Defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win his second Wimbledon title, 21-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz claimed his prize while wearing a watch that most of us would consider a worthy prize unto itself. Indeed, his Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, ref. 116518LN-0076, is no “standard” Daytona (if there even is such a thing). Rather, it features a yellow-gold case paired with a gray meteorite dial. This is the second time he’s worn it while celebrating a Wimbledon victory against Djokovic…perhaps it’s a grass court lucky charm?
Released in 2021, this reference is every bit the sporty chronograph that Rolex has been making for sixty-plus years, albeit in an elevated, precious-metal outfit: Housed in a 40mm 18K yellow gold case, it’s got a screw-down caseback, screw-down pushers, and a screw-down Triplock crown for increased water resistance, plus a scratch-resistant black Cerachrom bezel with an engraved yellow gold tachymeter scale.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
The star of the show, however, is a wildly cool gray meteorite dial with contrasting black subdials, applied yellow gold indices with Chromalight lume, and a matching yellow gold baton handset. Inside beats the Rolex caliber 4130 automatic movement with 72 hours of power reserve, and the watch comes paired with Rolex’s famed rubber Oysterflex bracelet—a cool touch that lends a bit of sportiness to an otherwise luxury-centric package.
At Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023, Rolex discontinued the ref. 116518LN-0076 (along with other meteorite-dial Daytonas) after just two years in the catalog, sending prices on the secondary market skyrocketing well past the roughly $40,000 retail price tag and into the $80 to $90 thousand range. These days, if you want a space-rock Rollie, you either have to shell out big bucks for one from a pre-owned watch dealer (including those participating in Rolex’s own CPO program), or wait with bated breath until next spring and hope that the Crown sees fit to answer your prayers.
As a friend of the brand, Alcaraz owns and wears several of Rolex’s watches, from the meteorite Daytona to a black-dial Daytona ref. 116500LN to the Yacht-Master 42 RLX Titanium. Of course, he’s in excellent company—fellow superstar players Roger Federer, Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff, and others are also Rolex endorsers and are frequently spotted in knockout watches.
At just 21 years old, Alcaraz’s athletic and horological futures both look bright.
Read the full article here
