On paper, it’s easy to look at the reference 116500, introduced in 2016, as a very minor evolution of the 116520. The case, dial, and movement are all mostly unchanged. The only real difference is the shift to a black Cerachrom bezel. That small change shifted the discussion around the best replica Rolex Daytona in a big way, however. This is the reference that put the Daytona on the map for many newcomers, and provided a look that harkened back to the iconic four digit references that utilized black bezel inserts, such as the 6263, and 6241.
The sale of Paul Newman’s own UK high quality copy Rolex Daytona ref. 6239 was a watershed moment for the collection as a whole, coming in 2017, just one year after the introduction of the 116500. Newman’s 6239 may have had a steel bezel, but it propelled the modern iteration with a black bezel into the stratosphere. The effects of this can still be felt today. The 116500 with a white dial also moved back to the black rings surrounding each of the sub dials, creating a striking high-contrast look that was instantly recognizable. This specific configuration made the already scarcely available cheap super clone watches nearly impossible to get, which is still very much the case today.
In hindsight, this reference is also unique as the last to feature the elegant, slightly smaller asymmetrical case. The profile of this 1:1 wholesale fake Rolex watches flow beautifully into a point that terminates at the lug. This case was unique to the steel references in this generation, as the precious metal references featured slightly wider, symmetrical cases that used a case with a broader termination point at the lug, resulting in a flat area that doesn’t quite flow as gracefully as the steel case. This reference is highly collectible for a variety of reasons, but I feel that the case will end up being worthy of note to collectors in the future.