Rolex

A rare and remarkable discovery, this platinum Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 16516 stands as the culminating piece in an extraordinary private commission and is offered here at auction for the very first time.

Manufactured at the end of 1999, this unique wristwatch features an elaborate platinum case paired with a luminous mother-of-pearl dial set with ten diamonds; a striking blend of refinement and rarity. It represents the final chapter in a commission of four individually unique platinum “Zenith” Daytonas created by Rolex between 1998 and 1999 for a prominent private collector, a project that remained shrouded in mystery for decades.

All four watches share the same reference number, 16516, the ‘6’ denoting the use of platinum, a material then entirely foreign to the Daytona line. Until 2013, when platinum was introduced in series production to celebrate the model’s 50th anniversary, such an execution had never officially existed. The creation of these four watches, therefore, represents a significant departure from Rolex’s established practices, the result of an extraordinary private request granted against all odds.

For many years, the notion of a platinum automatic Daytona was relegated to myth, often linked to Rolex’s former CEO, Patrick Heiniger; a discreet and visionary figure believed to have worn such a watch long before it was ever seen. When Sotheby’s unveiled the first known example in 2018, collectors were finally presented with tangible proof of what had previously been mere speculation.

Each of the four watches in this series is unique, with no two dials alike: dark mother-of-pearl, turquoise, lapis lazuli and finally in the present watch, an ethereal white mother-of-pearl dial, uniquely set with diamonds. This is the only piece in the quartet to feature gemstone hour markers, making it singularly opulent within an already exceptional group.

The three previously known examples, offered by Sotheby’s in 2018, 2020, and 2021, all achieved outstanding results, Most notably the lapis lazuli variant, which shattered expectations by realising HKD 25,375,000 (USD 3.2 million), a world record at the time.

Complete with its original certificate and accessories, this magnificent timepiece now comes to light for the very first time. Its offering marks a moment of great significance for collectors and connoisseurs, not only as an opportunity to acquire one of Rolex’s rarest and most enigmatic creations, but also as the final missing piece in a remarkable and historic quartet.

With its unveiling, this exceptional wristwatch not only completes the story of one of the most elusive private commissions in Rolex history, but also presents what is undoubtedly a unrepeatable opportunity to encounter such a creation. It is a watch that combines ultimate rarity with the prestige of Rolex’s most emblematic model, the Cosmograph Daytona. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the discerning collector to secure a piece that stands at the very pinnacle of the brand’s legacy.