I really don’t think I need to go too much into the Daytona as pretty much everyone, watch enthusiast or not, knows or has at least heard 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 a few) Rolex before, the Daytona is without a doubt the most desirable and hardest to get 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.
While we are certainly used to seeing the stainless steel Daytona, the gold Daytona has always maintained a special place in the Rolex lineup and one of my personal picks would be this Ref. 116509, which features a refined and sophisticated design with its 40mm case crafted from 18-carat white gold. As a whole, the Ref. 116509 possesses a subtle and elegant aesthetic, featuring a mesmerizing sunburst blue dial with striking red accents on the sub-dials and hour markers—a refreshing colour combination you don’t often see.
The Rolex Daytona has 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. At 40mm, it sits perfectly and has a design language that sits amongst other legendary designs such as the 911 Porsche and Fender Stratocaster. This one is made even special with the unusual blue dial and white gold case. White gold is the stealth wealth metal of choice, as most people will just think it is stainless steel. That being said, when you strap it on your wrist, the sheer weight of the white gold case and bracelet will remind you every day exactly what it is.
With that famous Rolex quality and history, the Rolex Daytona strikes a perfect balance between everyday usability and still giving you that feeling of having something special on your wrist.
