Zenith Movement VS Rolex Movement

The Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona – The ultimate tool watch for those with a passion for driving and speed.

The Zenith Movement existed in Rolex Daytona Ref.16520 with Calibre 4030. In contrast, the Rolex Movement took its place in later models with the Daytona Ref.116520 with caliber 4130. There are some variations and differences between each model. The new caliber 4130 introduced a high-performance “vertical clutch” that resulted in some dial changes. The small seconds counter was moved to the 6 o’clock place on the newer model, inverting its position with the chronograph hour counter. The sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock were moved up. In addition, larger hands and hour markers allow for readability at night time.

Introduced in 1963, the Cosmograph Daytona was designed to meet the demands of professional racing drivers. It is an icon forever joined in name and function to the high-performance world of motorsport. More than 50 years after its creation, the Cosmograph Daytona remains in a class of its own among sports chronographs and continues to transcend time.

The Rolex Daytona Ref. 16520 is better known as ‘El Primero’ (‘the first one’ in Spanish). It all starts when Rolex partnered with their Swiss compatriots Zenith, the (sort of) winners of the three-way race to create the very first automatic chronograph movement in 1969. Their entry, titled the El Primero, had proven itself an exceptionally accurate and robust mechanism, but it had been mothballed for several years shortly after its invention due to the upheaval of the quartz crisis.

When production restarted in the late 70s, the El Primero’s reputation grew, with Ebel buying up the entire backlog of calibers for themselves, and pumping millions back into Zenith’s coffers. After a further decade of success, the manufacturer was able to answer the call from Rolex when the time came to give the Rolex Daytona a long-overdue upgrade.

Rubber B Classic Series VulChromatic® Hi-Rise strap

The 4130 set a new benchmark in the self-winding chronograph movements compared to the 4030. The 4130 is much easier to service, reliable, and efficient. One example of this is: caliber 4130 provided 72 hours of power reserve, while caliber 4030 provided 52 hours of power reserve. Both versions come on the iconic metal link Oyster band.

Below are the listed differences the Daytona Ref.116520 introduced in 2000:

– New in-house Rolex 4130 movement in the 116520. Fewer parts and easier to service with a Parachrom blue hairspring, 72-hour power reserve. Eliminates the jumping seconds hand of the 16520 when you start your chronograph thanks to its new vertical clutch. Hacking seconds hand in the 116520, non-hacking in the 16520 (very annoying when setting time to the second).

– The 16520 has a modified Zenith ‘El Primero’ movement, the Rolex 4030, with over 50% modification in parts including a reduction in BPH from 36,000 to 28,000. This helped reduce service intervals with the movement.

– The second’s hand is at the 9-o’clock position in the 16520, 6-o’clock in the 116520.

– The sub-dials of the 16520 are either off-white on the black dial model or black on the white dial model.

– The sub-dials of the 116520 are slightly off-centered while they are centered in the 16520.

– The 116520 has a large case size and maxi hands and hour markers.

– The 116520 bracelet has solid links and a modern Rolex clasp with an easy-link extension. The 16520 has hollow links (the Mark V has solid end links, all others do not) and an old 5-digit style tuna can clasp. Both are awesome watches, but people like the classic do to the history or the year lunch 16520.

Rubber B offers a diversity of watch straps engineered to fit the case and deployant buckle or the OEM Deployant clasp, for the Rolex Daytona on Leather Strap YG / WG/ RG, as well as Rolex Daytona on Oysterflex Bracelet. Made of 100% vulcanized rubber featuring “Blocked Integration” to the watch case for a perfect, rotation-free mount. Made in Switzerland of pure vulcanized rubber. No coatings, blends, or bonding. Also offered in solid colors such as Jet Black, Red Devil, Espresso Brown, Arctic White, and Navy Blue. For this specific Daytona model, Rubber B also offers the Couture Series, Handsewn GORE™ TENARA® Thread: Extremely resistant to UV-rays, atmospheric conditions, & chemicals, as shown in the picture below.

In addition, Rubber B also offers a strap for Rolex Daytona on Oysterflex Bracelet – featuring “SwimSkin®” Alligator the exclusive patented technology, created over a five-year developmental period, requiring all-new innovative machinery and engineering techniques. Although this strap looks and feels identical to alligator hide, it is actually 100% RUBBER, and therefore waterproof for all sports and aquatic activities.

As well as a diversity of colored straps that look and feel like a moisture-sensitive material such as Kevlar®, but it is actually 100% RUBBER. Referred to as SwimSkin® Ballistic, this and all of the above-mentioned straps are exclusively for Rolex Daytona on Oysterflex Bracelet.