The year 2000 marked a significant milestone in the history of the Rolex Daytona, as Rolex unveiled a new generation of Daytona watches equipped with the remarkable in-house chronograph movement, Caliber 4130. The introduction of this in-house movement brought about a new era of innovation and excellence in the Daytona lineup, including the release of the stunning reference 116518, the watch we are offering here.

This Daytona 116518 ‘Blue Racing’ is crafted from luxurious yellow gold, and adorned with a matching yellow gold bezel which features an engraved and black lacquered Tachymeter scale (a Tachymeter is a feature commonly found on the bezel of chronograph watches, it is used to measure speed based on time, and distance traveled). As mentioned above, the movement used for measuring time and distance, as well as simply reading the time, is the caliber 4130. This renowned movement is a self-winding mechanical chronograph entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex, and of course a certified Swiss chronometer, ensuring high-precision timekeeping. The 4130 features a Parachrom hairspring for enhanced resistance to shocks and temperature variations, further establishing this Daytona’s reliability and durability for decades to come. Our Rolex Daytona offered here features a highly desirable, matte blue Racing dial with beautiful red details, which can be found on the color of the hands of the hours, seconds and minutes indicators, as well as a fine red circle inside each of the three sub-dials of those indicators. These red details, combined with the iconic red printing of the Daytona model-name right above the running seconds, adds a distinctive and sporty aesthetic to this already legendary timepiece. Rolex’s Blue Racing dial design harks back to the historical association between the Rolex Daytona and motorsport, particularly its longstanding role as the official timekeeper of the Rolex 24 Daytona’s Endurance races. This enduring connection further enhances the allure of the Racing dial, as it embodies the spirit of competition, precision timing, and high-performance engineering.

Like you’re used to by now, this Rolex Daytona 116518 ‘Blue Racing’ has undergone a full service at Rolex and remains in near-new conditions. She represents a (rare) opportunity to own a solid gold Daytona, with one of the more exciting and more desirable dials on the market, and a watch with a rich heritage at that.