and then to a "mirror finish" around the summer of 2015 .
[ Representative rare specimens ]
- The earliest models: those with cream or ivory dials, found in the P to F series
- Mirror-finished buckles for models nearing the end of production (after summer 2015)
*For a comparison of cream dial watches, please see the article below.
Spec comparison between "Ref.16520" and "Ref.116520"
Let's first compare " Ref.16520 " and " Ref.116520 ".
The main specifications are as follows:
| 40mm | Case diameter | 40mm |
| stainless | Bezel | stainless |
| Black or white | Dial | Black or white |
| Tritium or Luminova | Luminous | Luminova or Chromalight |
| SS | material | SS |
| SS | bracelet | SS |
| 100m | Waterproof | 100m |
| Automatic | Drive system | Automatic |
| 4030 | Cal | 4130 |
| Approximately 52 hours | Power reserve | Approximately 72 hours |
❶ [ Case - Flash Fit ]
There is no change in the case diameter or thickness, but there is a clear difference between the two in the flash fit. In the " Ref.16520 ", the flash fit was a separate part from the case, but in the " Ref.116520 ", it is integrated and the connection is strengthened.
*Late model "Ref. 16520" has an integrated flash fit.
❷ [ Dial ]
Comparing the dials, the indexes of the " Ref.116520 " are thicker than those of the " Ref.16520 ", improving visibility. Due to the change in the movement, the position of the small second and 12-hour counter has also changed. The position of the sub-dial itself is slightly higher on the " Ref.116520 " than on the " Ref.16520 ", and the frame color has also been changed to silver.
- "Ref.16520": 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock, small second at 9 o'clock
- "Ref.116520": Small seconds at 6 o'clock, 12-hour counter at 9 o'clock
❸【 Buckle 】
The buckle of the " Ref.16520 " changed from a single lock type to a double lock type around 1993-94 , but the " Ref.116520 " took it a step further and equipped it with an Easylink mechanism that allows fine adjustments. Early " Ref.116520 " models come with the old-style buckle with holes, a matte buckle, and a mirror-finished buckle as seen in models from around 2016. As mentioned above, mirror-finished buckles are considered rare and fetch high prices on the market.
❹【 Movement 】
The biggest difference between the two models is the movement. While the Ref.16520 is equipped with a movement based on Zenith's El Primero, the Ref.116520 is equipped with Rolex's long-awaited fully in-house movement Cal.4130 . As a result, the power reserve has been improved from 52 hours to 72 hours, and the movement is easier to maintain.
Spec comparison between "Ref.116520" and "Ref.116500LN"
Next, let's compare " Ref.116520 " and " Ref.116500LN ".
The main specifications are as follows:
| 40mm | Case diameter | 40mm |
| stainless | Bezel | ceramic |
| Black or white | Dial | Black or white |
| Luminova or Chromalight | Luminous | Chromalight |
| SS | material | SS |
| SS | bracelet | SS |
| 100m | Waterproof | 100m |
| Automatic | Drive system | Automatic |
| 4130 | Cal | 4130 |
| Approximately 72 hours | Power reserve | Approximately 72 hours |
❶【 Bezel 】
The " Ref.116520 " had a stainless steel bezel, but the " Ref.116500LN " uses a Cerachrom bezel. The white dial of the " Ref.116500LN " has a clearer contrast with the bezel than the black dial, giving it a more manly impression, and its appearance, also known as the "panda face," is driving the popularity of the white dial of the "Daytona" today.
❷ [ Dial ]
The chronometer mark at the 12 o'clock position is "flat" on the " Ref.116520 ", while it is "slightly raised" on the " Ref.116500LN ". The size of the opening at the bottom of the crown mark is smaller on the " Ref.116500LN " than on the " Ref.116520 ".
❸ [ Luminous paint ]
The Ref.116500LN uses Chromalight, a material developed exclusively by Rolex. While the Superluminova used in the Ref.116520 emits a green light, Chromalight emits a vibrant blue light called peacock blue. The glow time of Chromalight is said to be about twice that of ordinary luminous paints, lasting for more than eight hours.
*Chromalight is used in "Ref. 116520" models manufactured after 2013.
❹【 Buckle 】
The buckle of the " Ref.116500LN " is slightly larger. A minor change is that the folding part of the buckle of the " Ref.116520 " has a matte finish, while that of the " Ref.116500LN " is a mirror finish. *There are also mirror-finished models of the "Ref.116520" near the final model number.
summary
What did you think?
This time, we compared three generations of Rolex's Daytona, and I think you can get a good idea of how the Daytona has evolved over the years.
Each model has its own unique charm - the current model " Ref. 116500LN" that reflects the latest technology, the "Ref. 116520 " that is Rolex's first to feature an in-house movement, and the " Ref. 16520 " of which there are many rare examples - so why not have a look around to find your favorite "Daytona"?