The Rolex Daytona, introduced in 1963, is renowned for its association with motorsports and its robust design, making it a symbol of precision and endurance. Its popularity skyrocketed when Paul Newman, the famous actor and racing driver, was frequently seen wearing it, leading to its iconic status among collectors. It is without question our favorite chronograph ever produced for its balanced dial and elegant proportions on wrist. Today, the Daytona remains a top model for Rolex and is often the cornerstone of a collection. The 6 digit ref. 116520 was introduced in 2000 and housed Rolex first in-house movement for the model with the caliber 4130. This was a departure from the 5 digit ref. 165XX which relied on Zenith/El Primero for movement which Rolex modified. It should be noted that the change to the 4130 drastically reduced the number of components to just 201 (20% fewer than the Zenith), making it more cost effective to service.

This particular ref. 116520 happens to come directly from its original owner as a complete set. It is from the later run of the 6 digit ref. with blue Chromalight lume and features the less common and desirable "APH" error print on its dial, separating the "R" and "A" in "CHRONOGR APH" - a subtle detail yet apparent to the naked eye and a variation we believe to become more collectible as the years pass. This beautiful white dial Daytona set remains in sharp and unpolished condition with normal signs of use for its age. We can offer polishing service for the bracelet and/or case but as always would recommend leaving the original finish to preserve its sharp factory character.

Dial: Flawless MK11 "aph" error variant.
Bezel: Displays light wear consistent with age. Hands: Are matching.
Case: Appears completely unpolished and very sharp with normal signs of use consistent with age. There are some micro scratches visible in photography. Correct signed crown. The watch could be touched up to look close to factory again but we'd recommend leaving it unpolished. Bracelet: Appears totally unpolished and fully linked. There are some surface level scuffs which could easily come off with a light polish. If the next owner choses to touch up the watch we'd recommend just doing the bracelet and leaving the head/bezel as is.
Crystal: Clear.
Accessories: Both boxes, papers, serialized and wax tag, all booklets, paper wallet.

The movement is running well on our timegrapher and comes with our 1-year mechanical warranty.

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