Revolution
EXCLUSIVE - Unique Platinum Rolex Daytona at Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s is set to sell a unique platinum Perpetual Daytona with never-before-seen lapis dial as the star lot in its July Hong Kong sale.
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Revolution
Sotheby’s is set to sell a unique platinum Perpetual Daytona with never-before-seen lapis dial as the star lot in its July Hong Kong sale.
Deployant
Today we bring you the second part of our series on Paul Newman's personal Rolex Cosmograph Daytonas. This watch has a special link to racing.
Revolution
Why is Paul Newman’s “Paul Newman” Rolex Daytona important to the greater story of horology? Why is it important that it’s been found? Phillips Watches’ Paul Boutros tells Revolution all, along with a little about their inaugural New York auction entitled: WINNING ICONS (26 October 2017).
Hodinkee
Sitting next to Rolex CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour, this may be the unofficial "soft launch" of the watch in the wild.
Hodinkee
It's a record for the JPS and for a watch sold in an online auction.
Video
To the average person, an 18-karat rose gold Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso might just look like an ordinary "grandpa watch," paling in comparison to a flashy stainless steel Rolex Daytona. But to those who know, this minut...
A platinum case and a stone dial set a new auction record for automatic Daytonas.
Time+Tide
The Rolex Daytona and the Apple Watch are two of the most wildly desired timepieces on the planet. First up, you have the Daytona, the iconic chronograph first released in 1963, whose popularity spiked exponentially after Paul Newman’s timepiece sold at auction for US$17.75 million in 2017. Today, your chances of snaffling a Daytona at … ContinuedThe post What do you get if you cross a Rolex Daytona with an Apple Watch? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Ever since the “panda” dial Paul Newman Rolex Daytona sold for the GDP of a small African nation, it’s become the preserve of mega-rich rockstars only. And thus, we have just two examples of rockstars wearing it, one from the new school – old mate, Ed Sheeran who is quite the enthusiast and journeyman Eric Clapton. … ContinuedThe post Rockstars rocking vintage watches, Part 2 – Paul Newman Daytonas only appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Two thousand and sixteen will surely go down in the annals of watch-lore as the year of the Daytona. Not only did Rolex finally update their stainless steel icon, but they also unveiled two new precious metal versions. We’ve already looked at the oh-so-shiny green and yellow gold version, and today we hold in our … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Blue heaven – the Rolex Daytona in white gold with blue dial (ref. 116509), plus pics of EVERY new 2016 Daytona appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
This weekend marked the 100th running of the 24 hour race of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe in France, and Rolex took full advantage of the occasion with the release of a new Daytona with a dial that recalls the now famous ‘exotic’ dial, aka Newman dial, of older references. This release is surprising for a few reasons, and may even offer some insight to what we might expect from Rolex moving forward. We’ll get to all that, but in many ways, this is the Daytona that enthusiasts have been asking for since the late ‘80s – it’s the ‘greatest hits’ watch, perfectly capitalizing on the the new Daytona chassis released just earlier this year at Watches & Wonders, which we went hands-on with right here. First and foremost, Rolex is not in the habit of dropping new releases outside of their regular yearly cadence. We last saw it with the release of the Deepsea Challenge in late 2022, the first commercial Rolex to tout their RLX titanium material. While that watch could be considered something of an outlier, given its rather extreme nature, the Daytona is another story entirely. This new reference, the 126529LN officially, joins the new collection as a regular production model. That reference number ends in four characters that have never appeared together in the Daytona family, the 29 indicating a full white gold case and bracelet, and LN, or Lunette Noir, meaning it sports a black Cerachrom bezel. Vintage Rolex Daytona reference 6263 with exotic dial The firs...
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What happens when a watch Authorized Dealer breaks their promise after you spend $250,000? Today, Christian sits down with attorney and watch collector Peter Aziz to break down a real California lawsuit where a buyer...
SJX Watches
Known for customised watches created for celebrity athletes, Artisans de Genève (ADG) has just revealed its latest project, the Armstrong. Based on a Rolex Daytona ref. 116520, the watch was commissioned by former pro cyclist Lance Armstrong. Though it looks thoroughly contemporary, it is modelled on the vintage Daytona ref. 6239 “Pulsations”, one of which just sold at Phillips for US$693,000. The vintage inspiration is literal, yet reinterpreted creatively. The Armstrong has been skeletonised and heavily modified, with both the hour register and automatic winding mechanism removed, resulting in an unusually minimalist watch. Initial thoughts Leaving aside Mr Armstrong’s chequered past – he was a cancer survivor and then multi-time world champion before getting a lifetime ban for doping – his namesake watch is surprisingly interesting. Although it is clearly modern in style, the Armstrong is vintage inspired – it is literally a manual-wind, “pulsations” Daytona. In that sense, it is actually a vintage remake with imagination. A significant amount of effort was clearly expended to get there, and the work appears to be of high quality. Doing away with large chunks of the movements feels drastic, yet the result is intriguing, both conceptually and visually. Or put more simply, it’s weird in a good way. The customisation is priced at about US$45,000, but that excludes the watch, which the client has to supply. It’s fair enough given the substantial work on...
Revolution
Phillips Watches to auction Paul Newman’s other Daytona and one of six Monacos sourced for McQueen’s 1970 film, Le Mans at their 2020 New York sale
Time+Tide
Geneva watch auction season is rolling around again, and one of the stars of the show is this watch, a 1989 Rolex Daytona in gold. It’s being auctioned by Phillips, at their Geneva Watch Auction: Nine, on May 11 and 12. From the dial side, it seems to be a stock standard reference 16528; in … ContinuedThe post NEWS: Gold Rolex Daytona gifted by F1 legend Ayrton Senna to be auctioned in Geneva appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
A Rolex Paul Newman Daytona ref. 6362 with the RCO or “Oyster Sotto” dial goes unsold at Christie’s 2017 Rolex Afternoon sale after missing the lot’s lower estimate.
Deployant
Caroline Wozniacki became the first Danish woman to win a Grand Slam singles title by winning the 2018 Australian Open. She lifted the trophy with a Rolex Daytona on her wrist.
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Deployant
Introducing the new updated Rolex Comsograph Daytona in 904L stainless steel with updated Cerachrom bezel for Baselworld 2016.
SJX Watches
Rolex continues to surprise with the announcement of the Daytona “Four Seasons” charity auction that will take place soon in London. This marks the public debut of the fantastical, gem-set – and unique – Cosmograph Daytona watches that were discreetly revealed earlier this year. Conducted by Phillips, the auction will benefit Federer Foundation and Re:wil, the charities founded by Roger Federer and Leonardo DiCaprio respectively. All proceeds from the sale will be split evenly between the charities. Details on the event are still scarce, but well placed sources have given us some exclusive information. The venue will be a beautifully restored colonial building that is now a lavish hotel. Several hundred guests will be in attendance at a gala dinner where the auction will take place. More importantly, the watches will be sold individually, rather than as a set. In other words, the auction will be made up of four lots. This is the first public announcement of these four watches, which were quietly debuted during Watches & Wonders 2026. Like the Rolex inclined plane clock, the Daytona quartet was on show on an upper floor of the Rolex booth, but no photos were allowed. Though no one will comment officially on the expected result, I can imagine there’s only one number on the minds of everyone responsible for this sale, and that is CHF31 million. That record was set in a different time, different place, by different people, but who knows? For more, visit Rolex.com.
Fratello
Something got me started. In fact, it was Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazário, who was attending the FIFA World Cup. He was wearing the yellow gold Rolex Daytona 126518LN with a turquoise dial, which debuted last year at Watches and Wonders. My first thought was, “Why are you wearing ‘my’ watch?” It was a rather […] Visit I’d Give It All Up For You: The Yellow Gold Rolex Daytona 126518LN With A Turquoise Dial to read the full article.
Fratello
There’s nothing like a bit of confusion when it comes to terminology used in the description of watches. There’s something better, however - confusion caused by Rolex watches. At this year’s Watches and Wonders, the dial of an exclusive offering caused a bit of a storm in the watch community because of the use of […] Visit Does The New Off-Catalog Rolesium Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Really Have A Grand Feu Enamel Dial? to read the full article.
Fratello
Another Friday, another list. For this week’s Top 5, we look at another Rolex classic. The Cosmograph Daytona is one of the brand’s most iconic pieces in the watch world. The stainless steel versions of the racing chronograph are notoriously difficult to source through a Rolex dealer, and pre-owned prices are generally higher than retail. […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Rolex Daytona Alternatives In 2026 to read the full article.
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SJX Watches
Many collectors wait months, or even years, to get ‘the call’ to come pick up their Rolex Daytona. But in Daytona Beach, Florida on Sunday, one lucky individual will take delivery after waiting just 24 hours. Of course, there’s a catch: they must win one of the most grueling endurance races in all of motor sport: The Rolex 24 at Daytona. In other words, it’s not exactly a day at the beach. A day before the green flag is set to fly, Rolex has taken the wraps off this year’s trophy. Curiously, it’s not a ‘Le Mans’ edition, which features a cleverly constructed 24-hour elapsed time sub-dial, but rather a standard two-tone Cosmograph Daytona ref. 126503 with a one-of-a-kind engraving on the case back - a configuration that’s been awarded to the race champion going back to at least 2017. The ‘Daytona’ Daytona Rolex has been associated with a 4.2-mile stretch of hard-packed sand on the Atlantic ocean for nearly a century. The unique conditions of Daytona Beach made it the home of speed in the early 20th century, where several land speed records were broken. The brand’s first testimonee from the world of motor sport, Sir Malcom Campbell, was arguably the king of Daytona Beach, setting a record of 438 kmh in 1933 while wearing a Rolex Oyster. Rolex’s first motor sport testimonee Sir Malcolm Campbell on Daytona Beach in 1935. Image © Bettmann/CORBIS Rolex deepened its association with Daytona in 1963 by naming its chronograph collection after the famous...
Teddy Baldassarre
Aside from the watch that was made legendary by Paul Newman - and which would forever, unofficially, carry the famous actor’s name - there is probably no version of the Rolex Daytona that is more coveted than the “Rainbow” models that bring a meticulously designed and eye-catchingly beautiful assortment of colorful precious stones to the bezel, case, and dial of the motorsport-inspired luxury chronograph. Here is the story behind the Rolex Daytona “Rainbow” and why it has become yet another smash hit for the Crown in the 21st Century. To start off, it’s worth answering the question, “Why is the Rolex Daytona so famous in the first place?” The model’s success story begins in 1962, when Rolex, hot on the heels of other genre-defining watch releases like the Explorer, GMT-Master, and Submariner several years earlier, became the official timekeeper of the “Great American Race,” the Daytona 500. In celebration of the partnership, the Swiss brand introduced its original “Cosmograph” racing-inspired chronograph watch the following year. The watch, notable for its tachymeter bezel and three-register dial design, adopted the name “Daytona” shortly thereafter and really took the enthusiast community by storm when actor, director, and part-time racecar driver Paul Newman began wearing one regularly. Newman became a big-screen icon in the 1970s, around the same time that auto racing took off in popularity as a spectator sport, and this confluence of...
SJX Watches
At Watches & Wonders 2025, all eyes were on Rolex. But the polarising Land-Dweller grabbed most of the headlines, relegating new versions of existing models, including the mighty Cosmograph Daytona Turquoise Blue ref. 126518LN, to second billing. Regardless, the Daytona remains one of the most iconic watches in the industry and its inherent quality makes any new version worthy of a close look. In this case, those who probed the depths of the Rolex catalogue were rewarded with the unusual combination of an 18k yellow gold case and a turquoise lacquer “Stella” dial. (And those lucky enough would have seen the “off-catalogue” Daytona ref. 126538TBR with an actual turquoise stone dial and diamond-set case.) Initial thoughts Let’s just say this was not love at first sight. I initially found this new colourway overly garish, but I am a sucker for turquoise, whether natural stone or, in this case, lacquer, so the look has grown on me over time. I think I’d have preferred a different treatment for the sub-dials, which to my eye dull the vibrancy of the turquoise, but this is a subjective critique of an objectively well-made watch. Dial colour aside, the new Daytona benefits from the model’s 60th anniversary updates rolled out two years ago, including the gold rim for the ceramic bezel. The case offers roughly ideal proportions for a sporty chronograph, 40 mm in diameter and around 12 mm thick. It also comes equipped with the brand’s rubberised Oysterflex bracelet, ...
Monochrome
Rolex arguably has more iconic models than any major watchmaker, from the Submariner to the Datejust to the Explorer (and many more). Still, the Cosmograph Daytona has become something of a unicorn and a collector’s dream in the last couple of decades. At a time when the brand’s steel sports watches were still readily available […]
SJX Watches
One of the most valuable watches to go on the block this auction season is the Rolex Daytona “Rainbow” 16599SAAEC. Part of Phillips’ Reloaded auction taking place on November 8, 2024, the Zenith-powered Daytona is the original “Rainbow”, having been produced in 1994, some 18 years before the serially-produced Daytona “Rainbow” was introduced. Like all automatic Daytona models prior to 2000, this Daytona “Rainbow” is powered by the cal. 4030, which is a Zenith El Primero modified by Rolex. But this Daytona is unique in having a singular model reference of 16599 followed by the suffix “SAAEC”, short for saphir arc-en-ciel, French for “sapphire rainbow”. A rainbow history Though the Daytona “Rainbow” is perhaps the most famous gem-set Rolex model today, it took a while to catch on when it was introduced. It debuted as a regular production model in 2012 with the Daytona ref. 116598RBOW in yellow gold and ref. 116599RBOW in white gold. The Daytona ref. 116599RBOW in white gold At launch the Daytona “Rainbow” was not the object of frenzied desire as it is now, but by 2018 it was sought after. And that year Rolex debuted the Daytona ref. 116595RBOW in Everose gold that boasted the upgrade of baguette-cut rainbow indices. The facelift was also applied to the yellow and white gold versions, both of which now sport baguette-cut rainbow indices as well. As with the first generation model, variants with gem-set dials and bracelets also exist. The Day...
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