I really don’t think I need to go too much into the Daytona as pretty much everyone knows about this watch. It has always been the case that the ultimate Rolex is ironically not a solid gold President Day-Date, but the Cosmograph Daytona. With waitlists in the years to authorized dealers these days not even entertaining you unless you’ve bought another (or multiple) Rolex before, the Daytona is without a doubt the most desirable and hardest to get mainstream Rolex in the market today
However, I believe it remains crucial to briefly reiterate the Rolex Daytona's origin story. In 1959, the Daytona International Speedway emerged as the swiftest racing track in the United States, and in 1962, it became renowned for hosting the esteemed “Rolex 24 At Daytona” endurance race. Recognizing the significance of this racing venue, Rolex was designated as the official timepiece/timekeeper of the Daytona International Speedway. In 1963, Rolex solidified its connection to the illustrious racetrack by christening its newly introduced racing chronograph as the Cosmograph Daytona.
This is the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 116500, introduced in 2016 as the successor to the Ref. 116520. While the Daytona design has always been more evolution rather than revolution, the most notable update in this reference was the introduction of a black ceramic (‘Cerachrom’) bezel, departing from the stainless steel bezels found in earlier models.
Needless to say, the Rolex Daytona has been and will always be the de facto flagship icon of Rolex, partly due to its rich history and association with famous individuals throughout history. On the wrist, with all of the hype and history aside, it is just a downright good-looking watch. With its 40mm size, the Daytona fits perfectly on the wrist and possesses a design language that aligns with other legendary creations like the 911 Porsche and Fender Stratocaster. The black glossy dial contrasts well with the matte finish of the ceramic bezel to make for a beautiful addition to the already legendary lineup of Rolex Daytonas.
With that famous Rolex quality and history, the Daytona strikes a perfect balance between everyday usability and still giving you that feeling of having something special on your wrist.
