Introduced in 2016, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 116503 succeeded the reference 116523 as the Yellow Rolesor version of the celebrated chronograph, combining Oystersteel with 18K yellow gold. Retaining the classic 40 mm Oyster case and engraved yellow-gold tachymeter bezel, the reference represents one of the final evolutions of the long-running Daytona generation introduced at the turn of the millennium.

At its heart is Rolex calibre 4130, the manufacture’s first entirely in-house automatic chronograph movement, introduced in 2000 specifically for the Cosmograph Daytona. Its architecture uses a reduced number of components compared with a conventional chronograph mechanism, contributing to reliability and ease of maintenance, while providing a power reserve of approximately 72 hours.

The reference 116503 remained in the collection until 2023, when Rolex introduced a new generation of the Cosmograph Daytona, including the Yellow Rolesor reference 126503 powered by calibre 4131. The 116503 therefore belongs to the final generation of two-tone Daytonas fitted with calibre 4130, a movement that powered the model for more than two decades.