Let us leap into the future, leaving the rest of Rolex Watches Wholesale Replica Daytona history — stuffed with weird, fascinating and infrequent references — for you to investigate, and get directly to the Rolex Daytona benchmark 16520. Notice the 5-digit reference rather than the contemporary variations’ 6-digit number. Founded in 1988 and in production until 2000, the 16520 is often referred to as the “Zenith Daytona” since it had been equipped with all the Rolex 4030 caliber, a movement based on the Zenith El Primero that Rolex modified mainly by matching another escape wheel and hairspring, and by dropping its working frequency from the El Primero’s famed 5Hz to 4Hz. Before 1988, Rolex Cosmograph Daytonas used hand-wound, Valjoux-based calibers.2000 watched the introduction of the Rolex Daytona 116520 and with it the most famed Rolex 4130 quality that is, obviously, beating within this review unit in addition to the latest, 2016-generation of the Daytona. The dials and the bracelet have also been changed about 2000, but this is not a contrast between these earlier versions, so let us focus on this review’s 16-year-standing “Steel Daytona” — as is called in hush whispers among watch enthusiasts who have been familiarized with the stupendously long waiting lists and stratospheric, albeit allegedly self-inflicted exclusivity of it.I mean, I dare not believe how many posts, forum posts, Q&A’s I’ve read and talks I have had concerning the Rolex Daytona, and a lot of them at least touched upon this remarkable exclusivity of the steel Daytona. In the event that you had the golden one it only meant you had more money to invest on it, but in observe enthusiast circles rocking a steel one to this day means you likely dedicated a great deal of effort in searching one of these down — whether it were to come from authorized sources, that is.
When the gavel went down, Paul Newman’s very own Rolex Daytona sold for US$17,752,500, including the buyer’s premium, making it the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction. The result handily surpasses the US$5m record set by the ref. 6062 “Bao Dai” owned by the last Emperor of Vietnam, and also the US$11m achieved by the steel Patek Philippe ref. 1518 last year.
And it got there quickly too – though Phillips had set aside a half hour for the lot, the world record price took just 12 minutes. With Aurel Bacs at the rostrum opening the bidding by asking for a paltry US$1m, a stunning US$10m bid came Tiffany To of Phillips representing a phone bidder, momentarily shocking Bacs and resulting in whoops and cheers from the room.
Tiffany To (extreme left), and Nathalie Monbaron (centre, on telephone), competing for the world’s most expensive watch
That instantly priced out all the room bidders, leaving just three phone bidders, represented by Tiffany To, as well as Leigh Zagoory and Natalie Monbaron, all of Phillips.
Swiftly it was just down to To and Monbaron’s respective clients, both insistently increasing their bids. Monbaron’s resolute client bid in substantial increments of US$400,000, while To’s client was more measured with US$100,000 bids.
Almost at the end the number was US$15m and To’s bidder went a hundred thousand up. Monbaron, not missing a beat, bid US$15.5m and clinched it. With all fees the final tally was US$17.52m.
While the identity of the bidders is confidential, Monbaron is based in Geneva while To was formerly in Hong Kong, and now also based in Geneva – locations that might give a clue as to where the bidders hail from.
