Rolex Daytona 116509 White Gold Meteorite Dial (2023)

The Daytona traces to 1963, when Rolex conceived it as a professional racing chronograph and named it for the Florida circuit synonymous with high-speed endurance competition. Reference 116509 represents the previous-generation full white gold Daytona, elevated at Baselworld 2021 by the introduction of the meteorite dial as part of a trio of "meteorite panda" configurations that also included yellow gold and Everose executions. The dial is sliced from the Gibeon meteorite — discovered near the Namibian town in 1836 — whose distinctive Widmanstätten crystalline pattern formed over millions of years in space, ensuring every example remains genuinely one of a kind. The reference has since been superseded by the current-generation 126509, adding collectibility to this specific execution.

The 40mm case in 18-karat white gold features a fixed engraved tachymeter bezel and Triplock screw-down crown with matching chronograph pushers. The meteorite dial carries three contrasting black subdials in a reverse-panda configuration, red "Daytona" text above six o'clock echoing vintage examples, white gold applied index markers with Chromalight luminescence, and matching white gold hands. The in-house automatic Caliber 4130 — a self-winding chronograph with column wheel and vertical clutch — delivers a 72-hour power reserve, completed by an 18-karat white gold Oyster bracelet with Oysterlock folding safety clasp.