Live Auction 1357Important Watches
Rolex. A rare and attractive stainless steel automatic chronograph wristwatch with black dial, brown-coloured subsidiary dials, bracelet and box
Lot 97

Rolex. A rare and attractive stainless steel automatic chronograph wristwatch with black dial, brown-coloured subsidiary dials, bracelet and box

SIGNED ROLEX, OYSTER PERPETUAL, SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER, OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED, COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA, REF. 16520, CASE NO. N470514, MANUFACTURED IN 1992

Closed17 November 2008

Price Realised

CHF 15,000

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Rolex. A rare and attractive stainless steel automatic chronograph wristwatch with black dial, brown-coloured subsidiary dials, bracelet and box
Signed Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified, Cosmograph Daytona, ref. 16520, case no. N470514, manufactured in 1992
Cal. 4030 nickel-finished lever movement, 31 jewels, black dial, applied luminous baton numerals, luminous hands, three subsidiary dials indicating constant seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours registers on chocolate-brown chapter rings, tonneau-shaped water-resistant-type case, blank bezel calibrated to 400 units per hour, screw back and screw down crown, two screw down chronograph buttons in the band, stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, case, dial and movement signed
39 mm. diam.

Specialist note

With Rolex presentation box and outer packaging.

The present reference 16520 is a rare variant of the well-known automatic Daytona, featuring brown coloured chapter rings to the subsidiary dials. It appears that this colour change occurred due to a technical error in the paint of the registers track, hence causing the nickname "Compax Marrone" or "Brown Compax" amongst collectors. According to research, only watches made around 1992/1993 are subject to such discolouration, the early models, such as the present watch, featuring in addition the upside down "6" digital to the 12 hours counter.

In production only during a very short period of time, examples of reference 16520 fitted with such an "abnormity" dial are highly sought-after trophies in today's market.

For an illustration and description of such a "Brown Compax" dial see Rolex Daytona - a legend is born by Carlo Pergola, Stefano Mazzariol, Giovanni Dosso, p. 225.