Jump to content

Reference:116509: Difference between revisions

From Rolexopedia
[checked revision][checked revision]
← Older edit
VisualWikitext
SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps
Deep audit: clean 116509 gallery and related-reference prose
 
(9 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 116509 Daytona}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 116509 Daytona}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex Daytona 116509 — White Gold on Bracelet, Stone Dials | BezelBase
|title=Rolex Daytona 116509 — White Gold on Oyster Bracelet | Rolexopedia
|description=Rolex Daytona 116509: the only cal 4130 Daytona built on a white gold Oyster bracelet, produced 2004–2023 with an engraved white gold tachymetre bezel. Dial branches across black, silver, blue, meteorite, chrysoprase, turquoise and sodalite, with the major-house auction record for each.
|description=Reference guide to the Rolex Daytona 116509: its 2004 introduction, Calibre 4130, white-gold bracelet, documented dial examples and auction record.
|keywords=Rolex 116509, Daytona 116509, white gold Daytona, cal 4130, meteorite dial, chrysoprase dial, turquoise dial, sodalite APH dial, 78499 bracelet
|keywords=Rolex 116509, Daytona 116509, white gold Daytona, cal 4130, meteorite dial, chrysoprase dial, turquoise dial, sodalite APH dial, 78499 bracelet
|image=Ref 116509 hero.webp
|image=Ref 116509 hero.webp
Line 9: Line 9:
|og_type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-08-10T07:14:47Z
|published_time=2026-08-10T07:14:47Z
|modified_time=2026-08-10T07:16:37Z
|modified_time=2026-09-25T08:54:19Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


<small>[[Reference:daytona|Daytona]] -> '''116509'''</small>
<small>[[Reference:daytona|Daytona]] › '''116509'''</small>


The 116509 is the full white gold expression of the in-house Daytona generation, and the only cal 4130 Daytona Rolex shipped on a white gold Oyster bracelet from launch. It arrived in 2004, four years after the 116520, 116523, and 116528 opened the cal 4130 era at Baselworld 2000. White gold 40mm case, engraved white gold tachymetre bezel, white gold Oyster bracelet, the same vertical-clutch column-wheel cal 4130 inside. Production ran nearly twenty years before the 126509 took its place with cal 4131.
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 116509 hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex Daytona reference 116509 in white gold with a black dial and matching Oyster bracelet|Rolex Daytona reference 116509 in white gold with a black dial and matching Oyster bracelet]]
</div>


[[File:Ref 116509 hero.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116509 in 18k white gold with black dial and white gold Oyster bracelet|116509 in white gold with the black launch dial and white gold Oyster bracelet — Christie's Hong Kong, May 2011]]
The 116509 is a 40 mm Daytona in 18 ct white gold, with a matching Oyster bracelet and an engraved white-gold tachymetric bezel. It uses Calibre 4130. Christie's dates its introduction to 2004. Rolex introduced the successor 126509 with Calibre 4131 in 2023. Auction catalogues document several dial configurations, but they do not provide a complete factory dial list.


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


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
! detail !! value
! detail !! value
|-
|-
| reference || 116509
| reference || 116509
|-
|-
| family || Daytona (Cosmograph)
| family || Cosmograph Daytona
|-
|-
| production || 2004–c.2023
| production || introduced 2004; succeeded in 2023
|-
|-
| case || 40mm, 18k white gold
| case || 40 mm, 18 ct white gold
|-
|-
| crystal || flat sapphire, no Cyclops
| crystal || sapphire; no date magnifier
|-
|-
| bezel || engraved 18k white gold tachymetre, fixed
| bezel || fixed, engraved tachymetric scale in 18 ct white gold
|-
|-
| crown || Triplock screw-down, white gold
| crown || screw-down Triplock
|-
|-
| movement || caliber 4130, COSC, in-house
| movement || automatic Calibre 4130, chronometer-certified
|-
|-
| frequency || 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
| frequency || 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
|-
|-
| power reserve || 72 hours
| power reserve || approximately 72 hours
|-
|-
| jewels || 44
| jewels || 44
|-
|-
| water resistance || 100m / 330ft
| water resistance || 100 m / 330 ft
|-
|-
| bracelet || 18k white gold Oyster, SEL
| bracelet || 18 ct white-gold Oyster; references 78499 and 78599 are documented
|-
|-
| clasp || Oysterlock with Easylink 5mm comfort extension
| clasp || Oysterlock; Easylink depends on bracelet version
|-
|-
| serial format || F-series (2004) through random alphanumeric (2010 onward)
| serials || letter prefixes followed by randomized alphanumeric serials around 2010; see [[Reference:Serial-numbers]]
|-
|-
| predecessor || 16519 (Zenith cal 4030, white gold on leather)
| predecessor || 16519, white gold on leather with Calibre 4030
|-
|-
| successor || 126509 (cal 4131, out of scope)
| successor || 126509, Calibre 4131
|-
|-
| siblings || 116520 steel, 116523 Rolesor, 116528 yellow gold, 116519 white gold on leather, 116518 yellow gold on leather
| related references || 116520 steel; 116523 Rolesor; 116519 white gold on leather
|}
|}


== Where it sits in the line ==
== Where it sits in the line ==


The 116509 is the white gold bracelet flagship of the in-house cal 4130 generation. It launched four years after the rest of the gen-1 family — Rolex held the white-gold-on-white-gold-bracelet configuration back from the Baselworld 2000 launch and introduced it in 2004 as a separate model. Christie's puts the point plainly in its catalogue essay for a 2006-guarantee example: the 116509 was the first white gold Daytona fitted to a white gold bracelet. Through the Zenith era there was no full-bracelet white gold Daytona at all: the 16519 ran from 1997 to 2000 in white gold on a leather strap, and Rolex never built a 16519 on a white gold Oyster.
Rolex introduced the first automatic Daytona with its own Calibre 4130 in 2000. The launch line included steel and gold versions; the white-gold 116519 used a leather strap. Christie's dates the 116509 to 2004 and identifies it as the first Daytona offered with a white-gold Oyster bracelet. Its earlier white-gold predecessor, the 16519, used Zenith-derived Calibre 4030 and a leather strap. The 116509 therefore belongs to the in-house 4130 generation, not the earlier Zenith run.
 
The 116509 broke that pattern. White gold is the heaviest of the precious-metal Daytona materials, and putting it on a full bracelet shifted the reference's market position decisively toward statement-piece territory. Its leather-strap sibling, the 116519, continued the Zenith-era white-gold-on-strap configuration alongside it. Both shared the cal 4130 platform and the 40mm Oyster case forging.


The 2017 [[Reference:116519LN|116519LN]] later replaced the 116519's metal bezel with a black Cerachrom on Oysterflex. The 116509 stayed on its engraved white gold bezel and white gold bracelet for the full run, and the successor 126509 (cal 4131, 2023) sits outside this article's scope.
The later 116519LN added a Cerachrom bezel and Oysterflex bracelet to the white-gold Daytona line in 2017. The 116509 retained its engraved gold bezel and metal bracelet. In 2023, Rolex replaced the 4130 generation with Calibre 4131; the current white-gold bracelet model is reference 126509.


== Production outline ==
== Production outline ==


Production runs 2004 to roughly 2023, an unusually long run on a single reference number even by Daytona standards. Within that span the watch tracks the same cal 4130 platform revisions as the rest of the gen-1 family — there is no distinct 116509 generation chronology, only the shared movement, lume, and clasp updates that swept across the cal 4130 catalogue.
Auction records place the 116509 in production from 2004. Rolex introduced the 126509 and Calibre 4131 in 2023, which gives a reasonable endpoint for the 116509 run. The sources here do not establish exact serial cutoffs for either year. Rolex's randomized serials began around 2010, during the final letter-prefix period; after that change, a case serial does not provide a public production-year chart. A dated guarantee can anchor an individual watch more closely.
 
The serial format transitions from the letter-prefix system to random alphanumeric in mid-2010, the cutover that affected the entire Rolex catalogue. Pre-2010 examples carry the conventional letter prefix; F-series serials anchor 2004 first-year production. From mid-2010 onward the serial is a random eight-character alphanumeric string with no public year mapping. See [[Reference:Serial-numbers]] for the full key.


The lume changes through the run. Early 116509 production carries Luminova; Super-Luminova replaces it within the first few years; Chromalight arrives later. The exact cutover years are debated in collector circles and published sources do not converge on specific dates. Every 116509 sits on the post-tritium side of the 1998–2000 cutover that ended radioactive lume on Rolex Sport models.
The APH spacing error in “COSMOGRAPH” is documented on some 116520 dials by Phillips. Bonhams catalogued one 116509 with the same spacing: a sodalite dial with diamond-set indexes, circa 2011. That lot extends the documented examples to white gold; it does not establish an APH production range for the 116509.
 
The APH kerning error — the compressed spacing in "COSMOGRAPH" that Phillips's Logan Baker documents on a portion of 116520 black and white dial production from 2009 to 2010 — is usually described as a steel-case phenomenon. It is not confined to steel. Bonhams catalogued a white gold 116509 with a blue sodalite dial, diamond-set indexes and the APH spacing, circa 2011, in its Hong Kong Luxury Online sale of February 2026 (lot 1034). One catalogued example does not establish a production run, but it does put the misprint inside white gold dial production.
 
Easylink arrived on the cal 4130 generation around 2002 to 2003. Earliest 116509 production carried the Oysterlock without it; Easylink-equipped clasps are the standard from mid-production onward.


== Movement notes ==
== Movement notes ==


Caliber 4130 sits inside every 116509 — the same movement that powers the 116520, 116523, and 116528. Vertical-clutch chronograph coupling, column-wheel switching rather than cam, 72-hour power reserve, 44 jewels, 28,800 vph, COSC certification, Parachrom blue hairspring on later production. Hour and minute counters share a single side of the movement; the mainspring can be replaced without uncasing.
Calibre 4130 is a self-winding chronograph with a column wheel and vertical clutch. Rolex's technical account says the movement reduced the chronograph mechanism's component count by 60 per cent compared with its predecessor. It also combined the hour and minute counter mechanisms in one module on one side of the movement, leaving room for a larger mainspring and a power reserve of about 72 hours. Auction catalogues identify Calibre 4130 with 44 jewels; the movement reference page records a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.


The headline detail is shared across the generation: cal 4130 is Rolex's first wholly in-house chronograph movement, launched in 2000 after a development cycle the brand described as five years long. Thirty-seven years of bought-in chronograph bases — the Valjoux 72 family from 1963, the Zenith El Primero base from 1988 — ended when the 4130 launched. The 116509 inherits that platform from a 2004 production date rather than 2000, and every example carries the architecture in mature form.
Rolex introduced a Parachrom hairspring with Calibre 4130 in 2000. The alloy was not blue at first: Rolex says it began applying the blue surface treatment in 2005. That distinction matters when comparing early 4130 examples with later movements. The 4130 remained in the Daytona line until Rolex introduced Calibre 4131 in 2023. See [[Reference:Movements#cal-4130|Calibre 4130]] for the broader technical comparison.


For the full caliber lineage and the 4030-to-4130 architecture comparison see [[Reference:Movements#cal-4130]].
== Dial map ==


== Dial map ==
The examples below are identified in auction catalogues. Their guarantee dates and catalogue descriptions document individual watches; they do not establish the start or end of a dial option. The auction houses also differ in how they describe dial colors and materials. For example, Christie's suggested that the yellow mother-of-pearl dial on one circa-2004 watch may have been mounted at an owner's request.
[[File:Ref 116509 dial-blue.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Daytona 116509 blue dial|Blue dial, case 2919G249 — Christie's New York, June 2024]]
[[File:Ref 116509 dial-chrysoprase.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Daytona 116509 chrysoprase stone dial|Chrysoprase stone dial with applied Roman numerals — Christie's Dubai Edit, October 2022]]
[[File:Ref 116509 dial-turquoise.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Daytona 116509 turquoise stone dial|Turquoise stone dial — Christie's Dubai Edit, October 2023]]
[[File:Ref 116509 dial-sodalite-aph.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Daytona 116509 sodalite dial with diamond indexes|Sodalite dial with diamond-set indexes and the APH spacing, circa 2011 — Bonhams Hong Kong, February 2026]]


The 116509 carries the broadest dial catalogue of any cal 4130 generation reference. Twenty years of production on a single reference number, combined with the white gold case's higher catalogue tier, produced a dial range that runs from sober black to figured stone to diamond-set. Several dials are known from a handful of examples only.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 116509 dial-blue.webp|alt=Blue dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Blue dial, circa 2005 example, Antiquorum, Hong Kong, 2019
File:Ref 116509 dial-chrysoprase.webp|alt=Green chrysoprase dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Green chrysoprase dial, Christie's, New York, 2022
File:Ref 116509 dial-turquoise.webp|alt=Turquoise dial with Roman numerals on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Turquoise dial with Roman numerals, Christie's, Dubai, 2023
File:Ref 116509 dial-sodalite-aph.webp|alt=Sodalite dial with diamond-set indexes and APH spacing on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Sodalite dial with diamond-set indexes and APH spacing, Bonhams, Hong Kong, 2026
</gallery>


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! variant !! years !! distinguishing features !! notes
! documented dial !! catalogue evidence and limits
|-
| Black, applied gold markers || 2004–2023 || Black dial; applied luminous markers with white gold surrounds; white gold hands || Standard launch configuration, documented at auction across the full run
|-
| Black with red "Daytona" script || mid-to-late production || High-gloss black dial; red "Daytona" text above the 6 o'clock sub-register || Late-production black configuration; matches the catalogue treatment of the 116528 sibling
|-
| Meteorite, applied markers || 2006 onward || Natural meteorite slice with Widmanstätten crystalline pattern; applied white gold markers || Each meteorite dial is geologically unique. Antiquorum catalogued a meteorite example retailed July 2006 (Geneva, November 2022, lot 313), which places the dial in early production; dealer timelines giving 2008 are unsupported by the auction record. Continues through to discontinuation
|-
|-
| Silver / "ghost" || 2004–2023 || Silver-toned base; applied luminous markers; silver-tone or white-tone sub-registers || Standard alternative to black across the run; later "ghost" examples carry a flatter silver tone with bright white sub-rings. Auction listings sometimes describe this configuration as a white-on-white treatment
| Black || Christie's catalogued a black dial on a 2006-manufactured example in 2011 and another circa-2007 example in 2022. The examples have applied Arabic numerals and red details; the catalogues do not establish a single black-dial layout for the full run.
|-
|-
| Racing (silver) || late production || Silver dial with black sub-dials and red "Daytona" script; Arabic numerals on the sub-dials with luminous fill || The white-gold-case parallel to the steel 116520's racing dial. Late-run variant; documentation on production span is thin
| Blue || Antiquorum catalogued a circa-2005 example with its certificate of origin. Christie's later recorded a blue dial with a 2021 guarantee. These are dated examples, not a complete introduction-to-discontinuation range.
|-
|-
| Slate grey || late production || Slate-grey dial with applied white gold markers; matching slate sub-registers || Documented in late catalogues; less common than black or silver
| Meteorite || An Antiquorum lot had a warranty recording a July 2006 retail date. Bonhams also catalogued a meteorite-dial example purchased in 2013. The 2006 warranty establishes an early example, not the start of production.
|-
|-
| Blue, applied markers || c.2005 onward || Bright blue lacquer dial with applied white gold markers and luminous surrounds || Antiquorum catalogued a blue-dial example, case D944961, as circa 2005 with its certificate of origin (Hong Kong, October 2019, lot 261), so the colourway runs from early production; a 2016 introduction date circulates in dealer timelines but the lot record does not support it. Carries through to discontinuation
| Chrysoprase || Christie's catalogued one example with a 2006 guarantee and another with a 2016 guarantee. In the latter lot essay, Christie's said the dial may have been mounted at the owner's request; that example alone does not establish factory fitment.
|-
|-
| Mother-of-pearl (white) || mid-to-late production || White iridescent MOP base; white gold luminous surrounds || Documented as a catalogue configuration; volume unrecorded
| Turquoise || Christie's catalogued a circa-2005 example with applied Roman numerals in 2023.
|-
|-
| Mother-of-pearl (Tahitian) || mid-to-late production || Dark Tahitian MOP centre; white gold surrounds || Less common than white MOP
| Sodalite || Bonhams catalogued a circa-2011 sodalite dial with diamond-set indexes and APH spacing in 2026. This is one documented example.
|-
|-
| Chrysoprase (green stone) || c.2006 onward || Opaque apple-green chrysoprase slice; applied white gold markers || The most consistently strong 116509 configuration at auction. Christie's has catalogued examples from a 2006 guarantee (New York, December 2022, lot 59) through a 2016 guarantee (Dubai Edit, October 2022, lot 138)
| Silver racing || Bonhams catalogued a silver “race” dial on a circa-2006 example in 2023. The auction record establishes the described watch, not a production range.
|-
|-
| Turquoise || c.2005 onward || Opaque turquoise stone slice; applied Roman numerals || Christie's catalogued a circa-2005 example with Roman numerals in the Dubai Edit, October 2023, lot 95
| Mother-of-pearl || Phillips catalogued a 2021 example with a Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial and diamond indexes. Christie's also catalogued a circa-2004 yellow mother-of-pearl dial and noted that it might have been owner-requested. Those records do not establish how many mother-of-pearl versions were factory options.
|-
| Sodalite (blue stone) || c.2011 || Deep blue sodalite slice with white veining; diamond-set indexes || Documented by Bonhams (Hong Kong, February 2026, lot 1034), the same lot that carries the APH dial spacing
|-
| Diamond-set markers || mid-to-late production || Applied diamond hour markers on black, silver, MOP, or stone base || Factory diamond configuration; lot-by-lot authentication required
|}
|}


Stone dials are the 116509's distinguishing branch. Where the steel 116520 ran a narrow palette, the white gold reference carried chrysoprase, turquoise and sodalite alongside meteorite and mother-of-pearl, and the auction record shows those stone configurations clearing multiples of what black and silver examples achieve.
=== Meteorite examples ===


The "Albino" framing — full white-on-white treatment — circulates in collector conversation around the silver / silver-ghost configuration. The label has historical weight on the manual-wind 6263, where Tom Bolt's documented 6238 Pre-Daytona service-dial creation produced three known examples in the lineage that includes Eric Clapton's watch (Jose Pereztroika's December 2025 piece on Perezcope). On the 116509, no published primary source uses "Albino" as a factory designation, and no major-house lot frames a 116509 silver dial that way. The 116509 silver-on-silver configuration is its own variant, not a continuation of the 6263 Albino lineage. Where collector chatter applies the term, it describes an appearance and carries no reference-level meaning.
The two images show catalogued meteorite dials, not a complete visual record of the variant. The 2006 warranty date is the earliest delivery evidence among the cited lots.
 
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 116509 dial-meteorite.webp|alt=Meteorite dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Meteorite dial — Bonhams, London, 2020
File:Ref 116509 dial-meteorite-detail.webp|alt=Close view of the meteorite pattern on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Meteorite dial detail — Antiquorum, Geneva, 2022
</gallery>


== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==


The 116509 case is 40mm in 18k white gold. Fratello's Ben Hodges measured a steel 116520 case at 38.5mm with calipers in 2021 and attributed the discrepancy to Rolex's steel case-machining tolerances; gold and platinum cases in Rolex's modern catalogue generally run closer to the marketed nameplate, though no published caliper measurement of the white gold 116509 exists to confirm it. Lug-to-lug tracks the rest of the gen-1 family at 46mm.
Christie's catalogues the case at 40 mm. It is made from 18 ct white gold, with a fixed bezel engraved with a tachymetric scale. The crystal is sapphire, and the date-free dial has no Cyclops magnifier. The screw-down Triplock crown and pushers are part of the case's 100 m water-resistance system. Unscrew the pushers before using the chronograph and screw them down again afterward.
 
The bezel is engraved 18k white gold with the tachymetre scale — no aluminium insert, no ceramic. White gold is markedly softer than steel and shows handling marks more readily, and the engraved white gold bezel carries a brighter, slightly satin reflection compared with the cooler matte of the steel 116520's tachymetre. Cerachrom did not arrive on the white gold Daytona case until the 2017 116519LN release; the 116509 stays on its engraved metal bezel through its full run. The crystal is flat sapphire with no Cyclops; the running-seconds sub-dial sits at 6 o'clock. The Triplock crown handles 100m / 330ft water resistance, with screw-down chronograph pushers either side. Pushers must be unscrewed before the chronograph can be started — the same trade-off the rest of the cal 4130 generation carries for the case's water rating.


== Bracelets, end links, and clasps ==
== Bracelets, end links, and clasps ==
[[File:Ref 116509 bracelet-detail.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Rolex Daytona 116509 engraved white gold tachymetre bezel and Oyster bracelet|Engraved white gold tachymetre bezel and the white gold Oyster bracelet]]


The bracelet is the full 18k white gold Oyster SEL — the white-gold-cast parallel to the steel 116520's 78490 and the Rolesor 116523's 78493. End links are integral to the bracelet (SEL — solid end links) rather than a separable stamped piece. The bracelet sits flat against the lugs in the way the modern Daytona Oyster does on every gen-1 reference. The 78490 / 78690 attribution dispute documented for the steel 116520 is treated in that article. Most auction copy identifies the 116509's bracelet by material and not by number, but Antiquorum's Hong Kong catalogue for October 2019 records it as the 78499, which is the closest thing to a settled reference number for the white gold Oyster.
The reference was sold with a matching white-gold Oyster bracelet. Auction catalogues identify 78499 on several examples. A June 2012 Rolex price list specifies 78599 for the 116509 and also lists 78499 as a white-gold Oysterlock bracelet available for replacement; it describes 78599 as an Oysterlock with Easylink. The list documents both part numbers but does not give the original-production changeover. Check the bracelet and clasp on the individual watch rather than assigning a bracelet number from its case serial.


The clasp is the modern Oysterlock with Easylink 5mm comfort extension — a lever-and-keeper inside the clasp body that gives a five-millimetre micro-adjustment without tools. Easylink arrived on the cal 4130 generation around 2002 to 2003; earliest 116509 production carried the Oysterlock without it, though the 2004 launch postdates the Easylink rollout on the steel and Rolesor siblings, so most 116509 examples carry the Easylink-equipped clasp. The clasp blade carries a year code per the standard cal 4130 Daytona key — single letter through 2010, random three-character alphanumeric from 2011. On SEL bracelets the date code, part number, and Rolex crown are stamped into the underside of the end link itself rather than the clasp blade alone. See [[Reference:Bracelets]] for the full date-code key.
Rolex describes Easylink as a folding extension that adds about 5 mm. The clasp date code dates the bracelet, not the watch head. The clasp-code chart and its limits are covered in [[Reference:Bracelets]].
[[File:Ref 116509 bracelet-detail.webp|thumb|right|240px|alt=White-gold Oyster bracelet and engraved bezel on a Rolex Daytona 116509|White-gold Oyster bracelet and engraved bezel]]


The Daytona never adopted the Glidelock micro-extension that came to the Submariner-line clasps in 2010. Easylink is the only on-bracelet adjustment the 116509 ever offered.
== Auction record ==


== Special branches ==
These sales document individual watches and their reported results. They are not a price guide or a comparable market series. Christie's and Bonhams publish prices including buyer's premium; the Antiquorum figures below are the results published by the house.
 
=== Meteorite dials ===
[[File:Ref 116509 dial-meteorite.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Daytona 116509 meteorite dial|Meteorite dial with applied Roman numerals — Bonhams New Bond Street, December 2020]]
[[File:Ref 116509 dial-meteorite-detail.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Widmanstatten pattern on a Rolex Daytona 116509 meteorite dial|Widmanstätten crystalline pattern at macro — Antiquorum Geneva, November 2022]]
 
The meteorite-dial 116509 is the reference's signature artifact. Each dial is cut from a single iron-nickel meteorite and acid-etched to reveal the Widmanstätten crystalline pattern — a structure that forms only over millions of years of slow cooling in the parent body and cannot be replicated terrestrially. The pattern's geometry is unique to each slice. Antiquorum's Geneva sale of November 2022 catalogued an example first retailed in July 2006, which puts the configuration inside early production and carries it through to discontinuation.
 
Rolex has never published meteorite-dial production volumes, so any claim about the variant's scarcity within the wider 116509 run is guesswork. Bonhams and Antiquorum have both catalogued the dial, in London in December 2020 and in Geneva in November 2022. No two meteorite 116509s read identically, and auction copy generally leaves the pattern variation to the photographs.
 
=== Diamond-set and stone dials ===
 
The 116509 catalogue includes factory diamond-marker configurations on black, silver, and mother-of-pearl bases, and stone-dial variants beyond meteorite have surfaced occasionally at auction. Documentation on production span and volume for these branches is thin. Where a 116509 carries a diamond, pavé, or non-meteorite stone configuration, the lot record should be checked directly — the line between factory configuration and aftermarket modification on Daytona stone and diamond dials runs through case-by-case authentication, and no catalogue listing settles it.
 
=== "Albino" framing ===
 
The Albino label in Daytona collecting belongs to the manual-wind 6263. Jose Pereztroika's December 2025 Perezcope piece documents Tom Bolt as the originator of the Albino 6263 lineage — three known examples including Eric Clapton's, all created from 6238 Pre-Daytona service dials rather than as factory configurations. The 116509's silver / silver-ghost dial is its own production variant and no continuation of that lineage, and no published primary source applies the Albino designation to the cal 4130 white gold reference.
 
== Historical market and auction record ==
 
The 116509 has been catalogued steadily at Christie's, Bonhams and Antiquorum across its production run and after. The record divides cleanly. Black, silver and grey dials trade as precious-metal chronographs and cluster in a band that has held remarkably flat for fifteen years. Stone dials trade as something else entirely.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! sale !! lot !! date !! dial !! result
! auction !! lot !! sale date !! catalogue description !! result
|-
|-
| Christie's, Important Watches, Hong Kong || 2017 || 30 May 2011 || black, case Z821685, manufactured 2006 || HKD 187,500
| Christie's, Important Watches, Hong Kong || 2017 || 30 May 2011 || Black dial; case Z821685, manufactured 2006 || HKD 187,500
|-
|-
| Antiquorum, Hong Kong || 261 || 27 Oct 2019 || blue, case D944961, circa 2005, bracelet 78499 || HKD 193,750
| Antiquorum, Hong Kong || 261 || 27 Oct 2019 || Blue dial; case D944961, circa 2005; bracelet recorded as 78499 || HKD 193,750
|-
|-
| Bonhams, Fine Watches, New Bond Street || 20 || 11 Dec 2020 || meteorite, applied Roman numerals || GBP 31,500
| Bonhams, Fine Watches, New Bond Street || 20 || 11 Dec 2020 || Meteorite dial; purchased in 2013 || GBP 31,500
|-
|-
| Antiquorum, Geneva || 313 || 6 Nov 2022 || brown meteorite, retailed July 2006 || CHF 60,000
| Antiquorum, Geneva || 313 || 6 Nov 2022 || Brown meteorite dial; warranty records July 2006 retail || CHF 60,000
|-
|-
| Christie's, Watches Online: The Dubai Edit || 138 || 26 Oct 2022 || chrysoprase, 2016 guarantee || USD 126,000
| Christie's, Watches Online: The Dubai Edit || 138 || 26 Oct 2022 || Chrysoprase dial; 2016 guarantee || USD 126,000
|-
|-
| Christie's, Important Watches, New York || 59 || 8 Dec 2022 || green chrysoprase, 2006 guarantee || USD 52,920
| Christie's, Important Watches, New York || 59 || 8 Dec 2022 || Chrysoprase dial; 2006 guarantee || USD 52,920
|-
|-
| Bonhams, Luxury Online, Hong Kong || 1066 || Aug 2023 || silver racing, circa 2006 || HKD 243,200
| Bonhams, Luxury Online, Hong Kong || 1066 || Aug 2023 || Silver racing dial; circa 2006 || HKD 243,200
|-
|-
| Christie's, Watches Online: The Dubai Edit || 95 || 19 Oct 2023 || turquoise, Roman numerals, circa 2005 || USD 107,100
| Christie's, Watches Online: The Dubai Edit || 95 || 19 Oct 2023 || Turquoise dial with Roman numerals; circa 2005 || USD 107,100
|-
|-
| Christie's, Watches Online: The New York Edit || 204 || 14 Jun 2024 || blue, 2021 guarantee || USD 47,880
| Christie's, Watches Online: The New York Edit || 204 || 14 Jun 2024 || Blue dial; 2021 guarantee || USD 47,880
|-
|-
| Bonhams, Luxury Online, Hong Kong || 1034 || Feb 2026 || APH sodalite, diamond indexes, circa 2011 || HKD 537,400
| Bonhams, Luxury Online, Hong Kong || 1034 || Feb 2026 || Sodalite dial, diamond indexes and APH spacing; circa 2011 || HKD 537,400
|}
|}


Christie's and Bonhams figures are prices realised with premium; Antiquorum figures are the results the house publishes.
== Related references ==
 
The spread is the story. A meteorite example took GBP 31,500 at Bonhams in December 2020 and a blue dial HKD 193,750 at Antiquorum the year before, while chrysoprase and turquoise dials cleared USD 126,000 and USD 107,100 at Christie's — four to five times the conventional-dial band. The February 2026 sodalite result at HKD 537,400 sits higher again, though that lot combined three scarcities at once: a stone dial, factory diamond indexes and the APH spacing. Stone-dial supply is thin enough that individual results carry more weight than a trend line, and the pattern deserves the usual caution about reading a market from a handful of lots.


The reference does not host the kind of single-artifact record provenance that defines Paul Newman's 6239 or the Unicorn 6265. It is collected on material and configuration terms, and the 2023 transition to the 126509 reset its market the way the 2016 116500LN transition reset the 116520.
* [[Reference:116520|Daytona 116520]], steel, Calibre 4130
 
* [[Reference:116523|Daytona 116523]], Rolesor, Calibre 4130
== Related references ==
* [[Reference:116528|Daytona 116528]], yellow gold, Calibre 4130
* [[Reference:116518|Daytona 116518]], yellow gold on leather
* [[Reference:16519|Daytona 16519]], white gold, Zenith-derived Calibre 4030, leather strap
* [[Reference:116519LN|Daytona 116519LN]], white gold, Cerachrom bezel, Oysterflex
* [[Reference:116506|Daytona 116506]], platinum, 50th-anniversary model


* [[Reference:116520|Daytona 116520]] — steel, cal 4130 (2000–2016)
See also the [[Reference:daytona|Daytona family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet and clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial-number guide]].
* [[Reference:116523|Daytona 116523]] — Rolesor, cal 4130 (2000–2016)
* [[Reference:116528|Daytona 116528]] — yellow gold, cal 4130 (2000–2016)
* [[Reference:116518|Daytona 116518]] — yellow gold on leather (2000–2015)
* [[Reference:16519|Daytona 16519]] — white gold, Zenith cal 4030 (1997–2000)
* [[Reference:116519LN|Daytona 116519LN]] — white gold, Cerachrom, Oysterflex (2017–2023)
* [[Reference:116506|Daytona 116506]] — platinum 50th anniversary (2013–2023)


See also the [[Reference:daytona|Daytona family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 116509 hero.webp|alt=Rolex Daytona reference 116509 in white gold with black dial and Oyster bracelet|116509, black dial
File:Ref 116509 dial-blue.webp|alt=Blue dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Blue dial, circa 2005 example
File:Ref 116509 dial-chrysoprase.webp|alt=Green chrysoprase dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Green chrysoprase dial
File:Ref 116509 dial-turquoise.webp|alt=Turquoise dial with Roman numerals on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Turquoise dial with Roman numerals
File:Ref 116509 dial-sodalite-aph.webp|alt=Sodalite dial with diamond indexes and APH spacing on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Sodalite dial, diamond indexes and APH spacing
File:Ref 116509 dial-meteorite.webp|alt=Meteorite dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Meteorite dial
File:Ref 116509 dial-meteorite-detail.webp|alt=Close view of the meteorite pattern on a Rolex Daytona 116509|Meteorite dial detail
File:Ref 116509 bracelet-detail.webp|alt=White-gold Oyster bracelet and engraved bezel on a Rolex Daytona 116509|White-gold Oyster bracelet and engraved bezel
</gallery>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==


* [https://monochrome-watches.com/history-rolex-daytona-chronograph-1963-in-depth-review/ Erik Slaven, "In-Depth: The History of the Rolex Daytona, The Emblematic Racing Chronograph", Monochrome, 2024-12-20]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5448619 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, black dial — Important Watches, Hong Kong, lot 2017, 2011]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/vintage-rolex-daytona-the-gold-standard Karyn Orrico, "Vintage Rolex Daytona: The Gold Standard", Sotheby's, 2024-12-17]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6407894 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, black dial, circa 2007 — Christie's]
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/why-i-bought-the-rolex-cosmograph-daytona-reference-116520/ Ben Hodges, "Why I Bought The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 116520", Fratello Watches, 2021-02-15]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6407946 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, chrysoprase dial — Important Watches, New York, lot 59, 2022]
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/a-vintage-watch-nerds-critical-dissection-of-the-rolex-daytona-past-to-present-part-33 Paul Boutros, "In-Depth: A Vintage Watch Nerd's Critical Dissection of the Rolex Daytona, Past to Present (Part 3/3)", Hodinkee, 2013-03]
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/watches-online-dubai-edit/rolex-daytona-ref-116509-rare-gold-chronograph-stunning-chrysoprase-138/165632 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, chrysoprase dial — Dubai Edit, lot 138, 2022]
* [https://www.watchtime.com/brands/watches/tracking-the-rolex-daytona-a-53-year-history WatchTime Team, "Tracking the Rolex Daytona: A 55-Year History", WatchTime, 2016-01]
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/watches-online-dubai-edit/rolex-daytona-ref-116509-rare-attractive-18k-white-gold-chronograph-95/196013 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, turquoise dial — Dubai Edit, lot 95, 2023]
* [https://www.phillips.com/article/127946519/rolex-daytona-aph-dial-116520-error Logan Baker, "Perpetual Picks: Accidents Happen - How a Kerning Mistake Created a More Desirable Daytona", Phillips, 2023-07-25]
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/watches-online-new-york-edit/rolex-white-gold-daytona-ref-116509-204/224604 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, blue dial — New York Edit, lot 204, 2024]
* [https://revolutionwatch.com/a-movement-in-history-the-zenith-driven-rolex-daytona/ Ross Povey, "A Movement in History: The Zenith-driven Rolex Daytona", Revolution Watch, 2018-09-03]
* [https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6450317 Rolex Daytona ref. 116509, yellow mother-of-pearl dial — Christie's, circa 2004]
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/25959/lot/20/rolex-an-unusual-18k-white-gold-automatic-chronograph-bracelet-watch-with-meteorite-dial-cosmograph-daytona-ref-116509-purchased-30th-january-2013/ Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, meteorite dial — Fine Watches, London, lot 20, 2020]
* [https://perezcope.com/2025/12/03/not-quite-whiter-than-white-the-reality-of-the-rare-rolex-albino-daytona-ref-6263/ Jose Pereztroika, "Not Quite Whiter Than White: The Reality of the Rare Rolex 'Albino' Daytona Ref. 6263", Perezcope, 2025-12-03]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28693/lot/1066/rolex-or-cosmograph-daytona-ref116509-a-white-gold-chronograph-bracelet-watch-with-race-dial-circa-2006/ Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, silver racing dial — Hong Kong, lot 1066, 2023]
* [https://fortunaauction.com/rolex-daytona-history/ Fortuna Auction, "History of The Rolex Daytona", Fortuna Auction (NYC), 2018-09]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/32047/lot/1034/rolex-or-cosmograph-daytona-ref116509-a-rare-and-exclusive-white-gold-chronograph-bracelet-watch-with-aph-sodalite-dial-and-diamond-set-indexes-circa-2011/ Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, sodalite dial with APH spacing — Hong Kong, lot 1034, 2026]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxX_SWxuJhM "Reference Points: The Rolex Daytona", Hodinkee]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-116509-cosmograph-daytona-lot-355-313 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, brown meteorite dial — Geneva, lot 313, 2022]
* [https://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/ David Boettcher, "Vintage Watch Straps — Rolex bracelet and clasp reference", vintagewatchstraps.com, 2026-04-18]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-116509-daytona-lot-323-261 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, blue dial — Hong Kong, lot 261, 2019]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5448619 "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, white gold, black dial — Important Watches, Hong Kong, lot 2017", Christie's, 2011-05-30]
* [https://www.phillips.com/zh/detail/rolex/207670 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial with diamond indexes — Geneva Sessions, lot 63, 2024]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6407946 "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, white gold, chrysoprase dial — Important Watches, New York, lot 59", Christie's, 2022-12-08]
* [https://www.phillips.com/article/127946519/rolex-daytona-aph-dial-116520 Logan Baker, “How a Kerning Mistake Created a More Desirable Daytona” — Phillips, 2023]
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/watches-online-dubai-edit/rolex-daytona-ref-116509-rare-gold-chronograph-stunning-chrysoprase-138/165632 "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, chrysoprase dial — Watches Online: The Dubai Edit, lot 138", Christie's, 2022-10-26]
* [https://www.phillips.com/article/76489537/the-rolex-daytonas-stone-age The Rolex Daytona’s Stone Age — Phillips]
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/watches-online-dubai-edit/rolex-daytona-ref-116509-rare-attractive-18k-white-gold-chronograph-95/196013 "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, turquoise dial — Watches Online: The Dubai Edit, lot 95", Christie's, 2023-10-19]
* [https://newsroom.rolex.com/-/media/project/rolex/newsroom/rolex/rolex-newsroom-int/watches/thematic-presskit/cosmograph-daytona-brochure/02_brochure_cosmograph_daytona_english.pdf A Chronograph Born to Race — Rolex technical press kit, Calibre 4130]
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/watches-online-new-york-edit/rolex-white-gold-daytona-ref-116509-204/224604 "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, blue dial — Watches Online: The New York Edit, lot 204", Christie's, 2024-06-14]
* [https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-/media/project/rolex/newsroom/rolex/rolex-newsroom-int/brochures/en/02_rolex_parachrom_hairspring_english_2021.pdf The Parachrom Hairspring — Rolex, 2021]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/25959/lot/20/rolex-an-unusual-18k-white-gold-automatic-chronograph-bracelet-watch-with-meteorite-dial-cosmograph-daytona-ref-116509-purchased-30th-january-2013/ "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, meteorite dial — Fine Watches, New Bond Street, lot 20", Bonhams, 2020-12-11]
* [https://www.rolex.com/en-us/watchmaking/features/movements/parachrom-hairspring Parachrom hairspring — Rolex]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28693/lot/1066/rolex-or-cosmograph-daytona-ref116509-a-white-gold-chronograph-bracelet-watch-with-race-dial-circa-2006/ "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, silver race dial — Luxury Online, lot 1066", Bonhams, 2023-08-10]
* [https://newsroom.rolex.com/watches/new-watches-2024/cosmograph-daytona The new Cosmograph Daytona — Rolex Newsroom; Calibre 4131 introduced in 2023]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/32047/lot/1034/rolex-or-cosmograph-daytona-ref116509-a-rare-and-exclusive-white-gold-chronograph-bracelet-watch-with-aph-sodalite-dial-and-diamond-set-indexes-circa-2011/ "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, APH sodalite dial with diamond indexes — Luxury Online: Faces of Time Reimagined, lot 1034", Bonhams, 2026-02-10]
* [https://www.rolex.com/watches/cosmograph-daytona/m126509-0001 Cosmograph Daytona ref. 126509 technical specifications — Rolex]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-116509-cosmograph-daytona-lot-355-313 "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, brown meteorite dial — Geneva, lot 313", Antiquorum, 2022-11-06]
* [https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-/media/project/rolex/newsroom/rolex/rolex-newsroom-int/brochures/en/02_rolex_bracelet_extension_systems_english_2021.pdf Rolex bracelet extension systems — Rolex, 2021]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-116509-daytona-lot-323-261 "Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, blue dial — Hong Kong, lot 261", Antiquorum, 2019-10-27]
* [https://www.minus4plus6.com/pdf/Rolex_Price_List_June-1-2012.pdf Rolex price list, June 2012 — reproduced scan, bracelet references 78499 and 78599]
* [https://revolutionwatch.com/a-movement-in-history-the-zenith-driven-rolex-daytona/ Ross Povey, “A Movement in History: The Zenith-driven Rolex Daytona” — Revolution, 2018]
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/history-rolex-daytona-chronograph-1963-in-depth-review/ Erik Slaven, “The History of the Rolex Daytona” — Monochrome, 2024]


[[Category:Daytona]]
[[Category:Daytona]]
[[Category:Daytona In-House Gen 1]]
[[Category:Daytona In-House Gen 1]]

Latest revision as of 09:56, 29 September 2026


Daytona › 116509

Rolex Daytona reference 116509 in white gold with a black dial and matching Oyster bracelet
Rolex Daytona reference 116509 in white gold with a black dial and matching Oyster bracelet

The 116509 is a 40 mm Daytona in 18 ct white gold, with a matching Oyster bracelet and an engraved white-gold tachymetric bezel. It uses Calibre 4130. Christie's dates its introduction to 2004. Rolex introduced the successor 126509 with Calibre 4131 in 2023. Auction catalogues document several dial configurations, but they do not provide a complete factory dial list.

Core facts

detail value
reference 116509
family Cosmograph Daytona
production introduced 2004; succeeded in 2023
case 40 mm, 18 ct white gold
crystal sapphire; no date magnifier
bezel fixed, engraved tachymetric scale in 18 ct white gold
crown screw-down Triplock
movement automatic Calibre 4130, chronometer-certified
frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
power reserve approximately 72 hours
jewels 44
water resistance 100 m / 330 ft
bracelet 18 ct white-gold Oyster; references 78499 and 78599 are documented
clasp Oysterlock; Easylink depends on bracelet version
serials letter prefixes followed by randomized alphanumeric serials around 2010; see Reference:Serial-numbers
predecessor 16519, white gold on leather with Calibre 4030
successor 126509, Calibre 4131
related references 116520 steel; 116523 Rolesor; 116519 white gold on leather

Where it sits in the line

Rolex introduced the first automatic Daytona with its own Calibre 4130 in 2000. The launch line included steel and gold versions; the white-gold 116519 used a leather strap. Christie's dates the 116509 to 2004 and identifies it as the first Daytona offered with a white-gold Oyster bracelet. Its earlier white-gold predecessor, the 16519, used Zenith-derived Calibre 4030 and a leather strap. The 116509 therefore belongs to the in-house 4130 generation, not the earlier Zenith run.

The later 116519LN added a Cerachrom bezel and Oysterflex bracelet to the white-gold Daytona line in 2017. The 116509 retained its engraved gold bezel and metal bracelet. In 2023, Rolex replaced the 4130 generation with Calibre 4131; the current white-gold bracelet model is reference 126509.

Production outline

Auction records place the 116509 in production from 2004. Rolex introduced the 126509 and Calibre 4131 in 2023, which gives a reasonable endpoint for the 116509 run. The sources here do not establish exact serial cutoffs for either year. Rolex's randomized serials began around 2010, during the final letter-prefix period; after that change, a case serial does not provide a public production-year chart. A dated guarantee can anchor an individual watch more closely.

The APH spacing error in “COSMOGRAPH” is documented on some 116520 dials by Phillips. Bonhams catalogued one 116509 with the same spacing: a sodalite dial with diamond-set indexes, circa 2011. That lot extends the documented examples to white gold; it does not establish an APH production range for the 116509.

Movement notes

Calibre 4130 is a self-winding chronograph with a column wheel and vertical clutch. Rolex's technical account says the movement reduced the chronograph mechanism's component count by 60 per cent compared with its predecessor. It also combined the hour and minute counter mechanisms in one module on one side of the movement, leaving room for a larger mainspring and a power reserve of about 72 hours. Auction catalogues identify Calibre 4130 with 44 jewels; the movement reference page records a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.

Rolex introduced a Parachrom hairspring with Calibre 4130 in 2000. The alloy was not blue at first: Rolex says it began applying the blue surface treatment in 2005. That distinction matters when comparing early 4130 examples with later movements. The 4130 remained in the Daytona line until Rolex introduced Calibre 4131 in 2023. See Calibre 4130 for the broader technical comparison.

Dial map

The examples below are identified in auction catalogues. Their guarantee dates and catalogue descriptions document individual watches; they do not establish the start or end of a dial option. The auction houses also differ in how they describe dial colors and materials. For example, Christie's suggested that the yellow mother-of-pearl dial on one circa-2004 watch may have been mounted at an owner's request.

  • Blue dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Blue dial, circa 2005 example, Antiquorum, Hong Kong, 2019
  • Green chrysoprase dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Green chrysoprase dial, Christie's, New York, 2022
  • Turquoise dial with Roman numerals on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Turquoise dial with Roman numerals, Christie's, Dubai, 2023
  • Sodalite dial with diamond-set indexes and APH spacing on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Sodalite dial with diamond-set indexes and APH spacing, Bonhams, Hong Kong, 2026
documented dial catalogue evidence and limits
Black Christie's catalogued a black dial on a 2006-manufactured example in 2011 and another circa-2007 example in 2022. The examples have applied Arabic numerals and red details; the catalogues do not establish a single black-dial layout for the full run.
Blue Antiquorum catalogued a circa-2005 example with its certificate of origin. Christie's later recorded a blue dial with a 2021 guarantee. These are dated examples, not a complete introduction-to-discontinuation range.
Meteorite An Antiquorum lot had a warranty recording a July 2006 retail date. Bonhams also catalogued a meteorite-dial example purchased in 2013. The 2006 warranty establishes an early example, not the start of production.
Chrysoprase Christie's catalogued one example with a 2006 guarantee and another with a 2016 guarantee. In the latter lot essay, Christie's said the dial may have been mounted at the owner's request; that example alone does not establish factory fitment.
Turquoise Christie's catalogued a circa-2005 example with applied Roman numerals in 2023.
Sodalite Bonhams catalogued a circa-2011 sodalite dial with diamond-set indexes and APH spacing in 2026. This is one documented example.
Silver racing Bonhams catalogued a silver “race” dial on a circa-2006 example in 2023. The auction record establishes the described watch, not a production range.
Mother-of-pearl Phillips catalogued a 2021 example with a Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial and diamond indexes. Christie's also catalogued a circa-2004 yellow mother-of-pearl dial and noted that it might have been owner-requested. Those records do not establish how many mother-of-pearl versions were factory options.

Meteorite examples

The two images show catalogued meteorite dials, not a complete visual record of the variant. The 2006 warranty date is the earliest delivery evidence among the cited lots.

  • Meteorite dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Meteorite dial — Bonhams, London, 2020
  • Close view of the meteorite pattern on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Meteorite dial detail — Antiquorum, Geneva, 2022

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

Christie's catalogues the case at 40 mm. It is made from 18 ct white gold, with a fixed bezel engraved with a tachymetric scale. The crystal is sapphire, and the date-free dial has no Cyclops magnifier. The screw-down Triplock crown and pushers are part of the case's 100 m water-resistance system. Unscrew the pushers before using the chronograph and screw them down again afterward.

Bracelets, end links, and clasps

The reference was sold with a matching white-gold Oyster bracelet. Auction catalogues identify 78499 on several examples. A June 2012 Rolex price list specifies 78599 for the 116509 and also lists 78499 as a white-gold Oysterlock bracelet available for replacement; it describes 78599 as an Oysterlock with Easylink. The list documents both part numbers but does not give the original-production changeover. Check the bracelet and clasp on the individual watch rather than assigning a bracelet number from its case serial.

Rolex describes Easylink as a folding extension that adds about 5 mm. The clasp date code dates the bracelet, not the watch head. The clasp-code chart and its limits are covered in Reference:Bracelets.

White-gold Oyster bracelet and engraved bezel on a Rolex Daytona 116509
White-gold Oyster bracelet and engraved bezel

Auction record

These sales document individual watches and their reported results. They are not a price guide or a comparable market series. Christie's and Bonhams publish prices including buyer's premium; the Antiquorum figures below are the results published by the house.

auction lot sale date catalogue description result
Christie's, Important Watches, Hong Kong 2017 30 May 2011 Black dial; case Z821685, manufactured 2006 HKD 187,500
Antiquorum, Hong Kong 261 27 Oct 2019 Blue dial; case D944961, circa 2005; bracelet recorded as 78499 HKD 193,750
Bonhams, Fine Watches, New Bond Street 20 11 Dec 2020 Meteorite dial; purchased in 2013 GBP 31,500
Antiquorum, Geneva 313 6 Nov 2022 Brown meteorite dial; warranty records July 2006 retail CHF 60,000
Christie's, Watches Online: The Dubai Edit 138 26 Oct 2022 Chrysoprase dial; 2016 guarantee USD 126,000
Christie's, Important Watches, New York 59 8 Dec 2022 Chrysoprase dial; 2006 guarantee USD 52,920
Bonhams, Luxury Online, Hong Kong 1066 Aug 2023 Silver racing dial; circa 2006 HKD 243,200
Christie's, Watches Online: The Dubai Edit 95 19 Oct 2023 Turquoise dial with Roman numerals; circa 2005 USD 107,100
Christie's, Watches Online: The New York Edit 204 14 Jun 2024 Blue dial; 2021 guarantee USD 47,880
Bonhams, Luxury Online, Hong Kong 1034 Feb 2026 Sodalite dial, diamond indexes and APH spacing; circa 2011 HKD 537,400

Related references

See also the Daytona family index, movement reference, bracelet and clasp guide, and serial-number guide.

  • Rolex Daytona reference 116509 in white gold with black dial and Oyster bracelet
    116509, black dial
  • Blue dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Blue dial, circa 2005 example
  • Green chrysoprase dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Green chrysoprase dial
  • Turquoise dial with Roman numerals on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Turquoise dial with Roman numerals
  • Sodalite dial with diamond indexes and APH spacing on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Sodalite dial, diamond indexes and APH spacing
  • Meteorite dial on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Meteorite dial
  • Close view of the meteorite pattern on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    Meteorite dial detail
  • White-gold Oyster bracelet and engraved bezel on a Rolex Daytona 116509
    White-gold Oyster bracelet and engraved bezel

Sources

Retrieved from "https://rolexopedia.net/index.php?title=Reference:116509&oldid=11400"