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Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

Ref. 116505

The Daytona's connection to motorsport dates to 1963, but the 116505 marks something more specific: the first time Rolex offered the Oyster-bracelet Daytona in Everose, their proprietary 18-carat pink gold alloyed with platinum to resist the colour shift that ordinary rose gold develops with prolonged skin contact. It also represents the generation that left the Zenith El Primero behind in favour of the Calibre 4130, built entirely in-house, with a vertical clutch that eliminates the hand-jump on start and a 72-hour reserve that gives the watch a working weekend without a winder. On the wrist, solid gold reads differently from steel — the 116505 has genuine heft, and that weight is part of what it communicates. At 12.4mm it is not a thin watch, but it is flat enough for a 40mm chronograph in this material, and the Oyster bracelet's Easylink extension allows a half-centimetre of adjustment without tools, which matters more on a gold bracelet than it does elsewhere. The black dial against warm gold is a combination that reads clearly under most light without the starkness of the same dial in steel, and the engraved tachymetric bezel, solid gold rather than ceramic, gives the scale a depth that the Cerachrom versions found on steel references do not have.

Reference: 116505
Brand: Rolex
Collection: Cosmograph Daytona
Case size: 40mm
Case thickness: 12.4mm
Lug width: 20mm
Case material: Stainless steel
Case shape: Round
Dial: Black
Crystal: Sapphire
Bezel: Fixed
Movement: Automatic
Calibre: 4130
Functions: Chronograph, Small seconds, Tachymeter
Water resistance: 100m
Bracelet / strap: Stainless steel bracelet
Strap colour: Rose gold
Clasp: Folding clasp
Lume: Super-LumiNova
Condition: Pre-owned
Retailer: Goldsmiths

Additional specifications

Lug-to-lug: 47.7mm
Power reserve: 72 hours
Gem set: Yes

Learn more about Rolex

Hans Wilsdorf founded Wilsdorf & Davis in London in 1905 with his brother-in-law Alfred Davis, importing Swiss movements and casing them in England. He registered the name Rolex in 1908 — short, pronounceable in any language, and easy to fit on a dial.

Wilsdorf's conviction was that the wristwatch, then regarded as a woman's ornament and hopelessly fragile, could be made accurate and durable. He proved the first half in 1910 by obtaining the first chronometer certification for a wristwatch, and the second in 1926 with the Oyster case, sealed by a screw-down crown and caseback. Mercedes Gleitze swam the Channel wearing one in 1927, and Wilsdorf bought the front page of the Daily Mail to say so — arguably the first modern watch marketing campaign.

The Perpetual rotor followed in 1931, giving automatic winding in a form the whole industry eventually copied. The company relocated to Geneva during the First World War to escape British wartime duties.

The professional models arrived in a compressed burst in the 1950s: Submariner, Explorer, GMT-Master, Milgauss, and later the Daytona. Each was built for a specific job — diving, exploration, aviation, laboratory work, racing — and each became a design template.

Wilsdorf left his shares to a private foundation on his death, so Rolex answers to no shareholders. It remains the largest producer of certified chronometers in Switzerland by a wide margin.

1905: Hans Wilsdorf founds Wilsdorf & Davis in London.
1908: The Rolex name is registered.
1926: The Oyster case introduces genuine water resistance.
1931: The Perpetual rotor brings modern automatic winding.
1953: The Submariner and Explorer launch.
1963: The Cosmograph Daytona arrives.

Also in 5 collections

This watch appears in the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona range (15), Stainless Steel Watches (3,355), Automatic Watches (1,699), Chronograph Watches (1,374) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (299).

Manufacturer’s guarantee

What the specifications mean

A mechanical watch for everyday wear.

Strengths

100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
40mm suits most wrists
Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
72-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
Luminous hands and markers for low light

Best forSwimmingEveryday wearTiming things

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona alternatives

Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.

Cosmograph Daytona compared with 2 alternatives from other brands
Specification	This watchCosmograph Daytona116505	Audemars PiguetRoyal Oak Dual Time 39mm Stainless Steel26120ST.OO.1220ST.03	Patek PhilippeComplications Annual Calendar 39mm Yellow Gold5146J-010
Price	£39,950	£39,950	£40,050
Case size	40mm	39mm	39mm
Water resistance	100m	50m	30m
Movement	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Strap	Stainless steel bracelet	Stainless steel bracelet	Leather strap
Power reserve	72 hours	38 hours	45 hours
	This watch	Rated shallower	Rated shallower

Your new watch

Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch

Can I swim with it?

Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.

Will the glass scratch?

Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.

Does it need a battery?

No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.

How long does it run for when it's not worn?

About 72 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.

What size strap does it take?

20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.

Will it fit my wrist?

Lug-to-lug is 47.7mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.

Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.

Is it a men's or women's watch?

Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.

Cheapest place to buy

Goldsmiths at £39,950 is the cheapest of 7 UK retailers, against £48,150 at the dearest — a difference of £8,200.

Who are Goldsmiths?

Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.