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Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
Ref. 116515LN
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Stepping up in Rolex's range
The Daytona's connection to motor racing goes back to the 1960s, when Rolex aligned the chronograph with the Daytona International Speedway and built the tachymeter bezel specifically to serve drivers timing average speeds over a measured distance. This reference moves that story into precious metal: the case is solid 18ct Everose gold, Rolex's proprietary rose alloy developed to resist fading, and the bezel is Cerachrom ceramic — the LN in the reference number stands for Lunette Noire — which shrugs off the scratching that older precious metal bezels accumulated over time. What distinguishes this combination on the wrist is the Oysterflex strap, a titanium-nickel alloy blade structure overmoulded in high-density rubber. A solid gold Daytona on a full bracelet is a substantial proposition; here the strap absorbs and distributes that weight in a way a metal bracelet cannot, and the brown dial reads warmer against rose gold than it would against steel, shifting the watch's register without making it overtly dressy. The Easylink system in the Everose Oysterlock clasp allows 5mm of length adjustment without tools, which matters more on a rubber strap than it might elsewhere. The calibre 4130 was Rolex's departure from the Zenith-sourced movement that preceded it: a column-wheel, vertical-clutch chronograph designed entirely in-house, with a 72-hour power reserve and a layout engineered to be serviced more efficiently than almost anything comparable. Running it under a solid gold case and a ceramic bezel is, in some sense, the point of the 116515LN — the same technical argument made in more enduring materials.
- Reference
- 116515LN
- Brand
- Rolex
- Collection
- Cosmograph Daytona
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 12.2mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Rose gold
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Brown
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Fixed
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 4130
- Functions
- Chronograph, Small seconds, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 47.6mm
- Power reserve
- 72 hours
- Origin
- Swiss made
- 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), Automatic Watches (1,699), Chronograph Watches (1,374), Solid Gold Watches (138) and Brown Dial Watches (99).
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
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.
| Specification | 116515LN | GC2.0-RG-05 | 604020150 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £35,950 | £34,800 | £35,770 |
| Case size | 40mm | 39mm | 40.3mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 72 hours | 50 hours | 52 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
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 47.6mm, 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 men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths at £35,950 is the cheapest of 5 UK retailers, against £99,950 at the dearest — a difference of £64,000.
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.
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