Rolex · Family: Daytona
The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN is the first Oystersteel version of the legendary racing chronograph to feature the black Cerachrom ceramic bezel, launched in 2016 to replace the 116520. We don't yet have enough verified market data (fewer than 5 recorded observations) to publish a reliable price range. Its clearest differential: it comes on two dials, the white dial with black counters nicknamed the "Panda," or an all-black monochrome dial, both built on the manufacture Calibre 4130.
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The Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN debuted at Baselworld 2016 as the most anticipated update to the steel Daytona line: for the first time, the Oystersteel version carried the black Cerachrom ceramic bezel with an engraved tachymetric scale coated in a thin layer of gold via PVD, a material Rolex had already used on its gold Daytona models since 2011 but had not yet extended to the line's most accessible configuration. It directly replaced the 116520, which since 2000 had carried a steel bezel with the tachymetric scale engraved directly into the metal.
Mechanically, the 116500LN retained Calibre 4130, the manufacture movement Rolex introduced in 2000 to replace the Zenith El Primero-based mechanism that powered the preceding reference, the 16520 (1988-2000). The 4130 is a self-winding chronograph with a column wheel and vertical clutch, built with fewer components than its predecessor and delivering roughly 72 hours of power reserve, carrying Superlative Chronometer certification.
The reference launched in two dial configurations: white with black counters, nicknamed the "Panda" by collectors for its visual contrast, and an all-black monochrome dial. Both share the redesigned dial layout this reference introduced, with slimmer counters than those of the 116520.
Between 2016 and 2023, the 116500LN became one of the most sought-after and hardest-to-obtain watches at authorized retail, with multi-year waiting lists at many dealers, a phenomenon that cemented the Daytona as a symbol of the scarcity that defined much of Rolex's catalog through that decade.
In 2023, Rolex introduced the new generation of the steel Daytona (reference 126500LN) with Calibre 4131 [UNVERIFIED: the precise technical differences between the 4130 and 4131, beyond sharing a chronograph architecture and ~72 hours of power reserve, are not part of the catalog specs used as source for this fiche], marking the end of 116500LN production. Since then, the 116500LN has become a discontinued reference, increasingly sought after on the secondary market for representing the close of an era for the Oystersteel Daytona.
The 116500LN introduced the black Cerachrom ceramic bezel with an engraved tachymetric scale in 2016, replacing the 116520's engraved steel bezel. Both share the manufacture Calibre 4130, but the 116500LN also debuted a redesigned dial with slimmer counters.
We don't yet have enough verified market data to publish a reliable price range. We avoid estimating figures without backing data; this section will update once at least 5 verified PricePoints exist for this reference.
"Panda" is the nickname collectors gave to the white-dial version with black counters, for the contrast reminiscent of the animal's markings. Rolex has never used that name officially; an all-black monochrome dial version also exists.
It runs Calibre 4130, a manufacture self-winding chronograph movement with a column wheel and vertical clutch, delivering roughly 72 hours of power reserve. It's the same movement Rolex introduced with the 116520 in 2000.
No. Rolex discontinued the 116500LN in 2023 with the launch of the new steel Daytona generation, reference 126500LN, powered by Calibre 4131. The 116500LN is now found only on the secondary market.
Yes, it's rated to 100 meters, adequate for daily and sporting use, though lower than dive watches like the Submariner, since the Daytona was designed as a racing chronograph rather than a dive watch.
Between 2016 and 2023, demand far outstripped the supply available at authorized dealers, creating multi-year waiting lists and turning the model into a symbol of the scarcity that characterized Rolex's catalog during that period.
The white dial pairs a light background with black counters (the "Panda"), while the black dial is monochrome, with counters the same tone as the background. Both share the same case, Cerachrom bezel, and Calibre 4130 — the choice is purely aesthetic.