Rolex Daytona Cosmograph in Yellow Gold with Oysterflex

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 original name of the model was Cosmograph, and it received its “Daytona” nickname in the late 1960s after many years of sponsorship in motorsports and in honor of the Daytona International Speedway. It is a known fact that Rolex is the largest manufacturer of luxury watches with over a million units produced each year, but regardless of this fact, it is a brand that not only best retains its value over time, but also has some models that are almost impossible to simply buy in a distributor's store. The hardest to find, and those for which there are long waiting lists, are precisely the Daytona – in the steel version, regardless of whether with the white or the black dial. The reason for this is not only the cult status that the model has earned over all these years, but also due to the fact that Rolex sends a limited number of steel Daytonas to each of its dealers, and they, in turn, are forced to create lists of waiting customers and/or to select which of them to "delight". All this leads to the situation we find ourselves in today – on the secondary market, Daytonas are offered with a considerable premium over the retail price! It is undeniable that the Daytona long ago became a fashion accessory (and even a status symbol), but the watch incorporates very specific functions that aim to pursue its original purpose – that of a true “driver”. Measuring and calculating time, average and instantaneous speed through the use of the chronograph and the tachy-scale – all these functionalities aim to assist every owner of the watch in their sporting activities, and the 40-millimeter Oyster case (when this name is present in the name of a Rolex, you can confidently get it wet) and the Triplock crown provide sufficient water resistance of 100 m for marine adventures. The specific watch is from the penultimate generation of the model, launched in 2017, and this particular one, besides being rose gold, is in a very classic dial combination – black color and gold elements. As we already mentioned, yellow gold is used here – in fact, a special Rolex alloy of 18-carat yellow gold; another feature is that this model uses the brand's new strap model, the so-called Oysterflex – a rubber strap with inserts of a titanium and nickel alloy, very comfortable and incredibly beautiful in combination with the massive gold clasp; third, for the first time on gold Daytonas, the bezel is made of Cerachrom – again, in combination with the yellow gold case, a phenomenal result is achieved. The Daytona is neither the most expensive, the most robust, the most complicated, nor the most beautiful “Driver” – why then is it so desired, valued, and successful? Surely one of the reasons is its now-famous in-house Caliber 4130 movement, which has a reputation for being robust, accurate, durable, and easy to service. The movement's faithful "service" to the fame and honor of Rolex began in 2000 (let us just recall that with this movement, Rolex replaced the Zenith El Primero, which had been used for this model for decades!) and in these now 18 years, it has earned the reputation of being one of the most reliable and robust chronographs ever. An automatic chronograph with a 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 go without some of Rolex's patents – in this case, the Paraflex anti-shock system and the Parachrom hairspring. The dial of the watch is very balanced and easily legible despite its many functions, and the luminescence of the hands and indices facilitates its use at night – it is in a pleasant greenish color and glows sufficiently bright and long. Regardless of the fact that the Daytona is a professional instrument, as was the manufacturer's intention from its very launch, it is clear to everyone that for a long time now it has become a luxury attribute – and for ages, this function of it has prevailed over the original reason for its creation. Perhaps for this very reason, Rolex does many things in this model so that the appearance and the overall impression the watch creates prevail over its functionality. The first thing that makes an impression is the sapphire crystal – Rolex is notorious for the fact that they do not put anti-reflective coating on the crystals of their watches – there are several versions for the reasons, but we most like the one that Rolex does it so that the appearance of their watches does not change for a long time and generations of its owners can enjoy this constancy. 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 hardly changed – another proof of the timelessness of classic designs. For the case back of the watch, Rolex uses a simple solid case back (as, by the way, in all its models) – in the case of the Daytona, it is devoid of any markings, inscriptions, or other "decorations". Indeed, in the 1960s, Rolex created a great product and invested the next 50 years to improve and perfect it. If in the beginning it was appreciated by customers as a not very expensive specialized watch primarily for motorsports, today it is to a greater extent a fashion accessory, which, however, has all the qualities to become a long-term partner to its owner, who not only will not abandon you, but will also not lose much of its value, because it is no secret to anyone that this brand, besides not being easily found new, also has the fame of a brand with the best value-retaining timepieces, and this particular model can boldly be ranked at the forefront of Rolex in popularity and, accordingly, one of the most sought-after and desired. Surely one of the reasons for this is the fact that this watch looks equally good on your wrist whether you are in a formal suit or dressed in worn-out jeans and a white t-shirt – in both cases, the Daytona will help attract approving glances to your appearance.