16520 Daytona service dial & hands

[TeddyBallGame]

I recently picked up an A serial black dial Zenith Daytona and since there is no info on its history, I’m planning on sending it to RSC to get serviced. When communicating with the RSC I asked if they could also swap the dial to the white one and they said yes as long as I have the hands changed as well. Now I’ve heard that the service hands Rolex uses for the 16520 are different than what came on the watch, not as thin (I think they’re from the 116520). Since I’d prefer to keep the thinner hands, I’m debating on not doing the swap.

Can anyone who recently had service hands on their Zenith Daytona confirm whether or not they’re the same?

[Dr.Stu]

Especially since you have already communicated with RSC- and I am a little surprised they will do that dial-swap for you- I think your best answer will come from asking them directly.

[steubi1]

Yes, I made the same experience.
Rolex systematically changes the hands to the new generation if you do not insist to keep the thinner hands (and I think, aesthetically there is no doubt that these thinner hands should be on 16520).

Fortunately, my SC in Switzerland has been willing to change the hands again for thinner ones, however with "Luminova" lume because Tritium is no more legal.
So I am happy in the end.

Tom

[TeddyBallGame]

Originally Posted by steubi1

Yes, I made the same experience.
Rolex systematically changes the hands to the new generation if you do not insist to keep the thinner hands (and I think, aesthetically there is no doubt that these thinner hands should be on 16520).

Fortunately, my SC in Switzerland has been willing to change the hands again for thinner ones, however with "Luminova" lume because Tritium is no more legal.
So I am happy in the end.

Tom

Thanks Tom!! This is exactly the info I was looking for. I’ll make sure to specify they replace the hands with the reference correct thinner ones.
Cheers!

[ratty]

I had a 16520 serviced about 10 months ago by Rolex and I’m sure this is what happened to my watch.

Things have been complicated by the watch having to go because of a problem not dealt with during the service, but I’m sure mine now has the thicker hands.

I have requested to see the photos they take prior to a watch being accepted for service to see if they show a difference to how it is now.

[ratty]

Originally Posted by ratty

I had a 16520 serviced about 10 months ago by Rolex and I’m sure this is what happened to my watch.

Things have been complicated by the watch having to go because of a problem not dealt with during the service, but I’m sure mine now has the thicker hands.

I have requested to see the photos they take prior to a watch being accepted for service to see if they show a difference to how it is now.

Further to this.

Rolex confirmed that the hands had been changed during service for some reason and that the later 116520 hands had been fitted.

I requested that these were changed for the thinner 16520 hands and this was done.

The thicker hands make these watches look quite different and, in my view, spoil the look. I would suggest the if anyone does get a 16520 serviced by Rolex they make sure that the later thicker hands are not fitted.

[rockysw]

i didnt know that Rolex can swap the dial with different color on daytonas. Interesting.

[TeddyBallGame]

Originally Posted by rockysw

i didnt know that Rolex can swap the dial with different color on daytonas. Interesting.

I was surprised they said yes. We’ll see when I send the watch in if they change their mind.

[TeddyBallGame]

Since I had gotten a few questions and DMs asking about the dial swap I want to follow-up now that I got my 16520 back from the RSC.

I can confirm that Rolex did swap the dial of my Daytona from black to white. They also replaced the thicker hands (most likely from a 116520) to the reference correct thinner hands. For those wondering, I did ask if I could keep my black dial in case I wanted to switch back at some point. I got a email from the RSC saying that because Rolex wants to keep loose parts out of the secondary market, dial swaps are trade-in only. I also had them replace my crystal with a new one that has AR on the underside now. Well worth it if you’re have a reference without it!

Overall they did a great job and the watch is running about +2 sec a day and turnaround was less than three weeks.

Here’s a before (black dial) and after (white dial) pic.

[mpkRolex]

Originally Posted by TeddyBallGame

Since I had gotten a few questions and DMs asking about the dial swap I want to follow-up now that I got my 16520 back from the RSC.

I can confirm that Rolex did swap the dial of my Daytona from black to white. They also replaced the thicker hands (most likely from a 116520) to the reference correct thinner hands. For those wondering, I did ask if I could keep my black dial in case I wanted to switch back at some point. I got a email from the RSC saying that because Rolex wants to keep loose parts out of the secondary market, dial swaps are trade-in only. I also had them replace my crystal with a new one that has AR on the underside now. Well worth it if you’re have a reference without it!

Overall they did a great job and the watch is running about +2 sec a day and turnaround was less than three weeks.

Here’s a before (black dial) and after (white dial) pic.

The new white dial looks beautiful! I thought the older reference Daytonas had the inner rings silver color instead of black.
Did you pay extra for the dial and hands?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TeddyBallGame]

Originally Posted by mpkRolex

The new white dial looks beautiful! I thought the older reference Daytonas had the inner rings silver color instead of black.
Did you pay extra for the dial and hands?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks!

I believe you're thinking about the 116520 ref with the silver subdials. That model came out right afterwards and looks very similar to the 16520 Zenith Daytona.

The dial cost $650 the six hands were $150

[Tools]

Originally Posted by TeddyBallGame

. . . (I think they’re from the 116520). Since I’d prefer to keep the thinner hands, I’m debating on not doing the swap.

Can anyone who recently had service hands on their Zenith Daytona confirm whether or not they’re the same?

If you are changing the dial they will replace it with a Luminova dial, therefore, it will need Luminova hands.

I'm not positive, but I do not think that the thin, early, hands come in Luminova as a service option.

[TeddyBallGame]

Originally Posted by Tools

; If you are changing the dial they will replace it with a Luminova dial, therefore, it will need Luminova hands.

I'm not positive, but I do not think that the thin, early, hands come in Luminova as a service option.

Correct, they replaced it with a white luminova dial.

I believe all Zenith Daytonas came with the thin hands (even the later A & P serials with luminova dials) and it wasn’t until the 116520 ref that they made the hands a little thicker. At some point in its life, the thin hands on my watch were replaced with the thicker ones. Fortunately when I sent my watch to the RSC they installed the correct thin hands with luminova to match the dial. You can see my before and after pic right above your post.

[gmstevenson]

Looks like it also has a service bezel from 116520. I could be mistaken but I didn't think they started using those until the P series, when they also became available as service replacements.

[ratty]

Originally Posted by gmstevenson

Looks like it also has a service bezel from 116520. I could be mistaken but I didn't think they started using those until the P series, when they also became available as service replacements.

Can you explain the differences please?

[gmstevenson]

Originally Posted by ratty

Can you explain the differences please?

If you compare the bezel of a 116520 to an original 16520 (A series or earlier) you will see that the bottom part of 6s on the 16520 are smaller (or tighter) than on the 116520, and the Ns on the 16520 are narrower than on the 116520. I don't have a photo account to post comparison pics but I expect if you search the web there are lots of images comparing the two bezels. My understanding is that Rolex started manufacturing the new bezels for the 116520 Daytonas and then started using that part early on the last of the 16520s, which would be the P series. I don't know if some P series got the earlier bezel but later ones definitely had them. The new bezels were also then used as service replacements for 16520s (which is one way to tell if the bezel on a zenith Daytona is original or not). Since the metal bezels would get scratched up Rolex would replace them with the new 116520 bezel. So if you see a Daytona A series or earlier that has the 116520 bezel it is a service replacement.

[TeddyBallGame]

Originally Posted by ratty

Can you explain the differences please?

To compliment GMTSTEVENSON's info, here's a reference someone put together with a lot of the bezel/dial variations throughout the production years.
https://mazzariolstefanoblog.com/en/...and-movements/

[gmstevenson]

Originally Posted by TeddyBallGame

To compliment GMTSTEVENSON's info, here's a reference someone put together with a lot of the bezel/dial variations throughout the production years.
https://mazzariolstefanoblog.com/en/...and-movements/

Here is a link to a U series that DavidSW is selling. He has great photos where you can see a close up of the "6"s on the bezel and how the bottom part of the six is smaller on the earlier bezel vs the 116520 bezel.

https://davidsw.com/shop/watch/rolex...th-black-dial/

[TeddyBallGame]

[QUOTE=gmstevenson; I could be mistaken but I didn't think they started using those until the P series, when they also became available as service replacements.[/QUOTE]


Possibly. I have seen pics of A serial watches with that mk bezel so who knows. This is what’s so fun about collecting, all the small variations over the years.

[inadeje]

It could be the lighting but the white dial after the swap looks like the hands are black? I have a OEM thin hand final year 99 luminova white dial zenith Daytona and my hands are silver as are the thin rings around the subdials.

[TeddyBallGame]

[QUOTE=inadeje;[It could be the lighting but the white dial after the swap looks like the hands are black? I have a OEM thin hand final year luminova white dial zenith Daytona and my hands are silver as are the thin rings around the subdials.[/QUOTE]


It’s just the lighting. The hands, markers and rings around the subdials are all white gold in color.

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by TeddyBallGame

It’s just the lighting. The hands, markers and rings around the subdials are all white gold in color.

Perfect, i like the outcome and as the owner of the white dial zenith myself in both TT and SS, I can fully understand why you made the switch

[TeddyBallGame]

Originally Posted by inadeje

Perfect, i like the outcome and as the owner of the white dial zenith myself in both TT and SS, I can fully understand why you made the switch

Thanks, I'm super happy how it turned out. I had wanted a white dial 16520 specifically to compliment my black dial 116500 Daytona. I found an great deal on a black dial that even after a full service and dial swap, it was much cheaper than a comparable white dial on the secondary market. Plus, I get the added benefit of having a fresh service and 2 yr warranty!

[worldofoyster]

Looks good

[ArtNouveau]

I had a late A serial white dial Daytona in 2000 but honestly don’t remember all the small details. Your refresh looks great.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by TeddyBallGame

I recently picked up an A serial black dial Zenith Daytona and since there is no info on its history, I’m planning on sending it to RSC to get serviced. When communicating with the RSC I asked if they could also swap the dial to the white one and they said yes as long as I have the hands changed as well. Now I’ve heard that the service hands Rolex uses for the 16520 are different than what came on the watch, not as thin (I think they’re from the 116520). Since I’d prefer to keep the thinner hands, I’m debating on not doing the swap.

Can anyone who recently had service hands on their Zenith Daytona confirm whether or not they’re the same?

Well Rolex will replace things like hands with what they have in stock, as a firm called Aiguilles makes all the watch hands for all models,plus several other things are out sourced.

[PenDelicate]

What a lovely watch.

[rolph]

If keeping the original aesthetic is important to you, it might be worth holding off on the dial swap, especially since the thinner hands are a key part of that look.

[TeddyBallGame]

Yeah, I saw service bezels pretty regularly when I was searching for a Zenith Daytona. Fortunately I wasn’t looking for a collector grade watch and didn’t need everything correct to the year/serial # it was produced. As long as it’s correct to the reference was fine with me.

[Akacoke]

Would they swap the ceramic bezel to it ?