16520 Daytona (Patrizzi style patina / W series 1995 / first owner from Rome)

Brand: Rolex
Model: Daytona
Reference: 16520
Year: 1995
Serialnumber: W894XXX
Material: stainless steel
Bracelet: stainless steel
Diameter: 40 Millimeter
Condition: very good
Box&Papers: no

A fantastic 16520 Zenith Daytona with a fascinating and wonderful dial.

Once again, a beauty from *Bella Italia*, coming straight from the original owner. God, how I love that country. Italians are just a cool bunch of people. Thanks to my dear friend Marco, this gem came to us directly from the original owner, as mentioned.

The case is in very good condition. Although it has been polished in the past, it retains full lugs, beautifully sharp edges, and an equally lovely matte finish on the top of the case. Signs of wear are minimal—note the tiny nick on the upper-left edge of the case.

The highlight, of course, is the dial, and this is where it gets interesting. Thanks to the original owner, we know the watch’s history perfectly. It was purchased at rolex authorized dealer Hausmann in Rome in late 1995. Unfortunately, the paperwork no longer exists; it was lost during a move to Ostia. The original owner recounts that the original dial very quickly developed a dark patina on the sub-dials—what we collectors call “Patrizzi.” He grew increasingly dissatisfied with this look, especially as the numerals on the sub-dials became illegible. Consequently, he took the watch to Hausmann to have the dial replaced. He said that this happened around 1998 or 1999 which should be true, as the replacement is a Mark VI dial—a type introduced with the “U” series and used by Rolex for only one year.

He further siad that after just about a year, the sub-dials began to darken again, and the dial as a whole developed a light patina. He found this acceptable since the darkening didn’t progress further, although he hasn’t worn the watch since 2010.

So, what we have here is a stunning Mark VI dial with a truly wonderful “Patrizzi-style” patina. We deliberately call it “Patrizzi-style” because, strictly speaking, the classic Patrizzi dials originated between 1993 and 1995. The dial has been thoroughly inspected by us and remains untouched, displaying the characteristic light surface patina found on “Patrizzi-style” dials.

The hands are the originals from the time of delivery and therefore feature tritium lume material.

The sapphire crystal is flawless and the bezel is top, with crisp numerals and only light signs of wear.

The watch comes on a 78390 Oyster bracelet in excellent condition, 11 links, minimal stretch, fully intact crown, and clasp code matching the production year speak for themselves.

Conclusion: A magnificent Patrizzi-style Zenith Daytona that is simply enchanting.