Rolex Daytona Panda
A white dial with black counters and a ceramic bezel. The version the waiting lists formed around.
We buy Rolex Daytona
Sell your Rolex Daytona
You can sell your Rolex Daytona to Reuven Watches in Utrecht. We buy every generation, from manual wind to the latest, with or without box and papers. Send a few photos and you will hear what we offer within 24 hours.
- Within 24 hoursseven days a week
- Every generationmanual wind, Zenith or in-house
- Discreetyour details stay with us
You are not committed to anything. Your details stay confidential.
What is my Rolex Daytona worth?
What a Rolex Daytona is worth depends above all on which movement is inside. The model has three clear generations: manual wind until 1988, then an automatic on a sourced base until 2000, and from 2000 a movement Rolex makes itself. Alongside that, the dial, the bezel and the state of the case count. Every chronograph passes through our hands individually, and within 24 hours you know what we offer.
The Daytona is the chronograph of the house and the model where the difference between two seemingly identical watches can be greatest. From the front, an example from 1995 looks like one from 2015: the same three counters, the same tachymeter scale on the bezel. What lies underneath is another story.
Why the movement counts so heavily here
Rolex made the Daytona with a manual wind movement for more than twenty-five years, switched in 1988 to an automatic whose base was bought from another maker, and in 2000 released a chronograph movement of its own. Those three generations each have their own collectors and their own market, and they do not move in step.
Papers or no papers
We buy every Daytona, with or without box and papers. On this model a warranty card helps more than average, because it makes year and version traceable in one go. If you do not have it, we work it out from the reference and the dial.
Versions
The Daytona versions and how to recognise them
With the Daytona it comes down to the generation and the dial. These are the six versions we are offered most, with the reference number alongside so you can place yours.
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Rolex Daytona Reverse Panda
The same reference but black with white counters. Two colour schemes that do not move in step in the market.
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Rolex Daytona Steel Bezel
The generation with Rolex's first in-house chronograph movement and a tachymeter scale engraved into the steel.
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Rolex Daytona Zenith
The first automatic Daytona, on a base from another maker. Recognisable by the layout of the counters and the text on the dial.
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Rolex Daytona Everose Gold
Rolex's own rose gold, on a gold bracelet or on rubber. Several dial colours, including chocolate and ice blue.
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Rolex Daytona Manual Wind
Screw-down pushers, a separate bezel ring and a smaller case. The generation the collector market turns on.
Panda and Reverse Panda are not Rolex names but they are the terms people search and trade on. If your version is not listed, we buy it just the same.
Reference numbers
Daytona references we buy often
The reference number sits between the lugs on the twelve o'clock side, under the bracelet. On a Daytona that number tells you which movement generation you are in and whether the bezel is steel or ceramic.
| Reference | Version | Period | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6239 and 6241 | Cosmograph Daytona, first generation | circa 1963 to 1969 | pump pushers, smaller case, also with a Paul Newman dial |
| 6263 and 6265 | Cosmograph Daytona Manual Wind | circa 1971 to 1988 | screw-down pushers, separate bezel ring, smaller case |
| 16520 | Daytona on a sourced base movement | circa 1988 to 2000 | the first automatic, 40 mm, sapphire |
| 116520 | Daytona with in-house movement | circa 2000 to 2016 | steel bezel with engraved tachymeter |
| 116500LN | Daytona in steel | circa 2016 to 2023 | ceramic bezel, white or black dial |
| 126500LN | Daytona in steel, successor | 2023 onwards | revised counters and a broader bezel ring |
| 116518 and 116508 | Daytona in yellow gold | 2000s and later | the 116518 on leather or rubber, the 116508 on a gold bracelet |
| 116505 and 126515LN | Daytona in Everose | from circa 2008 | rose gold, several dial colours |
| 116509 and 116519 | Daytona in white gold | 2000s and later | the 116509 on a gold bracelet, the 116519 on leather or Oysterflex |
Your reference not listed? We also buy the gold, the platinum and the early manual wind versions, with or without papers.
Specifications
The Daytona in specifications
The figures below apply to the modern generations in steel. On the vintage references the case size and water resistance are lower; that is noted per row.
- Unsure between manual wind and automatic? Unscrew the crown and feel whether there is resistance on the winding. If it keeps turning freely, it is an automatic.
- The Daytona has no date. If you see a date window, you are looking at a different model.
- Case size
- 40 mm Since 1988. The manual wind references are noticeably smaller
- Case material
- Steel, yellow gold, white gold, Everose or platinum Versions in steel with gold as well
- Bezel
- Engraved steel until 2016, ceramic after On the gold versions, gold with an engraved scale as well
- Movement
- Manual wind, sourced automatic or in-house automatic The three generations: to 1988, 1988 to 2000 and 2000 onwards
- Chronograph
- Three counters, up to twelve hours Hours, minutes and the small seconds
- Crystal
- Sapphire, no cyclops The Daytona has no date window
- Water resistance
- 100 metres Early versions 50 metres
- Bracelet
- Oyster, Oysterflex or leather Rubber and leather mainly on the gold versions
These figures are here to help you place your own watch. For an offer we assess the individual watch, because on this model the same number differs by dial.
Check it yourself
Four things you can check yourself
With a chronograph, part of the assessment is in what the watch does and not only in how it looks. Go through these four points and you will know roughly where you stand.
The reset of the counters
Press the top pusher to start, again to stop, then the lower one to reset. All three hands should snap back exactly to twelve. If one stops just beside it, that is an adjustment point and not a fault, but it does belong in the assessment.
The scale on the bezel
On an engraved steel bezel we look at whether the figures are still sharp and whether the ring has been polished through. On ceramic it is about chipped edges, which you see quickest by looking along the rim with the watch angled in your hand.
The pushers and the crown
On the modern versions the pushers screw down. They should turn smoothly and not catch. If you feel resistance or play, the gasket or the thread needs attention. That too is no reason for us not to buy.
The edge of the lugs
Hold the watch at an angle under a lamp and look from the top of a lug down to its side. On a case that has not been worked too often, a sharp line runs there. If it has rounded, material has been polished away, and it does not come back.
If something does not work as described here, just tell us. It is almost never a reason not to buy, and you then know in advance where you stand.
Have your Daytona assessedValuation
What sets the value of a Daytona?
On this model the movement counts for more than on any other Rolex. These are the six points that matter, in the order we look at them.
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The movement generation
Manual wind, the generation on a sourced base movement, or Rolex's own. That is the first question a buyer asks, and it decides which market your watch lands in.
Impact on the value: Large
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The dial
Colour, the colour of the counters and whether the original printing is still there. On the vintage references dials have been replaced more often than on the modern ones, and that shows in the printing and the edges.
Impact on the value: Large
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The bezel
Engraved steel or ceramic, and in what state. A polished-through steel bezel ring and a chipped edge of ceramic are both hard to replace.
Impact on the value: Large
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Case sharpness
The Daytona has clean case flanks with sharp transitions. Polishing too often takes those away and it is irreversible, so we look at it with the watch angled against the light.
Impact on the value: Average
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Does the chronograph work
Start, stop and reset on all three counters. A chronograph that does not reset cleanly can be put right, but it counts in the offer and we always say so.
Impact on the value: Average
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Box, papers and bracelet
The warranty card makes year and version traceable in one go. Spare links count, and on the gold versions so does the original leather or rubber strap.
Impact on the value: Average
We do not put what a Daytona fetches into a figure on a web page. With the Daytona, two examples from the same year diverge as soon as the dial or the bezel differs.
Request a valuation
On a Daytona, the way the counters snap back to zero says more about the servicing than any paperwork does.
Side by side
Which Daytona generation do you have?
The three movement generations side by side. If you do not know which you have, these differences usually settle it, and otherwise we will do it from your photos.
| Manual Wind | Sourced automatic | In-house movement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Period | 1963 to 1988 | 1988 to 2000 | 2000 onwards |
| Winding | By hand, every day | Automatic | Automatic |
| Case size | Smaller than 40 mm | 40 mm | 40 mm |
| Crystal | Acrylic | Sapphire | Sapphire |
| Bezel | Separate ring with scale | Engraved steel | Steel until 2016, ceramic after |
| Who looks for it | Collectors of early pieces | Those who know the transition years | The widest group of buyers |
These three generations do not move in step in the market. That is why we ask about it first and assess them separately.
The market
How does the market for the Daytona behave?
Four things worth knowing before you decide to sell. No predictions, just what we see come through the door.
The waiting list works through into the pre-owned market
The steel Daytona was hard to get new for years, and that has given the pre-owned market for this model a dynamic of its own. It moves faster than the quieter models of the house, in both directions. What holds today need not hold in six months, so an offer from 2023 says little about today.
The transition years are being rediscovered
The generation between 1988 and 2000 was long considered the least interesting: not vintage, not modern. That is shifting. Those who know the model value precisely that the movement from those years has a different character from the later in-house work. If you have such an example, it is worth having it assessed as its own category rather than as an old version of the new one.
Panda and Reverse Panda do not move in step
The same reference with a white or a black dial attracts different buyers, and the balance between the two shifts over the years. So it is not a detail: always say which colour scheme you have and photograph the dial straight from above.
Gold and platinum sit in their own market
The precious metal versions do not follow the steel ones. They are traded less, have a smaller audience, and the choice of dial plays a larger part. On a gold Daytona we therefore also ask about the strap, because an original leather or rubber strap with a gold buckle counts for more here.
Want to know where your example sits in this picture? Put it to us. You are not tied to the offer and you decide only once you have seen it.
All about selling a RolexClient experiences
Clients who sold us their Rolex
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S Konings 5 out of 5 starsHele goede ervaring gehad bij Reuven Watches, deal was snel gesloten, duidelijke communicatie, is vriendelijk en heeft eerlijke prijzen! Zeker een aanrader!
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Louis Kuntzmann 5 out of 5 starsVan de week mijn rolex horloge hier verkocht. Van alle juweliers in de omgeving heb ik hier de beste prijs gekregen. Zeer aardige jongeman
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Olivier Ecom 5 out of 5 starsHorloge verkocht, snel en professioneel! Aardige gast!
A selection of three of the 50 Google reviews, quoted word for word.
All versions
Which Daytona do you want to sell?
We buy every Rolex Daytona, from a manual wind version from the seventies to a 126500LN. For each version we look at the movement, the dial, the bezel and the state of the case. Unsure which generation you have? Turn the crown: that answer is enough to start.
Sell your Rolex Daytona 116500LN
The 116500LN was the first steel Daytona with a ceramic bezel and ran from 2016 to 2023. It appeared with a white and with a black dial, known informally as panda and reverse panda. If you want to sell a Rolex Daytona 116500LN, say which colour scheme you have, because the two do not move in step in the market.
Sell your Rolex Daytona 116520
The 116520 was the first Daytona with a chronograph movement Rolex made itself, with a tachymeter scale engraved into the steel bezel. When you sell a 116520 we look above all at whether that engraved ring is still sharp, because polishing through cannot be undone here.
Sell your Rolex Daytona 16520
The 16520 is the first automatic Daytona, built on a base from another maker. For a long time this generation stood in the shadow of the later ones, but that is shifting. When selling a Rolex Daytona 16520 we look at the dial and at whether all the parts belong together.
Sell your Rolex Daytona Panda
A white dial with black counters is called a Panda in the trade; the other way round, a Reverse Panda. They are not official names but they are the search terms. When selling a Rolex Daytona Panda we ask for a photo straight from above, because with this colour scheme the printing can be judged well.
Sell your gold Rolex Daytona
The Daytona appeared in yellow gold, white gold, Everose and platinum, on a gold bracelet, on leather or on rubber. When selling a gold Rolex Daytona, the material, the dial and the originality of the strap weigh heaviest. These versions sit in their own market and do not follow the steel ones.
Sell your Rolex Daytona Everose
Everose is Rolex's own rose gold alloy and appeared on the Daytona from 2008, including with chocolate and ice blue dials and on a rubber strap with a metal core. If you want to sell a Rolex Daytona Everose, say which dial colour it has and which strap is fitted.
Sell your vintage Rolex Daytona
The manual wind references from the sixties, seventies and eighties are a world of their own, with a smaller case, an acrylic crystal and, on some, screw-down pushers. On vintage we look especially at the dial, because on this model that is where the biggest difference lies between two examples that look the same.
Have a Rolex Daytona valued without selling
If you only want to know what your Daytona is worth, that is fine too. A request commits you to nothing and you decide only once you have seen the offer. Send the reference and a few photos and you will hear from us within 24 hours, weekends included.
Also searched for
- Sell your Rolex Daytona
- Sell your Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
- Sell your Rolex Daytona 116500LN
- Sell your Rolex Daytona 116520
- Sell your Rolex Daytona 16520
- Sell your Rolex Daytona Panda
- Sell your Rolex Daytona Everose
- Sell your gold Rolex Daytona
- Sell your platinum Rolex Daytona
- Sell your vintage Rolex Daytona
- Rolex Daytona valuation
- What is my Rolex Daytona worth
Frequently asked questions
Questions about selling a Daytona
What is my Rolex Daytona worth?
That depends above all on which movement is inside. Manual wind, the generation on a sourced base, and Rolex's own each sit in their own market.
After that the dial, the bezel and the state of the case count. Send the reference and a few photos and you will hear what we offer within 24 hours.
How do I know which Daytona generation I have?
Unscrew the crown and feel whether there is resistance on the winding. If it keeps turning freely, it is an automatic and you are in the generation from 1988 onwards.
The difference between the sourced base and the in-house movement you read from the reference and from the layout of the counters on the dial. Send a photo and we will do it.
The chronograph on my Daytona does not reset cleanly. Will you still buy it?
Yes, we will buy it. It does belong in the assessment, though.
Mention it in your request, then you know in advance where you stand and we will not come back to it afterwards. On a chronograph it is an adjustment point and rarely a fault.
Do you also buy a gold or platinum Daytona?
Yes, in yellow gold, white gold, Everose and platinum, on a gold bracelet, on leather or on rubber.
Say which material it is and whether the strap is the original, because on these versions that counts heavily. They also sit in their own market and do not follow the steel ones.
Where is the reference on my Daytona?
Between the lugs on the twelve o'clock side, under the bracelet. You only see it once the bracelet is off.
If that is not possible, send a photo of the dial and of the bezel. From that combination we can usually work out the generation.
Does the Daytona have a date window?
No. The Daytona is a chronograph without a date, and it has stayed that way since 1963.
If you see a date window at three o'clock, you are looking at a different model. Just send a photo in that case and we will work out what it is.
I no longer have the box and papers. Can I still sell it?
Yes. We buy every brand, with or without box and papers, and there is no minimum value.
On the Daytona a warranty card helps more than average, because it makes year and version traceable in one go. If you do not have it, we work it out from the reference.
How soon do I get an offer on my Daytona?
Within 24 hours, even if you apply on a Sunday.
The offer commits you to nothing; you are free to set it beside another one.
Assessed by
Beni Reuben
Owner and valuer at Reuven Watches
Beni Reuben does the valuations at Reuven Watches himself. With a chronograph he follows his own order, and it starts with the question of which movement is inside, because on this model that is where the market separates two seemingly identical chronographs.
Ten years in the watch trade
More about Reuven WatchesPublished
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Further reading
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Who Reuven Watches are
Showroom in Utrecht, 4.8 out of 5 across 50 Google reviews.
No obligation
Curious what we would offer for your Daytona?
Send the reference and photos of the dial, the bezel and the case, and you will hear what we offer within 24 hours. Weekends included.
You are not committed to anything. Your details stay confidential.