Most Ideal Rolex Daytona Watches This 2021

Rolex Daytona got its name from a Florida city that began garnering motorsport enthusiasts. In 1902, the first automobile races were held on the beach at Daytona, Florida. Sir Malcolm Campbell of the United Kingdom was one of the most successful race car drivers, and he wore Rolex watches both on and off the track in the 1930s when he held the world land speed record. In 1931, Campbell wrote Rolex a thank-you letter, telling the company how impressed he was with the durability of his Oyster.

The first stock car race was held on the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1936, which was replaced in 1958 when the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) built the Daytona International Speedway, which is now the home of the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s most prestigious race. Here’s a list of Rolex Daytona Watches, which is an ideal watch for sports enthusiasts.

Rolex Daytona Watches

Rolex Daytona first functioned and became an official timekeeper in 1962, a year before the Cosmograph Reference 6239 debuted. The same year, Rolex dubbed this model “Daytona” to emphasize the watch’s association with the esteemed auto race. This watch was designed specifically for racecar drivers, which explains why the tachymeter scale on the bezel is much larger, unlike most other watches.

• Reference 6239

In the late 1960s, Reference 6239 drew a celebrity devotee. Paul Newman was not only an actor; he was also a phenomenally successful race car driver. He even had his own racing stable back in the day. On his races, he wore his Daytona watch. And in the 1980s, collectors gave this style of Daytona the nickname “Paul Newman,” which can be identified primarily by the stunningly colored seconds scale along the dial’s periphery.

The tachometer scale engraved on the metal bezel of the reference 6239 enhanced the legibility of the dial, which was available in black with silver counters or silver with black counters. Its bezel was graduated up to 300 units per hour in the early years of production before being reduced to 200 units per hour later on. The Valjoux Caliber 72 was found in all classic, hand-wound Daytonas in one of its variants.

• Reference 6240

With the introduction of the Reference 6240 in 1965, Rolex made the switch to screw-in push buttons. These nearly hermetically seal the watch’s case and the Oyster models without a stopwatch feature.

In addition, a new metal bezel with a black plastic insert and white numerals was introduced with this model. The reference 6240, with a diameter of 37 mm, was produced in stainless steel only until 1969. The word “Oyster” appeared between the words “Rolex” and “Cosmograph.” The ref. 6240 models are among the scarcest Daytonas ever made.

• Reference 6262

The Reference 6262, which was only produced in 1970 and is thus extremely rare, marked Rolex’s return to an engraved steel bezel and unthreaded push buttons. Rolex also changed the frequency of the Valjoux caliber, increasing it from 18,000 to 21,600 vph. This watch has push-down buttons and a metal bezel. Dials were white or black, with contrasting subdials.

• Reference 6264

The movement was also altered: in Reference 6264, Rolex increased the frequency of the Valjoux caliber from 18,000 to 21,600 vph. The Reference 6264, in contrast to the 6262, had a bezel with an acrylic inlay and screw-in push buttons. The last references with hand-wound movements were 6263 and 6265 from 1971 to 1988.

Mechanical watches seemed like quaint relics of a bygone era in 1988because quartz technology had long since surpassed them. Rolex released a self-winding Daytona that year. Zenith’s El Primero movement, first introduced in 1969, was used by Rolex. The El Primero underwent significant changes, including a decrease in frequency from 36,000 to 28,800 vph. As a result, the power reserve was increased and the service intervals were extended. The movement was renamed the 4030 by Rolex.

• Reference 4130

Rolex introduced the first Daytona with an in-house movement in 2000. Caliber 4130, which is still used in today’s Daytonas, has 44 jewels, a power reserve of 72 hours, and Kif shock absorbers for its balance and escape wheel. Vertical coupling ensures that the elapsed-second hand starts smoothly. The new movement, like the El Primero, that it replaces uses column-wheel switching.

The difference in calibers is visible on the dial where the running seconds subdial has been moved from 9 o’clock to 6 o’clock and the centers of the elapsed minutes and running seconds subdials have been moved slightly north of the dial’s equator. For the past decade, the 4130 has used Rolex’s in-house blue Parachrom hairspring.

Rolex added a platinum version with a brown ceramic bezel to the lineup in 2013 to honor Daytona’s 50th anniversary, and in 2016 added a version with a bezel made of cerachrom, the company’s patented high-tech material. The Daytona’s lifespan distinguishes it as a true classic.

• Reference 116500

Rolex had developed a new, entirely in-house developed movement – the Calibre 4130 – with only 290 components, far fewer than a standard chronograph, making it much easier to service. The new movement, which beats at 28,800 A/h like its predecessor, increased the power reserve from 54 to 72 hours and introduced a stop-seconds function in conjunction with Rolex’s spiral balance-spring.

The introduction of the new Calibre 4130 resulted in some dial modifications. The small seconds counter, in particular, was moved at 6 o’clock, inverting its position with the chronograph hour counter. The subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock have been moved up slightly. Larger hands and hour markers made it easier to read, especially in the dark.

• Reference 16520

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 16520 was a massive success. The limited production, because of Zenith’s limited quantity of the base movement, and the high demand made the watch even more desirable, quickly elevating it to cult status. Its success influenced previous Daytona models, as evidenced by auction results.

In 1991, Rolex produced a limited edition of only ten Reference 16528 yellow gold watches with a galvanized blue dial with Soleil details and a bezel graduated to 400 units per hour. This model is known as Chairman Daytona because it was designed as a gift for top Rolex executives.

Takeaway

Rolex Daytona watches are truly classic in their design, longevity, and functionality. It is an excellent sports partner, as it signifies luxury and charisma to its user.