Revolution: The Evolution of the Role...

New York, Apr 17, 2008

LOT 258

Ref. 16523, Floating Cosmograph Rolex, ?Oyster Perpetual, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified, Cosmograph, Daytona,? Ref. 16523. Made in circa 1990. Fine, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel and 18K yellow gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, registers, tachometer, and a stainless steel and 18K yellow gold Oyster bracelet. Accompanied by an instruction booklet and the original fitted box.

USD 15,000 - 20,000

EUR 10,000 - 13,000

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back, buttons and crown, Triplock winding crown protected by the crown guard, tachometer graduation on the gold bezel to 400 units per hour, sapphire crystal. D. Bicolor black and champagne with applied luminous gold indexes, subsidiary dials for the seconds, the 12-hour and 30- minute registers. Luminous yellow gold baton hands. M. Cal. 4030, rhodium-plated, oeil-de-perdrix decoration, 31 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to 5 positions and temperature, self-compensating free-sprung Breguet balance spring, Microstella regulating screws. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 13 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-7-01

Good

Oxidized

HANDS Original

Notes

Around 1988, Rolex decided to discontinue the now classic Daytona manual wind model. They replaced it by a brand model that would feature among others a new automatic movement. At that time, Rolex was not producing an in-house automatic chronograph movement so they decided to use the very reliable Zenith based movement (Caliber 4030). In the first models they introduced, the new Daytonas featured a specific dial design that would be quickly discontinued (after approximately two years). They are instantly recognizable by the word Cosmograph clearly detached from the rest of the writing. This dial version became known to collectors as the "floating " Cosmograph.