ROLEX | COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA 'THE BIG BLUE', REFERENCE 16528, A YELLOW GOLD CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH WITH BLUE DIAL AND BRACELET, CIRCA 1991 | 勞力士 | "Cosmograph Daytona “The Big Blue” 型號16528 黃金計時鏈帶腕錶，備藍色錶盤，錶殼編號N194819，約1991年製"

Nicknamed the ‘Chairman’ or 'The Big Blue', this magnificent blue dial was manufactured in the Singer laboratories in small numbers. It was perhaps due to poor market feedback that its production was quickly cancelled. Subsequently, these dials were later given to friends, suppliers, senior executives and business partners of Rolex, who would decide the dial’s fate by housing it onto existing Daytona models and giving the watch new life. 

This present example showcases a galvanised ocean-blue dial with a soleil finish, starkly complementing the lavish gold case which increased in diameter from 37 mm around the late 1980s and early 1990s. Other exciting details include the inversed 6 o’clock numerical index which indicates the Zenith El Primero movement and the classic red Daytona signature above the golden-ringed subsidiary dial. These dynamic features enhance the iconic elements, such as the screw-down pushers, three subsidiary dials and raised gold-rimmed indexes, typically seen on the Daytona: all these details fuse together to create one mesmerising visual, transcending beyond the watch’s purpose-built origins.

As these deep-blue dials were technically never retailed to the public, they are one of the most exclusive collectables available on the secondary market. With its elusiveness and limited production numbers, the upcoming auction presents a special opportunity to acquire this extremely rare yet iconic timepiece.