Rolex Daytona 116500 vs 116519 Comparison
Review

Rolex Daytona 116500 vs 116519 Comparison

By Baron - Mr Red · May 8, 2018 · 15 replies
Baron - Mr Red
WPS member · Rolex forum
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Baron - Mr Red presents a detailed comparison between two highly sought-after Rolex Daytona models, the 116500 and the 116519, following his earlier deliberation. This post offers a unique perspective on the subjective factors that differentiate these watches, providing valuable insights for collectors considering either reference.

Last Thursday, it was decision time between the Daytona 116500 and the 116519. I am attaching below my original deliberation between the two watches.

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I had narrowed the choice down to these two for many reasons. Ultimately, I needed to make a choice. First, however, I will say that I find both watches to be absolutely stunning to wear. On the wrist, they each have a very distinct personality. When it comes to making a choice, movement, case size, reliability, and a whole host of other factors must out of necessity go out of the door when comparing these two as they are twins in so many ways. Differentiation is needed on quite specific grounds.

Ultimately, three factors make the difference;


The white gold case of the 116519 versus the steel case of the 116500

The Oysterflex rubber strap of the 116519 versus the steel bracelet of the 116500

The black dial of the 116500 versus the gun metal grey of the 116519


Lets deal with the three in reverse order.

From what must be a purely subjective aesthetic evaluation, I find the 116519 dial to be one of the nicest of any modern Rolex. It is mesmerising. That is not to say that the dial of the 116500 isn’t a joy too. It is, but in a straight comparison, my personal bias takes me clearly to the 116519. In particular, I love the way that the 116519 dial changes in different lights. It reminded me of a 6239 I used to own that did exactly the same. I love the contrast between the bezel and the dial. Yes, on this metric, the 116519 wins for me. To be fair, the 116500 has a compelling dial too. One finds oneself staring at it constantly. I love the contrast between the sub-index grey and the black of teh dial. I also love the contrasting between the black of the dial and the red script "Daytona". It works very well and for me was a clear win over the white dial variant. 

The Oysterflex rubber is a more difficult issue to evaluate. I love both metal and rubber. In fact, I would prefer to have the 116500 on rubber. However, I like the option of having the 116500 on a bracelet too. One does not have that option with the 116519 as it comes only on rubber and that rubber needs to be fitted with exactly the right length as the adjustment capacity on the Oysterflex is just 0.5cm. For me, it wouldn’t be a big factor in the decision as I really like (even prefer) the rubber variant. But its nice to have that choice. So, on balance, the 116500 wins on this level as one does at least have a choice.

The issue of white gold versus steel is an odd one. To be blunt, they both look the same. The 166519, however, has more weight courtesy of its metal. One could also argue that the historical tradition of a Daytona is more aligned to steel than it is to a precious metal. Having said that, I like the feeling of weight to a watch. In particular, when a watch has a well-fitted rubber strap, that weight is distributed well and it doesn’t cause “watch shift” issues that can be evident on a bracelet.

The final decision was in fact much easier than I expected. The watch that I loved most was the 116519. And that is the watch I bought for my wife. I also loved the 116500, and I bought that for myself. So in the end, the decision was not as hard as it had first appeared to be. Two modern Rolex join the stable and I have to say, I am delighted with the decision.



About the Rolex 6239 Ref. 6239

The Rolex 6239 represents a black dial variant within this reference, produced from 1963 to 1969. This reference occupies a specific position in Rolex's chronograph offerings of the period, distinguished by its black dial configuration and manual winding operation.

The watch features a 37mm stainless steel case fitted with a fixed tachymeter bezel and acrylic crystal. Water resistance is rated to 50 meters. The manual winding movement utilizes the Valjoux 72 caliber, providing a 45-hour power reserve. The timepiece is completed with a leather strap.

This reference appeals to collectors focused on vintage Rolex chronographs from the 1960s production era. The black dial variant offers an alternative to other dial configurations within the 6239 reference range. The manual winding Valjoux 72 movement and 37mm case size reflect the technical specifications typical of this production period.

Specifications

Caliber
Valjoux 72
Case
Stainless steel
Diameter
37 mm
Dial
Black
Water Resist.
50m
Crystal
Acrylic

Key Points from the Discussion

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The Discussion
SH
sham1
May 8, 2018

I too would prefer the 116500 on a rubber strap and I guess it can still be done as an after market exercise but I love to keep things as original as possible. I am still unable to get used to the bracelet on my 116500 and have been thinking of the 1116519 which as you correctly evaluated has a mesmerising dial that changes with the light. Still, I am trying to get over my mental block with bracelets which is not easy when one has been wearing only watches with leather straps for 40 years!!

TY
Tyo
May 8, 2018

mine should be there in July

HS
hs111
May 8, 2018

.. just out of curiosity: if it would have been one OR the other, and just for you personally, which would get the Kudos ? Sincere Congrats anyway, a mesmerizing Duo ! Best, hs

JO
Joepny
May 8, 2018

A double happiness. I would have been surprised if you walked away from either one of them — a great sign of how successful Rolex has been these past few years.

WA
watch-guy.com
May 8, 2018

One for One for you Both lovely pieces I had the White dialled version of the 116500 on my wrist today. Love that model Well done and big congrats J

JA
jayeyedoubleemmwhy
May 8, 2018

I've helped customers that purchased these watches and their mindsets fall similarly with your reasoning. A customer that got the 116500 was all about getting iconic, hard-to-get steel sport models, while another customer for the 116519 was about the subtlety in the details and comfort.

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