As we all know, there are watches that are classified in the “Diver” category, but there are also those for which a separate “Driver” category has been created, and the undisputed flagship of this category is precisely the Daytona. In principle, the model’s original name is Cosmograph, while it received its “Daytona” nickname at the end of the 1960s after many years of sponsorship in motor sports and in honour of Daytona International Speedway.
It is a well-known fact that Rolex is the largest manufacturer of luxury watches, with an annual production of over one million pieces, but despite this, it is a brand that not only retains its value over time better than most, but also has certain models that are almost impossible to simply buy from a distributor’s boutique. The most difficult to find, and those for which there are long waiting lists, are precisely the Daytona models – in the steel version, regardless of whether with the white or black dial. The reason for this lies not only in the cult status that the model has earned over all these years, but also in the fact that Rolex sends a limited number of steel Daytonas to each of its dealers, and they in turn are forced to compile lists of waiting clients and/or choose whom to “make happy”. All of this leads to the situation we are in today – on the secondary market, the Daytona is offered at around 80–100% above the retail price.
It is indisputable that the Daytona has long since become a fashion accessory, even a sign of status, but the watch contains very specific functions aimed at pursuing its original purpose – that of a true “driver”. Measuring and calculating time, average and instantaneous speed through the use of the chronograph and the tachymeter scale – all these functionalities are intended to assist every owner of the watch in their sporting activities, while the 40 mm Oyster case (when this name appears in the designation of a Rolex, it means you can confidently “get it wet”) and the Triplock crown provide sufficient water protection of 100 m for marine adventures.
This particular watch is a 2006 model and, apart from being among the first with so-called “unpierced” lugs, it also has the new type of clasp – in this combination, the model is offered almost unchanged until the launch of the new Daytona with a ceramic bezel. This is the version with the black dial, which is undoubtedly the most iconic for the model, the most sought after and the most desired, and in our humble opinion also the most balanced, not only compared with the different versions of the bi-colour variant, but also compared with the white Daytona.
The Daytona is neither the most expensive, nor the toughest, nor the most complicated or most beautiful “Driver” – so why is it so desired, valued and successful? One of the reasons is certainly its now-famous in-house Caliber 4130 movement, which has a reputation for being robust, accurate, long-lasting and easy to service. The movement’s faithful “service” for the glory and honour of Rolex began in 2000 – just to remind you, with this movement Rolex replaced the El Primero from Zenith, used for decades in this model – and over these years it has earned the reputation of one of the most reliable and robust chronographs in general. An automatic chronograph with column wheel, hacking function, operating at 28,800 vibrations, with 44 jewels, 201 parts and a power reserve of over 72 hours, and of course, we cannot omit some of Rolex’s patents – in this case, the Paraflex anti-shock system and Parachrom hairspring.
The dial of the watch is very balanced and easy to read, despite the many functions, while the luminescence of the hands and indexes makes it easier to use at night as well – it is in a pleasant greenish colour and glows sufficiently brightly and for a long time.
Although the Daytona is a professional tool, as it was intended by the manufacturer from the very moment of its launch, it is clear to everyone that for quite some time it has become a luxury attribute – and for a long time this function has prevailed over the original reason for its creation. Perhaps precisely for this reason, Rolex do many things in this model in such a way that the appearance and the overall impression created by the watch prevail over its functionality. The first thing that makes an impression is the sapphire – Rolex are proverbial for the fact that they do not apply anti-reflective coating to the crystals of their watches. There are several theories as to why, but the one we like the most is that Rolex do this so that the appearance of their watches does not change for a long time and generations of their owners can enjoy this consistency. The second, of course, is the fact that the manufacturer managed to create an icon more than 50 years ago and, through all these years and different models, the design has barely changed – yet another proof of the timelessness of classic designs.
For the caseback of the watch, Rolex use a plain solid back, as they do in all their models – in the case of the Daytona, it is devoid of any markings, inscriptions or other “decorations”. As we all know, Rolex use noble 904L steel for their watches – the difference compared with the 316L steel commonly used by other brands lies in its greater resistance, especially to salt water. It is widely known that Rolex can be called fanatics when it comes to the metals they use – a large part of the metallurgical processes are carried out in-house in order to guarantee consistent quality of the raw material. Many watches have passed through our hands, but we can say absolutely categorically that few brands devote so much attention and effort to the quality of the final product from the point of view of case finishing – and as a result, the outcome can only be unique quality and presence.
The overall impression is complemented by the tachymeter bezel of the watch – its purpose is clear: to help calculate average speed, movement speed and other quantities important for motor sports.
For many years, the Daytona has been offered with a three-piece steel bracelet with a profile tapering towards the clasp – with this model, the tradition has been preserved and, from this point of view, the bracelet remains just as comfortable, while the clasp deserves separate attention. The model presented today is precisely the first in which Rolex used, for the first time, a clasp made from a single piece of steel, machined rather than made from bent sheet metal, as in previous models. Subsequently, this clasp and its variations were implemented in most other Rolex models.
Truly, in the 1960s Rolex created a great product and invested the following 50 years in improving and perfecting it. If at the beginning it was valued by customers as a not very expensive specialised watch, mainly for motor sports, today it is to a greater extent a fashion accessory, which nevertheless has all the qualities to become a long-term partner of its owner. Besides not letting you down, it will also not lose much of its value, because it is no secret to anyone that this brand not only cannot be found with large discounts when new, but also has the reputation of producing some of the watches that best retain their value. And this particular model can confidently be placed among the front ranks of Rolex in terms of popularity and, accordingly, among the most sought-after and desired models. One of the reasons for this is certainly the fact that this watch looks equally good on your wrist whether you are wearing a formal suit or worn jeans and a white T-shirt – in both cases, the Daytona will help attract approving glances towards your appearance. And the fact that the watch is in a condition rare for its age makes it a truly very good opportunity to acquire a cult representative of the brand, desired by many connoisseurs, without having to wait several years on dealers’ lists.
