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Lot 115 ROLEX DAYTONA SODALITE AND DIAMOND-SET REF. 16519
ROLEX. A VERY RARE AND ATTRACTIVE 18K WHITE GOLD AND DIAMOND-SET AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH WITH SODALITE DIAL, GUARANTEE AND BOX
SIGNED ROLEX, DAYTONA MODEL, REF. 16519, CASE NO. A207411, CIRCA 1999
Closed7 November 2022
Price Realised
CHF 132,300
More Information
Specialist note
This endangered species strap is shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. The watch will be supplied with a calf leather strap.
The classic combination of the white gold case and blue sodalite hardstone dial is one of the most beautiful ever created for the Daytona line, but the present example pushes the boundaries of both rarity and attractiveness even further with the addition of the diamond-set numerals. While the appearance of the blue sodalite dial material and the diamond-set numerals on the same watch is enough to have the heads of Dayonta aficionados spin.
The manufacturing of a hard-stone dial is a complex and lengthy procedure involving cutting a perfectly intact stone into thin slices and then eventually fit them on the dial’s brass base. This technique often leads to damaging the stone and results in only a small number being actually used, with the vast majority of dials being discarded during the manufacturing process. Well preserved examples are therefore highly praised by collectors looking to complement their collection with exclusive examples of the iconic Daytona chronograph.
Sodalite
The name sodalite is a compound word from Latin sodium and Greek lithos for stone and refers to its high sodium content. Sodalite was first found in the Ilímaussaq massif in the province of Kitaa (West Greenland) and described in 1812 by Thomas Thomson.
The classic combination of the white gold case and blue sodalite hardstone dial is one of the most beautiful ever created for the Daytona line, but the present example pushes the boundaries of both rarity and attractiveness even further with the addition of the diamond-set numerals. While the appearance of the blue sodalite dial material and the diamond-set numerals on the same watch is enough to have the heads of Dayonta aficionados spin.
The manufacturing of a hard-stone dial is a complex and lengthy procedure involving cutting a perfectly intact stone into thin slices and then eventually fit them on the dial’s brass base. This technique often leads to damaging the stone and results in only a small number being actually used, with the vast majority of dials being discarded during the manufacturing process. Well preserved examples are therefore highly praised by collectors looking to complement their collection with exclusive examples of the iconic Daytona chronograph.
Sodalite
The name sodalite is a compound word from Latin sodium and Greek lithos for stone and refers to its high sodium content. Sodalite was first found in the Ilímaussaq massif in the province of Kitaa (West Greenland) and described in 1812 by Thomas Thomson.