Rolex Daytona · Reference 116500LN
Rolex Daytona 116500LN
Known as Ceramic Daytona
The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 116500LN is the watch that turned a steel chronograph with a $14,550 list price into one of the hardest watches to buy at retail in the world. Rolex introduced it in 2016 at Baselworld as the first steel Daytona to wear a black Cerachrom ceramic bezel with a molded platinum-coated tachymeter scale, replacing the engraved steel bezel of the outgoing 116520. It came two ways: a black dial with white subdials, and a white dial with black subdials that collectors call the Panda. Same 40mm Oystersteel case, same in-house caliber 4130, two very different waiting lists. From launch until Rolex discontinued it in 2023 and replaced it with the 126500LN, this reference almost never sat in an authorized dealer's case at sticker. Buyers who wanted one paid a premium on the secondary market, and they paid it for seven straight years. We watched that play out from behind the counter on 47th Street, and we bought and sold plenty of them the whole way through.
Produced: 2016 to 2023. Introduced at Baselworld 2016 as the successor to the aluminum-bezel 116520, and discontinued in 2023 when Rolex released the reference 126500LN with the updated caliber 4131 and a slightly reworked case.
In stock at Ultimate Diamond
3 pieces on the counter right now.
Specifications
- Reference
- 116500LN
- Model
- Cosmograph Daytona
- Dial Variants
- Black dial (116500LN-0002), white Panda dial (116500LN-0001)
- Case Material
- Oystersteel (904L stainless steel)
- Case Diameter
- 40mm
- Case Thickness
- 12.4mm
- Bezel
- Black Cerachrom monobloc ceramic with molded, platinum-coated tachymeter scale
- Crystal
- Scratch-resistant sapphire
- Movement
- Caliber 4130, in-house automatic chronograph
- Power Reserve
- Approximately 72 hours
- Balance Spring
- Parachrom hairspring, paramagnetic; Paraflex shock absorbers
- Chronograph
- Vertical clutch, column wheel; 201 components
- Crown And Pushers
- Screw-down Triplock crown and screw-down chronograph pushers
- Water Resistance
- 100 meters (330 feet)
- Bracelet
- Oystersteel Oyster bracelet with Oysterlock safety clasp and Easylink 5mm comfort extension
- Certification
- Superlative Chronometer (officially certified), minus 2 to plus 2 seconds per day
Market & Value
This is one of the few modern steel sports Rolexes that traded above its own list price for its entire production run and still does. Rolex list at discontinuation in 2023 was $14,550. Nobody buys a clean 116500LN for that number on the open market. As of 2026, the black dial trades in the mid to high $20,000s depending on condition and completeness, and the white Panda dial runs a $3,000 to $5,000 premium over the black on almost every comparable set, pushing full-set unworn Pandas into the high $30,000s. The reference peaked near $50,000 during the 2022 market spike, then corrected hard along with the rest of the steel sports market, and has settled into a steadier band since. Box and papers matter here, and the year on the papers matters too. A full set with a card, hang tags, and a clean bracelet with minimal stretch will always clear a naked watch by a wide margin. The Panda commands its premium because the white lacquer dial with black registers is the more requested of the two and the harder one to find in unworn condition.
What to Know Before You Buy
A few things separate a strong 116500LN from a soft one. First, dial choice drives price: the white Panda is worth more than the black, so know which one you have or want. Second, this reference has the ceramic Cerachrom bezel, which does not fade or scratch the way the older aluminum bezels did, so a bad-looking bezel usually means the watch has been hit, not just worn. Third, check the bracelet for stretch; a Daytona that has lived on a wrist for years can show play in the center links, and that affects both feel and resale. Fourth, verify the caliber 4130 is running clean, that the chronograph pushers actuate crisply, and that the watch has not been opened by an unauthorized watchmaker. Full set with the original card is the standard to hold out for. On papers, a 2016 to 2018 card carries a little extra weight with collectors who want an early example, but any honest full set from the production run sells well. Finally, know that the 116500LN is the last Daytona of its generation before the 126500LN, which gives it a clean, defined start and end date that collectors like.
Rolex Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Encyclopedia
Read the full guide →Buying or selling a 116500LN?
We buy and sell the 116500LN every week at Ultimate Diamond, 19 West 47th Street. We have been on this block since 1959, and the ceramic Daytona is one of the references that moves through our counter constantly in both directions. If you own one and want to sell, bring it in with whatever you have: box, card, hang tags, extra links, receipts. We write real checks against real market numbers, and we will tell you on the spot whether you have the black dial or the Panda and what that means for your offer. If you are buying, we source clean full-set examples of both dials and can walk you through condition, bracelet stretch, and papers in person. Bring your watch to the store, or call us and request an offer, and we will give you a straight number the same day.