“Reverse Panda” describes a Daytona with the panda scheme flipped: a black dial carrying contrasting light chronograph counters. In modern terms it means the black-dial steel 116500LN (2016–2023), whose look continues in the black-dial 126500LN (2023–present); the purest expressions are the vintage 6263 and 6265 with black dials and silver registers from the 1970s and 1980s.
Why is it called the Reverse Panda?
The panda nickname came first — dark counters on a light dial, like a panda’s face — and the reverse panda is simply its mirror image. On a strict reading the counters should be fully light-coloured against a dark dial, as on the black-silver 6263 and 6265; the modern ceramic 116500LN wears black counters with polished silver surrounds, so purists occasionally quibble, but trade and collector shorthand for the black-dial ceramic Daytona has settled firmly on Reverse Panda. The configuration goes back to the earliest Daytonas — the 6239 of the 1960s was offered with a black dial and contrasting silver registers — and it tends to suit those who find the white dial too stark. Across its seven-year production run, the black-dial 116500LN was never freely available at authorised dealers, with waiting lists commonly quoted in years rather than months.
References
The genuine references collectors mean when they say reverse panda:
| Reference | Years | Key spec | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6263 / 6265 (black dial) | c. 1971–1988 | Manual-wind Valjoux 727, silver registers | Discontinued |
| 116500LN (black dial) | 2016–2023 | Calibre 4130, black Cerachrom bezel, 40 mm | Discontinued |
| 126500LN (black dial) | 2023–present | Calibre 4131, black Cerachrom bezel, 40 mm | In production |
Super clone availability
Grand Watch Club lists 2 reverse-panda models, both based on the black-dial 116500LN, priced from £434 to £1,125. The lower price buys the standard build on a dependable Japanese chronograph movement; the upper tier is the Swiss SuperClone version, running a clone of the calibre 4130 architecture with the correct sweep and pusher feel. Both are 40 mm with the black Cerachrom-style bezel of the genuine article, so the movement is the meaningful difference between the two tiers.