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Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
Ref. 116518LN
Sits in Rolex’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Rolex watches we list, which start at £5,355.
Price range £5,355 to £125,000 across 74 Rolex watches in stock.The Daytona was built for motor racing — the tachymeter bezel and three-register chronograph layout designed to let a driver read average speeds directly from the dial. What the 116518LN does is take that utilitarian instrument and press it into solid yellow gold, then complicate the expected luxuriousness by fitting a black Cerachrom ceramic bezel in place of the traditional metal one. The result is a sports watch that carries serious precious metal without reading as purely dressy. At 12.2mm thick, it sits considerably flatter on the wrist than almost any competing automatic chronograph, and the Oysterflex strap reinforces that closeness: its inner blade of titanium and nickel alloy keeps the case from rotating or dropping away from the wrist the way a conventional rubber strap allows. The clasp adjusts via Rolex's Easylink system without tools, which matters on a strap where a millimetre or two makes the difference between the watch sitting flush and sitting proud. The calibre 4130 uses a column wheel and vertical clutch — the combination that gives the chronograph pushers a clean, mechanical snap rather than the slightly vague action of older lateral-clutch movements. Superlative Chronometer certification and a 72-hour reserve mean it can come off the wrist for a long weekend and return to time without winding.
- Reference
- 116518LN
- Brand
- Rolex
- Collection
- Cosmograph Daytona
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 12mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Gold
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Fixed tachymeter
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 4130
- Functions
- Chronograph, Small seconds, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 47.6mm
- 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 6 collections
This watch appears in the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona range (15), Back in Stock (4,528), Automatic Watches (1,693), Chronograph Watches (1,151), Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (344) and Solid Gold Watches (160).
2-year Goldsmiths warranty
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 | 116518LN | 15510ST.OO.1320.ST.07 | 5960R-001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £44,950 | £46,450 | £48,950 |
| Case size | 40mm | 41mm | 40.5mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 50m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 72 hours | 70 hours | 55 hours |
| This watch |
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|
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.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow 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.
How to size a watch to your wristIs 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 is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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