An 18ct White Gold, pre-owned 2008 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona M116509 automatic wristwatch, rare grey 'Racing Dial' with arabic numeral hourly markers, grey sub-dials, white gold fixed bezel with black timing markers, Oyster white gold case fitted to an Oyster white gold bracelet with Oysterlock clasp. Serviced by Rolex in November 2021.
 
Case width 40mm (excluding crown)
Grey Dial
Sapphire Crystal
Rolex Calibre 4130 Automatic Movement
'Racing Dial' with Arabic numeral hour index markers
Chronograph with second, 30-minute and 12-hour counters in red
Superluminova hands
18ct Whte Gold Fixed Bezel
18ct White Gold Oyster Case
18ct White Gold Screw-down Pushers and Crown
18ct White Gold Oyster Bracelet
Oysterlock Safety Clasp
Original Rolex Box (inner and outer)
Rolex AD certificate dated January 2008
Cosmograph Booklet
Translation Booklet
Service Mondial Booklet
Red COSC Hang Tag
Green Leather Card Holder
Calendar Card
Rolex Service Card dated November 2021
Rolex Service Stickers on Case
TWS 12 Month Warranty
Watch Register Certificate
 
Unworn since the service by Rolex in November 2021 this original Daytona 116509 is in excellent condition and has passed our in-house due diligence and inspection criteria. 
 
If there is one watch that today features very high, if not at the top, of any serious watch collector’s wish-list it will the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.
 
Although originally launched in 1963 as the ‘Le Mans’ the name was changed the following year to ‘Daytona’ which was perhaps more fitting since the company was a sponsor of the 24 hour race at Daytona beach in Florida and had been since 1962.
 
Once again Rolex had produced a watch that had a specific, practical application and this time it was to be able to record the speed of a race car with the aid of its unique external bezel showing metre markings.
 
The original Daytona (Ref 6239) was equipped with a manual-wind movement and it wasn’t until 1988 that the watch was introduced with a Zenith-supplied automatic movement (Ref 16520). Finally in the year 2000 Rolex installed their Calibre 4140 movement which is still found in the production versions of today (Ref 116520).
 
Over the years, the Cosmograph Daytona has been dressed in a wide variety of metals and finishes including Everose Gold (red gold mixed with platinum), white gold, steel and rolesor (18 carat gold mixed with steel) and of course regular stainless steel.
 
Perhaps the most famous (and collectable) Daytona of all is the so-called ‘Paul Newman Dial’ although interestingly Paul Newman’s own Daytona was a regular Ref 6239. The association of the famous actor’s name with the Daytona, however, was enough to drive up the desirability of the watch and especially the values.