Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 40mm Ice Blue Baguette Diamond Dial Chestnut Brown Cerachrom Bezel Solid 950 Platinum Oyster Bracelet 116506 | 2022 Full Set — The Rarest Daytona Ever Made

The First, The Rarest, The Last — The Only Platinum Daytona

When Rolex introduced the reference 116506 at Baselworld 2013 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Cosmograph Daytona, it did something it had never done in the Daytona’s five-decade history: it built it entirely from solid 950 platinum. The Rolex Daytona reference 116506 marks a significant milestone in the storied Rolex Daytona history. Unveiled at Baselworld 2013 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic chronograph, this reference introduced platinum to the Daytona collection for the first time. The decision immediately and permanently elevated the reference to the absolute apex of the Daytona collection — not as a limited edition, not as a numbered series, but as a permanent statement that the world’s most coveted chronograph deserved the world’s most precious watchmaking material. A decade of production and a discontinuation later, the 116506 has cemented its position as the most historically significant and most materially prestigious Daytona reference in the modern era. This 2022 example — produced in the penultimate year before the 116506 was replaced by the 126506 in 2023 — is offered in the baguette diamond dial configuration, the more elevated and rarer of the two dial options in the reference, and represents one of the most extraordinary acquisition opportunities The Crown Collection Watch has ever listed.

The Ice Blue Dial — A Color Reserved Exclusively for Platinum

The ice blue dial has become somewhat of a signature for Rolex’s platinum models, signaling discreetly that the watch is crafted from the noble metal. It’s recognized for its subtlety and elegance among watch enthusiasts and collectors. The ice blue color is not applied to any other Rolex reference in any other material — it does not appear on gold Daytona models, it does not appear on steel configurations, it does not appear on any other watch in the Rolex catalog. It is the visual code by which those who know immediately recognize the 116506 across a room — a pale, cool, luminous blue that no other watch color precisely replicates, and that Rolex has maintained as the exclusive province of its platinum production since 2013.

The Baguette Diamond Dial — High Jewelry on the World’s Greatest Chronograph

The baguette diamond variant (116506-0002) replaces the index markers with baguette-cut diamonds for a more luxurious appearance while retaining the same brown sub-dial layout. The baguette-cut diamond hour markers are factory-set by Rolex’s own master gemologists in the brand’s Geneva workshops — individually selected for color, clarity, and cut, precisely sized to match the dimensions of each hour position, and hand-set into individual settings on the ice blue dial surface. Baguette-cut diamonds are the most architecturally demanding of all diamond cuts to set: their rectangular profile requires perfect alignment and precisely matched dimensions across all twelve positions, and any inconsistency in size, color, or placement would be immediately and inescapably visible against the clean ice blue surface below. The baguette diamond dial variant typically commands a premium above the standard configuration. This is a watch that operates simultaneously as a precision Swiss chronometer, a piece of precious metal engineering, and a work of high jewelry — a combination no other current production chronograph from any manufacturer offers at any price.

Solid 950 Platinum — The Noblest Metal in Watchmaking

The Rolex Daytona 116506 is a stunning fusion of cutting-edge performance and refined elegance, crafted entirely in 950 platinum. Platinum 950 is the most dense, most rare, and most precious metal used in fine watchmaking. It is heavier than gold, rarer than gold, and carries a cool, naturally grey-white lustre that no other metal replicates. The 40mm monobloc case, crown, caseback, and every link of the Oyster bracelet are machined from solid 950 platinum — an all-platinum construction that gives the watch a distinctive weight and presence on the wrist that is immediately and physically different from gold or steel. As a limited production platinum model, the 116506 quickly established itself as one of the most exclusive and sought-after Daytona references, representing the perfect marriage of Rolex’s chronograph expertise and precious metal craftsmanship. The case measures approximately 12.5mm in thickness at 40mm diameter, and the combined weight of the platinum case and bracelet delivers a tactile experience entirely unique to this reference.

The Chestnut Brown Cerachrom Bezel — The Detail That Surprised Everyone

While the platinum Daytona met a lot of expectations (such as featuring a Cerachrom bezel and Rolex’s in-house Caliber 4130 chronograph movement), it also subverted them by making that ceramic bezel brown. The chestnut brown monobloc Cerachrom bezel was the detail that generated the most immediate discussion when the 116506 was unveiled — no collector had anticipated a brown ceramic bezel on a Daytona, and the initial reaction was divided. Within months, the collector community had arrived at a near-universal verdict: the brown bezel was not merely acceptable but precisely correct — the warm, earthy chestnut tone creating a visual counterbalance to the cool ice blue of the dial that neither black nor any other color could achieve. This fusion of rich, warm tones with the platinum case creates a striking visual balance that is both modern and timeless. The tachymetric scale is engraved directly into the ceramic surface and filled with platinum-tone PVD, as permanent as the surrounding material.

The Ice Blue Dial With Matching Brown Sub-Dials

The defining feature of the 116506 is its ice blue dial, a signature reserved exclusively for Rolex’s platinum watches, symbolizing rarity and sophistication. This unique hue is beautifully complemented by chestnut brown subdials, arranged in the Daytona’s classic tri-compax layout, providing 30-minute, 12-hour, and small seconds chronograph functions. The brown sub-dial rings at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock directly echo the chestnut brown of the ceramic bezel above — a design coherence that ties the bezel and dial into a single, unified visual statement. The dial’s Chromalight-filled markers and hands ensure exceptional legibility, even in low-light conditions, making it both practical and visually striking. The red “Daytona” inscription at 6 o’clock — the racing identity marker of every Daytona since the 1960s — provides the only warm color accent on the dial, a single, precise detail against the cool blue and warm brown that ties the watch to its motor racing heritage.

The 950 Platinum Oyster Bracelet

Fitted with a matching platinum Oyster bracelet, this Daytona combines elegance with unparalleled comfort and durability. The bracelet features the Oysterlock clasp, ensuring a secure fit, and the Easylink extension system for quick adjustment. Every link of the three-piece flat-link Oyster bracelet is machined from solid 950 platinum — not plated, not filled, but solid precious metal throughout — delivering a bracelet weight and presence entirely unlike any gold or steel chronograph bracelet. The density of platinum means the bracelet feels distinctively heavy and fluid simultaneously, draping across the wrist with a quality that immediately communicates the preciousness of the construction at a tactile level before any visual assessment is made.

Now Discontinued — The Last Generation of Its Kind

The 126506 replaced the 116506 in 2023, featuring subtle refinements to the case proportions, dial finishing, and movement components. A 2022 production example of the 116506 is among the very last produced before the reference was replaced — making it simultaneously the most current and most historically terminal expression of the original platinum Daytona concept. As a discontinued reference, the 116506 will only become rarer as examples are absorbed into permanent collections, making well-documented full-set examples increasingly difficult to source at any price.

Powered by Caliber 4130 — The Greatest Chronograph Movement in Production

Powered by the reliable Caliber 4130, the 116506 offers exceptional functionality with a 72-hour power reserve. The column-wheel and vertical-clutch architecture of the Caliber 4130 produces silky-smooth chronograph pusher action at both start and stop, with a central seconds counter that engages without any jump or hesitation. The movement features 44 jewels operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, a bidirectional automatic winding rotor, and Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer certification for accuracy of -2/+2 seconds per day after casing.

Condition & What’s Included

This 2022 example is in very good condition and comes as a complete full set with original Rolex box and papers. Authenticity is fully guaranteed on every watch sold through The Crown Collection Watch.

Shipping & Payment

This watch ships from San Francisco at $92,300 fully insured worldwide via FedEx. Leave a message for further details or additional photos.

Why This Reference Stands Out

Pre-owned Rolex Daytona 116506 prices generally range from $85,000 to $110,000 for the standard index dial version, depending on condition, year of production, and completeness of box and papers. The baguette diamond dial variant typically commands a premium above the standard configuration. Full sets in excellent condition consistently trade at the higher end of this range. At $92,300 for a 2022 baguette diamond full-set example in very good condition, this listing sits within the established market range for the baguette variant — a competitively and transparently priced example of what is simultaneously the most technically accomplished, the most materially prestigious, and the most historically significant Daytona reference the modern era has produced.