Rolex Cosmograph Daytona​

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona has gone from a watch that could hardly sell to a true industry classic. Introduced in 1963, it was developed for professional race car drivers who needed a highly reliable tool to calculate speeds and measure elapsed time.

With a little help from the legendary actor Paul Newman, and the increasing interest in vintage watches, the tides turned for the Rolex Daytona. Today, it is widely considered as the most iconic chronograph – one that every collector wants in their watch box.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona​ celebrates its 60^th anniversary in 2023, and fans are growing curious about how The Crown will celebrate this occasion.

Many view the Rolex Daytona as the “Rolex chronograph”, but the brand actually began producing chronograph watches as early as the 1930s.

What set the earliest Daytona models apart and paved the way for the creation of the collection, were two pivotal decisions: in 1963, when Rolex moved the tachymetric scale from the periphery of the dial to the bezel; and in 1965, when the Daytona name finally appeared on the dial. These two characteristics still help define the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona​ aesthetics until today.

Whether they’re vintage or modern, all Rolex Cosmograph Daytona​a watches are sports chronographs used to measure elapsed time and calculate average speeds. The aesthetics of the Rolex Daytona has evolved through the decades, but the following components remain

The Rolex Daytona has always had a tachymeter scale, which measures speed based on time traveled over a fixed distance. It appeared on the perimeter of the dial in earlier models, then was eventually transferred to the bezel to improve the dial’s readability.

Second generation Rolex Cosmograph Daytona​ have bezels made of precious metals, while the Cerachrom ceramic bezel was introduced in third generation models.

There are also rare and exclusive models with gem-set bezels, with the tachymetric scale swapped out for diamonds or other precious gems.