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12 Jul Rolex Daytona reference 16520 with Patrizzi Dial
A Patrizzi dial is a Rolex Daytona Reference 16520 with a dial that features counters that turned brown. Thus far, the imperfection only appears in some Rolex Daytona Reference 16520 watches because the Swiss watch brand used zapon, an organic varnish, for the dial of this particular watch. Some models, it appears, were not sufficiently protected and the silver content of the varnish turned brown. Because these changes of color are progressive and do not stabilize over time, each one of these imperfect dials has since become a unique specimen.
These faded Daytona watches are named after Mr. Osvaldo Patrizzi, the Italian auctioneer who discovered the anomaly in 2005 while selling a collection of Rolex watches containing a Daytona Ref. 16520 with brown subdials. Not only was the model unique, it was thought to be beautiful despite its imperfection, and it sold for double its estimate.
About the Daytona ref. 16520 :
After the discontinued production of the manual winding Cosmograph, in 1988 Rolex launches the first references of the selfwinding chronograph with sapphire crystal on the market: 16520 for the stainless steel model, 16523 for the stainless steel and gold model and 16528 for the gold model. These new references bear the new caliber 4030, based on the caliber Zenith El Primero 400. Yet another change in the tachometer scale graduation to note: up to 200 units per hour in the first series (1988) and up to 400 units per hour in the following series.
Discover more in the book Rolex Daytona Story
