May
Do you love motorsport and racing history? Want a watch with a near-endless number of color and metal choices? There’s good news. Rolex has you covered with the Daytona, its iconic chronograph seen on the wrists of legends like Paul Newman and several current racing superstars.
The Daytona has been around for decades as Rolex’s three-register chronograph, and its history is almost as interesting as the racing legends it’s so connected with. Early Rolex chronographs bore similar styling to the Daytona, but the Cosmograph dial print and numbered bezel make the Daytona stand out. It’s had other watchmakers’ movements underneath, too, having been powered by Zenith-made movements for several years.
A Rolex Caliber 4131 self-winding movement powers today’s Daytona. It offers magnetic resistance and robust shock absorption, and owners can expect around 72 hours of power reserve. Rolex’s typical reliability and accuracy are on full display, as the watch is accurate down to -2/+2 seconds per day. The case provides 300m water resistance, and the chronograph pushers are secured by screw-down, so the watch is ready to go in most situations.
Rolex has offered several varieties of the watch over the years, several of which have been available in precious metals like rose gold, platinum, and white gold. Most come on the excellent Oyster Bracelet, but some are available on Oysterflex rubber-like straps.
Dial colors are an area where the Daytona excels. Rolex offers blue, white, gold, black, white, and “panda” dials depending on the metal. Adventurous buyers can get the watch with dials made from Mother of Pearl or meteorite, though they are harder to find and more expensive than other models. While they all function the same, the contrasting colors and metals give each Daytona a unique look and feel, and the choice of metals means there’s a Daytona model in several price ranges.