Reference:116518LN - Revision history

Admin: Deep audit 116518LN: correct image layout, qualify collector language, and fix Oysterflex adjustment description

2026-09-28T18:01:14Z

Deep audit 116518LN: correct image layout, qualify collector language, and fix Oysterflex adjustment description

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:01, 28 September 2026
Line 108:		Line 108:

	==Dial map==		==Dial map==
	~~<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">~~
	~~File:Ref 116518LN dial-detail.webp\|The champagne sunray face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and black-PVD-edged gold markers.~~
	~~File:Ref 116518LN dial.webp\|Reference 116518LN with the champagne-and-black "Pikachu" launch dial (model code M116518LN-0040), Rolex press image, Baselworld 2017.~~
	~~File:Ref 116518LN black.webp\|Black dial with snailed counters, Rolex model code M116518LN-0043.~~
	~~File:Ref 116518LN meteorite.webp\|Meteorite and black, Rolex model code M116518LN-0076, added to the catalogue in 2021.~~
	~~</gallery>~~

	Twelve dial codes are documented across the run, every one of them a Rolex catalogue option. Gem-setting on this reference is factory work, and Rolex's own spec grids for four of the codes carry the line "diamonds in 18 ct gold settings".		Twelve dial codes are documented across the run, every one of them a Rolex catalogue option. Gem-setting on this reference is factory work, and Rolex's own spec grids for four of the codes carry the line "diamonds in 18 ct gold settings".
Line 185:		Line 180:
	\|}		\|}

	The Pikachu is the champagne dial with black counters, not a black dial with yellow accents, and Rolex's own two names for it settle the point. Bilal Khan, writing at aBlogtoWatch from the 2017 launch, describes the dial as champagne with a sunray finish and black subdials, with hour markers in 18k yellow gold under black PVD and Chromalight inserts, and gold hands. ~~The name comes from the~~ yellow gold ~~case reading against the~~ black-on-champagne ~~dial~~.		The Pikachu is the champagne dial with black counters, not a black dial with yellow accents, and Rolex's own two names for it settle the point. Bilal Khan, writing at aBlogtoWatch from the 2017 launch, describes the dial as champagne with a sunray finish and black subdials, with hour markers in 18k yellow gold under black PVD and Chromalight inserts, and gold hands. “Pikachu” is collector shorthand for this yellow-gold, black-and-champagne combination; Rolex uses the catalogue names instead.

	The meteorite is the other dial that carries the reference. It arrived four years into the run, sits on the same black counters, and pairs a grey Widmanstätten pattern with gold markers.		The meteorite is the other dial that carries the reference. It arrived four years into the run, sits on the same black counters, and pairs a grey Widmanstätten pattern with gold markers.

			<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
			File:Ref 116518LN dial-detail.webp\|The champagne sunray face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and black-PVD-edged gold markers.
			File:Ref 116518LN dial.webp\|Reference 116518LN with the champagne-and-black "Pikachu" launch dial (model code M116518LN-0040), Rolex press image, Baselworld 2017.
			File:Ref 116518LN black.webp\|Black dial with snailed counters, Rolex model code M116518LN-0043.
			File:Ref 116518LN meteorite.webp\|Meteorite and black, Rolex model code M116518LN-0076, added to the catalogue in 2021.
			</gallery>

	==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==		==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==
			The case is 40mm in 18k yellow gold on the standard Oyster architecture: monobloc middle case, screw-down caseback, screw-down winding crown with the Triplock triple waterproofness system, and screw-down chronograph pushers. Water resistance is 100m / 330ft. Rolex publishes no case thickness for the reference.

	[[File:Ref 116518LN bezel.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|Case profile: the monobloc Cerachrom bezel holding the crystal against the middle case, with screw-down pushers and the Triplock crown.\|alt=Case profile: the monobloc Cerachrom bezel holding the crystal against the middle case, with screw-down pushers and the Triplock crown.]]		[[File:Ref 116518LN bezel.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|Case profile: the monobloc Cerachrom bezel holding the crystal against the middle case, with screw-down pushers and the Triplock crown.\|alt=Case profile: the monobloc Cerachrom bezel holding the crystal against the middle case, with screw-down pushers and the Triplock crown.]]

	The case is 40mm in 18k yellow gold on the standard Oyster architecture: monobloc middle case, screw-down caseback, screw-down winding crown with the Triplock triple waterproofness system, and screw-down chronograph pushers. Water resistance is 100m / 330ft. Rolex publishes no case thickness for the reference.

	The bezel is a single piece of black Cerachrom ceramic that holds the sapphire crystal against the middle case. In this usage, “monobloc” distinguishes it from a ceramic insert fitted into a separate metal bezel. The tachymetric scale is filled by depositing a thin layer of metal into the numerals by physical vapour deposition. Rolex's own description of the process has shifted over the reference's life. The 2017 launch page says "18 ct gold or platinum"; the 2022 pages for the same model codes say platinum only. On every Rolex image of the 116518LN the scale reads gold-toned, so the gold reading is the one the yellow gold watch supports.		The bezel is a single piece of black Cerachrom ceramic that holds the sapphire crystal against the middle case. In this usage, “monobloc” distinguishes it from a ceramic insert fitted into a separate metal bezel. The tachymetric scale is filled by depositing a thin layer of metal into the numerals by physical vapour deposition. Rolex's own description of the process has shifted over the reference's life. The 2017 launch page says "18 ct gold or platinum"; the 2022 pages for the same model codes say platinum only. On every Rolex image of the 116518LN the scale reads gold-toned, so the gold reading is the one the yellow gold watch supports.
Line 199:		Line 201:

	==Bracelets and clasps==		==Bracelets and clasps==
	~~[[File:Ref 116518LN bracelet.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|The~~ Oysterflex strap~~, elastomer overmoulded on a flexible~~ metal blade, with the ~~moulded lettering on~~ the ~~underside~~.~~\|alt=The Oysterflex~~ strap, ~~elastomer overmoulded on~~ a ~~flexible metal blade~~, ~~with~~ the ~~moulded lettering~~ on the ~~underside~~.]]		Oysterflex is not a rubber strap in the ordinary sense. A superelastic metal blade runs down the centre of each half, overmoulded with high-performance black elastomer, which gives the strap the retention of a bracelet and the flex of rubber. Underneath, longitudinal cushions hold the strap off the wrist, venting it and letting the wrist expand without the strap losing its grip. Sotheby's describes the internal plate as a titanium and nickel alloy, matching the description aBlogtoWatch gave when the system launched on the Yacht-Master in 2015.

	~~Oysterflex~~ is ~~not a rubber strap in~~ the ~~ordinary sense. A superelastic metal blade runs down the centre of each half, overmoulded with high-performance black elastomer~~, which gives ~~the strap the retention~~ of a bracelet and the flex of rubber. Underneath, longitudinal cushions hold the strap off the wrist, venting it and letting the wrist expand without the strap losing its grip. Sotheby's describes the internal plate as a titanium and nickel alloy, matching the description aBlogtoWatch gave when the system launched on the Yacht-~~Master in 2015~~.		The clasp is an 18k yellow gold folding Oysterlock safety clasp with the Easylink 5mm comfort extension, which gives 5mm of tool-free length adjustment.

	The ~~clasp is an 18k yellow gold folding Oysterlock safety clasp~~ with the ~~Easylink 5mm comfort extension, so~~ the strap ~~adjusts by~~ a ~~full link's worth without tools~~. No Glidelock and no Oyster bracelet were offered for the reference. For the wider Daytona bracelet and clasp chronology, see [[Reference:Bracelets]].		[[File:Ref 116518LN bracelet.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|The Oysterflex strap, elastomer overmoulded on a flexible metal blade, with the moulded lettering on the underside.\|alt=The Oysterflex strap, elastomer overmoulded on a flexible metal blade, with the moulded lettering on the underside.]] No Glidelock and no Oyster bracelet were offered for the reference. For the wider Daytona bracelet and clasp chronology, see [[Reference:Bracelets]].

	Oysterflex and its clasp should be inspected separately from the watch head. A replacement strap or clasp does not by itself date the case or establish original delivery.		Oysterflex and its clasp should be inspected separately from the watch head. A replacement strap or clasp does not by itself date the case or establish original delivery.
Line 211:		Line 213:
	===Gem-set dials===		===Gem-set dials===

	Four of the twelve documented dial codes are diamond-set, and all four carry Rolex's own gem-setting line on the spec grid. ~~That matters on a reference where aftermarket setting is common and hard to spot~~. On the 116518LN, champagne, black and white mother-of-pearl bases with diamond hour markers in 18 ct gold settings are catalogue configurations with model codes attached. Anything outside those four codes, including pavé, coloured-stone accents and gem-set bezels, needs major-house documentation before it can be read as factory work.		Four of the twelve documented dial codes are diamond-set, and all four carry Rolex's own gem-setting line on the spec grid. The model codes identify the catalogue-set configurations. On the 116518LN, champagne, black and white mother-of-pearl bases with diamond hour markers in 18 ct gold settings are catalogue configurations with model codes attached. Anything outside those four codes, including pavé, coloured-stone accents and gem-set bezels, needs major-house documentation before it can be read as factory work.

	~~===Price and market behaviour===~~

	Rolex's published US retail figure for the black-dial 116518LN was USD 28,500 as of late 2021. European launch pricing in March 2017 was reported by Monochrome at EUR 25,000 for the yellow gold version against EUR 26,150 for white gold and ~~Everose; the same publication gave EUR 25,250 and EUR 26,350 five months later, after the first of the annual increases that ran through the reference's life.~~		===Catalogue and sale context===

	The dial and auction records below ~~show different~~ catalogue and sale contexts. They do not establish a general supply or price ranking among the 116518LN dial variants.		The dial and auction records below document catalogue options and individual sale contexts. They do not establish a general supply or price ranking among the 116518LN dial variants.

	==Auction record==		==Auction record==
Line 256:		Line 256:

	See also the [[Reference:daytona\|Daytona family index]], [[Reference:daytona-glossary\|Daytona glossary]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet and clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].		See also the [[Reference:daytona\|Daytona family index]], [[Reference:daytona-glossary\|Daytona glossary]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet and clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].

			== Gallery ==
			<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
			Ref 116518LN hero.webp\|Reference 116518LN in yellow gold with the champagne-and-black launch dial
			Ref 116518LN dial-detail.webp\|Champagne-and-black dial detail
			Ref 116518LN dial.webp\|Baselworld 2017 launch configuration
			Ref 116518LN black.webp\|Black dial variant
			Ref 116518LN meteorite.webp\|Meteorite and black dial
			Ref 116518LN bezel.webp\|Black Cerachrom bezel and case profile
			Ref 116518LN bracelet.webp\|Oysterflex strap and clasp
			</gallery>

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

Klaudiusz: Anti-slop cleanup: related-reference punctuation.

2026-09-27T14:27:51Z

Anti-slop cleanup: related-reference punctuation.

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:27, 27 September 2026
Line 251:		Line 251:
	* [[Reference:116519LN\|Daytona 116519LN]]: White gold Cerachrom on Oysterflex, 2017–2023.		* [[Reference:116519LN\|Daytona 116519LN]]: White gold Cerachrom on Oysterflex, 2017–2023.
	* [[Reference:116515LN\|Daytona 116515LN]]: Everose gold Cerachrom, 2011–2023.		* [[Reference:116515LN\|Daytona 116515LN]]: Everose gold Cerachrom, 2011–2023.
	* [[Reference:116508\|Daytona 116508]] — Yellow gold on bracelet, ~~cal~~ 4130, 2016–2023		* [[Reference:116508\|Daytona 116508]]: Yellow gold on bracelet, caliber 4130, 2016–2023.
	* [[Reference:116500LN\|Daytona 116500LN]]: Steel Cerachrom, 2016–2023.		* [[Reference:116500LN\|Daytona 116500LN]]: Steel Cerachrom, 2016–2023.
	* [[Reference:116506\|Daytona 116506]]: Platinum, 50th anniversary, 2013.		* [[Reference:116506\|Daytona 116506]]: Platinum, 50th anniversary, 2013.

Klaudiusz: Final anti-slop cleanup: strap, auction, accessory, Cerachrom wording, and related-reference claims qualified.

2026-09-27T14:27:16Z

Final anti-slop cleanup: strap, auction, accessory, Cerachrom wording, and related-reference claims qualified.

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:27, 27 September 2026
Line 194:		Line 194:
	The case is 40mm in 18k yellow gold on the standard Oyster architecture: monobloc middle case, screw-down caseback, screw-down winding crown with the Triplock triple waterproofness system, and screw-down chronograph pushers. Water resistance is 100m / 330ft. Rolex publishes no case thickness for the reference.		The case is 40mm in 18k yellow gold on the standard Oyster architecture: monobloc middle case, screw-down caseback, screw-down winding crown with the Triplock triple waterproofness system, and screw-down chronograph pushers. Water resistance is 100m / 330ft. Rolex publishes no case thickness for the reference.

	The bezel is a single piece of black Cerachrom ceramic that holds the sapphire crystal against the middle case, ~~which is what "monobloc" means here — the bezel is structural, not an~~ insert in a metal ~~ring~~. The tachymetric scale is filled by depositing a thin layer of metal into the numerals by physical vapour deposition. Rolex's own description of the process has shifted over the reference's life. The 2017 launch page says "18 ct gold or platinum"; the 2022 pages for the same model codes say platinum only. On every Rolex image of the 116518LN the scale reads gold-toned, so the gold reading is the one the yellow gold watch supports.		The bezel is a single piece of black Cerachrom ceramic that holds the sapphire crystal against the middle case. In this usage, “monobloc” distinguishes it from a ceramic insert fitted into a separate metal bezel. The tachymetric scale is filled by depositing a thin layer of metal into the numerals by physical vapour deposition. Rolex's own description of the process has shifted over the reference's life. The 2017 launch page says "18 ct gold or platinum"; the 2022 pages for the same model codes say platinum only. On every Rolex image of the 116518LN the scale reads gold-toned, so the gold reading is the one the yellow gold watch supports.

	Rolex also changed how it described the scale itself, from "engraved tachymetric scale" in the 2017 to 2019 spec grids to "moulded tachymetric scale" by 2022. Phillips has continued to catalogue it as engraved. The bezel did not change; the wording did.		Rolex also changed how it described the scale itself, from "engraved tachymetric scale" in the 2017 to 2019 spec grids to "moulded tachymetric scale" by 2022. Phillips has continued to catalogue it as engraved. The bezel did not change; the wording did.
Line 205:		Line 205:
	The clasp is an 18k yellow gold folding Oysterlock safety clasp with the Easylink 5mm comfort extension, so the strap adjusts by a full link's worth without tools. No Glidelock and no Oyster bracelet were offered for the reference. For the wider Daytona bracelet and clasp chronology, see [[Reference:Bracelets]].		The clasp is an 18k yellow gold folding Oysterlock safety clasp with the Easylink 5mm comfort extension, so the strap adjusts by a full link's worth without tools. No Glidelock and no Oyster bracelet were offered for the reference. For the wider Daytona bracelet and clasp chronology, see [[Reference:Bracelets]].

	~~Elastomer ages differently from metal. The strap is a wear item,~~ and ~~a 116518LN that has been worn regularly for several years will often be on~~ its ~~second strap, with the original gold~~ clasp ~~carried across. Clasp and strap have to~~ be ~~assessed~~ separately from the watch head.		Oysterflex and its clasp should be inspected separately from the watch head. A replacement strap or clasp does not by itself date the case or establish original delivery.

	==Special branches==		==Special branches==

Klaudiusz: Deep correctness and anti-slop audit: Cerachrom chronology, catalogue claims, strap fitment, market language, and accessory evidence qualified.

2026-09-27T14:26:49Z

Deep correctness and anti-slop audit: Cerachrom chronology, catalogue claims, strap fitment, market language, and accessory evidence qualified.

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:26, 27 September 2026
Line 19:		Line 19:
	</div>		</div>

	~~The~~ 116518LN ~~is the~~ 18k yellow gold Daytona ~~Rolex introduced at Baselworld in March 2017, pairing~~ a black monobloc Cerachrom bezel ~~with the~~ Oysterflex strap. It ~~replaced~~ the engraved-gold-bezel, ~~alligator~~-strap [[Reference:116518\|116518]] ~~and shares five characters of reference number with it while changing almost everything a buyer looks at~~. Rolex's ~~own~~ launch ~~page put~~ it ~~alongside two siblings in~~ white gold ~~and Everose, the~~ [[Reference:116519LN\|116519LN]] and ~~the~~ [[Reference:116515LN\|116515LN]], as the first ~~Daytonas ever sold on an elastomer strap~~.		Rolex introduced the 116518LN in 2017 as an 18k yellow-gold Daytona with a black monobloc Cerachrom bezel and Oysterflex strap. It followed the engraved-gold-bezel, leather-strap [[Reference:116518\|116518]]. Rolex's launch material presented it with the white-gold [[Reference:116519LN\|116519LN]] and Everose [[Reference:116515LN\|116515LN]], the first Daytona references in the Oysterflex group.

	Rolex's name for the launch dial is "champagne and black", later restated as "golden and black": a sunray champagne face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and gold hour markers edged in black PVD. Collectors ~~named it the Pikachu,~~ and ~~the nickname stuck hard enough that it now travels ahead of the reference number~~. The 116518LN left the catalogue in 2023, when the cal 4131 generation replaced every Daytona at once.		Rolex's name for the launch dial is "champagne and black", later restated as "golden and black": a sunray champagne face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and gold hour markers edged in black PVD. Collectors commonly call this colour combination “Pikachu.” Rolex's catalogues use “champagne and black” and later “golden and black.” The 116518LN left the catalogue in 2023, when the cal 4131 generation replaced every Daytona at once.


Line 85:		Line 85:
	==Where it sits in the line==		==Where it sits in the line==

	Cerachrom ~~reached~~ the ~~Daytona long before it reached~~ the steel ~~references, and it reached~~ the ~~gold ones~~ first. Rolex's own 2011 model pages already carry a black monobloc Cerachrom bezel on the Everose [[Reference:116515LN\|116515LN]], then paired with a chocolate dial on a black leather strap. The steel [[Reference:116500LN\|116500LN]] did not get one until 2016. ~~Sotheby~~'s ~~cataloguing has stated instead that the Daytona's Cerachrom~~ bezel ~~was first fitted~~ to the ~~platinum [[Reference:116506\|116506]] in chestnut brown in 2013,~~ and ~~that black Cerachrom arrived with the 116500LN in 2016; Sotheby's own editorial gives 2011 for the gold rollout~~, which is ~~what Rolex's archived catalogue supports~~.		The Cerachrom chronology is easiest to follow from the dated model pages. Rolex shows a black Cerachrom bezel on the Everose 116515LN by 2011, while the steel 116500LN arrived in 2016. Sotheby's has published a different account that places the first Daytona Cerachrom bezel on the platinum 116506 in 2013; the sources should be read as competing chronology claims, not as a settled factory sequence. Rolex's own 2011 model pages already carry a black monobloc Cerachrom bezel on the Everose [[Reference:116515LN\|116515LN]], then paired with a chocolate dial on a black leather strap. The steel [[Reference:116500LN\|116500LN]] did not get one until 2016. The 116518LN's black bezel therefore belongs to the later gold-and-Oysterflex phase, regardless of which earlier Daytona is counted as the first Cerachrom example.

	What 2017 added was the strap. Oysterflex had launched on the Yacht-Master in 2015, and Baselworld 2017 brought it to three gold Daytonas simultaneously: yellow gold as the 116518LN with a champagne dial, white gold as the 116519LN with what Rolex called a "steel and black" dial, and Everose as the 116515LN, which had existed since 2011 and was re-cased onto the new strap. The engraved-bezel leather-strap gold ~~Daytonas~~ were ~~finished~~. The 116518LN is the yellow gold half of that changeover.		What 2017 added was the strap. Oysterflex had launched on the Yacht-Master in 2015, and Baselworld 2017 brought it to three gold Daytonas simultaneously: yellow gold as the 116518LN with a champagne dial, white gold as the 116519LN with what Rolex called a "steel and black" dial, and Everose as the 116515LN, which had existed since 2011 and was re-cased onto the new strap. The engraved-bezel leather-strap gold references were superseded in the catalogue by the Oysterflex versions. The 116518LN is the yellow gold half of that changeover.

	The reference sits between two generations of the same idea. Behind it is the 116518, which ran to around 2015 with an engraved gold tachymetre bezel and an alligator strap. Ahead of it is the 126518LN, launched March 2023 with cal 4131, which kept the Cerachrom-and-Oysterflex formula and moved the movement on.		The reference sits between two generations of the same idea. Behind it is the 116518, which ran to around 2015 with an engraved gold tachymetre bezel and an alligator strap. Ahead of it is the 126518LN, launched March 2023 with cal 4131, which kept the Cerachrom-and-Oysterflex formula and moved the movement on.
Line 95:		Line 95:
	Rolex introduced the reference in March 2017 and Sotheby's cataloguing agrees, describing it as introduced "in March 2017 at the Baselworld fair" together with its white and pink gold counterparts. Rolex's own Baselworld microsite page for the launch model was archived on 3 April 2017.		Rolex introduced the reference in March 2017 and Sotheby's cataloguing agrees, describing it as introduced "in March 2017 at the Baselworld fair" together with its white and pink gold counterparts. Rolex's own Baselworld microsite page for the launch model was archived on 3 April 2017.

	Dial codes accumulated in waves. The launch configuration and one variant appear in 2017 and 2018; a broader set of seven codes appears through 2018 and 2019, taking in white, champagne, black and three diamond-set layouts; the meteorite dial and a further diamond-set black dial appear in 2021. Sotheby's dates the meteorite introduction to 2021 ~~and calls it the most~~ sought-~~after version of the model~~, ~~which the archived catalogue supports~~.		Dial codes accumulated in waves. The launch configuration and one variant appear in 2017 and 2018; a broader set of seven codes appears through 2018 and 2019, taking in white, champagne, black and three diamond-set layouts; the meteorite dial and a further diamond-set black dial appear in 2021. Sotheby's dates the meteorite introduction to 2021. Its “most sought-after” wording is an auction-house description, not a production fact.

	The ~~end of~~ production ~~is clean~~. Rolex's Daytona catalogue still lists the whole 1165xx generation in February 2023 and lists none of it by June 2023; the cal 4131 references replaced them across the board following the announcement on 27 March 2023. Case serials through the run use the random eight-character alphanumeric format with no public year mapping, so guarantee cards and hang tags do the dating work. See [[Reference:Serial-numbers]] for the full key.		The catalogue transition is clear, although catalogue withdrawal and final case production are separate questions. Rolex's Daytona catalogue still lists the whole 1165xx generation in February 2023 and lists none of it by June 2023; the cal 4131 references replaced them across the board following the announcement on 27 March 2023. Case serials through the run use the random eight-character alphanumeric format with no public year mapping, so guarantee cards and hang tags do the dating work. See [[Reference:Serial-numbers]] for the full key.

	==Movement notes==		==Movement notes==
Line 217:		Line 217:
	Rolex's published US retail figure for the black-dial 116518LN was USD 28,500 as of late 2021. European launch pricing in March 2017 was reported by Monochrome at EUR 25,000 for the yellow gold version against EUR 26,150 for white gold and Everose; the same publication gave EUR 25,250 and EUR 26,350 five months later, after the first of the annual increases that ran through the reference's life.		Rolex's published US retail figure for the black-dial 116518LN was USD 28,500 as of late 2021. European launch pricing in March 2017 was reported by Monochrome at EUR 25,000 for the yellow gold version against EUR 26,150 for white gold and Everose; the same publication gave EUR 25,250 and EUR 26,350 five months later, after the first of the annual increases that ran through the reference's life.

	The ~~116518LN arrived into the middle of the Daytona allocation era~~ and ~~behaved accordingly~~. ~~Gold Daytonas on Oysterflex were less~~ supply~~-constrained than the steel 116500LN, though the Pikachu developed a following of its own on the strength of~~ the dial~~, and the meteorite from 2021 has consistently outrun the standard dials~~.		The dial and auction records below show different catalogue and sale contexts. They do not establish a general supply or price ranking among the 116518LN dial variants.

	==Auction record==		==Auction record==

	The ~~reference is thinly represented at the major houses, which is what~~ a ~~modern gold chronograph in wide production should look like. Most of the trade happens in retail and marketplace channels~~.		The auction examples below document individual watches and accessories. They are not a complete sales census.

	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
Line 244:		Line 244:
	\|}		\|}

	~~Full sets carry a clear premium on this reference~~, ~~more so than on the earlier gold Daytonas, because the watches are recent enough that guarantee~~ cards, hang tags and ~~outer packaging should still be present~~. ~~A 116518LN offered without its~~ card is ~~being offered~~ incomplete~~, not merely unaccompanied~~.		Boxes, cards, hang tags, and straps are accessories attached to the individual lot. Their presence can help document provenance, but an absent card does not by itself prove that the watch is incomplete or incorrect.

	==Related references==		==Related references==

	* [[Reference:116518\|Daytona 116518]] — Yellow gold, engraved bezel on leather, 2000–2015		* [[Reference:116518\|Daytona 116518]]: Yellow gold, engraved bezel on leather, 2000–2015.
	* [[Reference:116519LN\|Daytona 116519LN]] — White gold Cerachrom on Oysterflex, 2017–2023		* [[Reference:116519LN\|Daytona 116519LN]]: White gold Cerachrom on Oysterflex, 2017–2023.
	* [[Reference:116515LN\|Daytona 116515LN]] — Everose gold Cerachrom, 2011–2023		* [[Reference:116515LN\|Daytona 116515LN]]: Everose gold Cerachrom, 2011–2023.
	* [[Reference:116508\|Daytona 116508]] — Yellow gold on bracelet, cal 4130, 2016–2023		* [[Reference:116508\|Daytona 116508]] — Yellow gold on bracelet, cal 4130, 2016–2023
	* [[Reference:116500LN\|Daytona 116500LN]] — Steel Cerachrom, 2016–2023		* [[Reference:116500LN\|Daytona 116500LN]]: Steel Cerachrom, 2016–2023.
	* [[Reference:116506\|Daytona 116506]] — Platinum, 50th anniversary, 2013		* [[Reference:116506\|Daytona 116506]]: Platinum, 50th anniversary, 2013.

	See also the [[Reference:daytona\|Daytona family index]], [[Reference:daytona-glossary\|Daytona glossary]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet and clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].		See also the [[Reference:daytona\|Daytona family index]], [[Reference:daytona-glossary\|Daytona glossary]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet and clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].

Admin: SEO fix: add missing alt attributes to images

2026-09-19T03:35:10Z

SEO fix: add missing alt attributes to images

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:35, 19 September 2026
Line 190:		Line 190:

	==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==		==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==
	[[File:Ref 116518LN bezel.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|Case profile: the monobloc Cerachrom bezel holding the crystal against the middle case, with screw-down pushers and the Triplock crown.]]		[[File:Ref 116518LN bezel.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|Case profile: the monobloc Cerachrom bezel holding the crystal against the middle case, with screw-down pushers and the Triplock crown.\|alt=Case profile: the monobloc Cerachrom bezel holding the crystal against the middle case, with screw-down pushers and the Triplock crown.]]

	The case is 40mm in 18k yellow gold on the standard Oyster architecture: monobloc middle case, screw-down caseback, screw-down winding crown with the Triplock triple waterproofness system, and screw-down chronograph pushers. Water resistance is 100m / 330ft. Rolex publishes no case thickness for the reference.		The case is 40mm in 18k yellow gold on the standard Oyster architecture: monobloc middle case, screw-down caseback, screw-down winding crown with the Triplock triple waterproofness system, and screw-down chronograph pushers. Water resistance is 100m / 330ft. Rolex publishes no case thickness for the reference.
Line 199:		Line 199:

	==Bracelets and clasps==		==Bracelets and clasps==
	[[File:Ref 116518LN bracelet.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|The Oysterflex strap, elastomer overmoulded on a flexible metal blade, with the moulded lettering on the underside.]]		[[File:Ref 116518LN bracelet.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|The Oysterflex strap, elastomer overmoulded on a flexible metal blade, with the moulded lettering on the underside.\|alt=The Oysterflex strap, elastomer overmoulded on a flexible metal blade, with the moulded lettering on the underside.]]

	Oysterflex is not a rubber strap in the ordinary sense. A superelastic metal blade runs down the centre of each half, overmoulded with high-performance black elastomer, which gives the strap the retention of a bracelet and the flex of rubber. Underneath, longitudinal cushions hold the strap off the wrist, venting it and letting the wrist expand without the strap losing its grip. Sotheby's describes the internal plate as a titanium and nickel alloy, matching the description aBlogtoWatch gave when the system launched on the Yacht-Master in 2015.		Oysterflex is not a rubber strap in the ordinary sense. A superelastic metal blade runs down the centre of each half, overmoulded with high-performance black elastomer, which gives the strap the retention of a bracelet and the flex of rubber. Underneath, longitudinal cushions hold the strap off the wrist, venting it and letting the wrist expand without the strap losing its grip. Sotheby's describes the internal plate as a titanium and nickel alloy, matching the description aBlogtoWatch gave when the system launched on the Yacht-Master in 2015.

Klaudiusz: Replace portrait hero with genuine landscape Bonhams lot photo; re-home Rolex press shot into Dial map gallery

2026-09-13T17:12:10Z

Replace portrait hero with genuine landscape Bonhams lot photo; re-home Rolex press shot into Dial map gallery

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:12, 13 September 2026
Line 16:		Line 16:

	<div class="rp-lead">		<div class="rp-lead">
	[[File:Ref 116518LN hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Reference 116518LN in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black dial ~~collectors call the Pikachu~~. ~~Rolex press image~~, ~~Baselworld 2017~~.\|Reference 116518LN in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black dial ~~collectors call the Pikachu~~. ~~Rolex press image~~, ~~Baselworld 2017~~.]]		[[File:Ref 116518LN hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Reference 116518LN in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black Pikachu dial, black Cerachrom bezel and Oysterflex strap, shown with box and papers. Bonhams Hong Kong, 30 May 2023, lot 870.\|Reference 116518LN in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black Pikachu dial, black Cerachrom bezel and Oysterflex strap, shown with box and papers. Bonhams Hong Kong, 30 May 2023, lot 870.]]
	</div>		</div>

Line 110:		Line 110:
	<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">		<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
	File:Ref 116518LN dial-detail.webp\|The champagne sunray face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and black-PVD-edged gold markers.		File:Ref 116518LN dial-detail.webp\|The champagne sunray face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and black-PVD-edged gold markers.
			File:Ref 116518LN dial.webp\|Reference 116518LN with the champagne-and-black "Pikachu" launch dial (model code M116518LN-0040), Rolex press image, Baselworld 2017.
	File:Ref 116518LN black.webp\|Black dial with snailed counters, Rolex model code M116518LN-0043.		File:Ref 116518LN black.webp\|Black dial with snailed counters, Rolex model code M116518LN-0043.
	File:Ref 116518LN meteorite.webp\|Meteorite and black, Rolex model code M116518LN-0076, added to the catalogue in 2021.		File:Ref 116518LN meteorite.webp\|Meteorite and black, Rolex model code M116518LN-0076, added to the catalogue in 2021.

Admin: Layout: restore the original lead caption

2026-09-06T22:57:44Z

Layout: restore the original lead caption

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:57, 6 September 2026
Line 16:		Line 16:

	<div class="rp-lead">		<div class="rp-lead">
	[[File:Ref 116518LN hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex ~~Cosmograph Daytona~~ 116518LN\|Rolex ~~Cosmograph Daytona 116518LN~~]]		[[File:Ref 116518LN hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Reference 116518LN in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black dial collectors call the Pikachu. Rolex press image, Baselworld 2017.\|Reference 116518LN in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black dial collectors call the Pikachu. Rolex press image, Baselworld 2017.]]
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Layout: hero refreshed

2026-09-06T22:51:42Z

Layout: hero refreshed

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:51, 6 September 2026
Line 16:		Line 16:

	<div class="rp-lead">		<div class="rp-lead">
	[[File:Ref 116518LN hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=~~Reference~~ 116518LN ~~in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black dial collectors call the Pikachu.~~ Rolex ~~press image, Baselworld 2017.\|Reference~~ 116518LN ~~in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black dial collectors call the Pikachu. Rolex press image, Baselworld 2017.~~]]		[[File:Ref 116518LN hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116518LN\|Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116518LN]]
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Layout: hero promoted to lead

2026-09-06T22:26:53Z

Layout: hero promoted to lead

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:26, 6 September 2026
Line 14:		Line 14:

	<small>[[Reference:daytona\|Daytona]] › '''116518LN'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:daytona\|Daytona]] › '''116518LN'''</small>

			<div class="rp-lead">
			[[File:Ref 116518LN hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Reference 116518LN in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black dial collectors call the Pikachu. Rolex press image, Baselworld 2017.\|Reference 116518LN in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black dial collectors call the Pikachu. Rolex press image, Baselworld 2017.]]
			</div>

	The 116518LN is the 18k yellow gold Daytona Rolex introduced at Baselworld in March 2017, pairing a black monobloc Cerachrom bezel with the Oysterflex strap. It replaced the engraved-gold-bezel, alligator-strap [[Reference:116518\|116518]] and shares five characters of reference number with it while changing almost everything a buyer looks at. Rolex's own launch page put it alongside two siblings in white gold and Everose, the [[Reference:116519LN\|116519LN]] and the [[Reference:116515LN\|116515LN]], as the first Daytonas ever sold on an elastomer strap.		The 116518LN is the 18k yellow gold Daytona Rolex introduced at Baselworld in March 2017, pairing a black monobloc Cerachrom bezel with the Oysterflex strap. It replaced the engraved-gold-bezel, alligator-strap [[Reference:116518\|116518]] and shares five characters of reference number with it while changing almost everything a buyer looks at. Rolex's own launch page put it alongside two siblings in white gold and Everose, the [[Reference:116519LN\|116519LN]] and the [[Reference:116515LN\|116515LN]], as the first Daytonas ever sold on an elastomer strap.
Line 19:		Line 23:
	Rolex's name for the launch dial is "champagne and black", later restated as "golden and black": a sunray champagne face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and gold hour markers edged in black PVD. Collectors named it the Pikachu, and the nickname stuck hard enough that it now travels ahead of the reference number. The 116518LN left the catalogue in 2023, when the cal 4131 generation replaced every Daytona at once.		Rolex's name for the launch dial is "champagne and black", later restated as "golden and black": a sunray champagne face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and gold hour markers edged in black PVD. Collectors named it the Pikachu, and the nickname stuck hard enough that it now travels ahead of the reference number. The 116518LN left the catalogue in 2023, when the cal 4131 generation replaced every Daytona at once.

	[[File:Ref 116518LN hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|340px\|alt=Reference 116518LN yellow gold Daytona with champagne and black Pikachu dial on Oysterflex strap\|Reference 116518LN in 18k yellow gold with the champagne-and-black dial collectors call the Pikachu. Rolex press image, Baselworld 2017.]]

	==Core facts==		==Core facts==

Admin: Layout: 1 gallery plate(s)

2026-09-06T22:20:49Z

Layout: 1 gallery plate(s)

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:20, 6 September 2026
Line 105:		Line 105:

	==Dial map==		==Dial map==
	[[File:Ref 116518LN dial-detail.webp~~\|thumb\|right\|260px~~\|The champagne sunray face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and black-PVD-edged gold markers.]]		<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
	[[File:Ref 116518LN black.webp~~\|thumb\|right\|240px~~\|Black dial with snailed counters, Rolex model code M116518LN-0043.]]		File:Ref 116518LN dial-detail.webp\|The champagne sunray face with three snailed black counters, gold hands and black-PVD-edged gold markers.
	[[File:Ref 116518LN meteorite.webp~~\|thumb\|right\|240px~~\|Meteorite and black, Rolex model code M116518LN-0076, added to the catalogue in 2021.]]		File:Ref 116518LN black.webp\|Black dial with snailed counters, Rolex model code M116518LN-0043.
			File:Ref 116518LN meteorite.webp\|Meteorite and black, Rolex model code M116518LN-0076, added to the catalogue in 2021.
			</gallery>

	Twelve dial codes are documented across the run, every one of them a Rolex catalogue option. Gem-setting on this reference is factory work, and Rolex's own spec grids for four of the codes carry the line "diamonds in 18 ct gold settings".		Twelve dial codes are documented across the run, every one of them a Rolex catalogue option. Gem-setting on this reference is factory work, and Rolex's own spec grids for four of the codes carry the line "diamonds in 18 ct gold settings".

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:27, 27 September 2026
Line 251:		Line 251:
	* [[Reference:116519LN\|Daytona 116519LN]]: White gold Cerachrom on Oysterflex, 2017–2023.		* [[Reference:116519LN\|Daytona 116519LN]]: White gold Cerachrom on Oysterflex, 2017–2023.
	* [[Reference:116515LN\|Daytona 116515LN]]: Everose gold Cerachrom, 2011–2023.		* [[Reference:116515LN\|Daytona 116515LN]]: Everose gold Cerachrom, 2011–2023.
	* [[Reference:116508\|Daytona 116508]] — Yellow gold on bracelet, ~~cal~~ 4130, 2016–2023		* [[Reference:116508\|Daytona 116508]]: Yellow gold on bracelet, caliber 4130, 2016–2023.
	* [[Reference:116500LN\|Daytona 116500LN]]: Steel Cerachrom, 2016–2023.		* [[Reference:116500LN\|Daytona 116500LN]]: Steel Cerachrom, 2016–2023.
	* [[Reference:116506\|Daytona 116506]]: Platinum, 50th anniversary, 2013.		* [[Reference:116506\|Daytona 116506]]: Platinum, 50th anniversary, 2013.