The new Daytona

Among the new product announcements at this year's Watches and Wonders, The most significant was undoubtedly the introduction of a new generation of the Daytona.

Now, The Daytona using reference number Ref. 126500 becomes the fourth model equipped with self-winding. The key change appears to be the movement upgrade from Cal. 4130 to Cal. 4131. In addition to this, There have been various detailed updates, But some may feel that the watch does not seem entirely new.

ⓒ Rolex

It is difficult to make a judgment without seeing the watch in person, But based on the images, It gives the impression of being a version that appropriately blends Ref. 16520 and Ref. 116500LN. Let us take a look at the official model photos to compare the changes with previous generations.

Daytona 16520

40mm, White, Oyster

Daytona 116520

40mm, White, Oyster

Daytona 116500LN

40mm, White, Oyster

Bezel

The ceramic bezel, First introduced with the Ref. 116500LN Daytona, Has been updated with revised fonts and borders for the new model. In addition, A thin border has been added to the black ceramic bezel, Effectively conveying the sharpness and sense of speed that could be felt in the steel bezel.

Dial

This may be the most noticeable change to the eye. The crown mark at six o'clock signals the new movement, And the indexes have become slimmer with a larger luminous area. The thickness of the rings in the sub-dials has also been reduced, Reminiscent of Ref. 16520.

End Link

The end link of Ref. 126500LN has been slightly reduced compared to Ref. 116500LN. The length of the lugs has also increased, Resulting in a greater difference in length between the end link and the lugs. This is one of the elements reminiscent of the Ref. 16520 model. It is cautiously speculated that this was chosen for better comfort and overall balance.

Return to the past?

Bringing back past models can be a risky move that may alienate existing customers, But if mixed well with modern design, It can become the ultimate cheat code that generates explosive demand.

In the watch industry, There is no brand that can express, Create, And generate new interest as well as Rolex. This leads to a re-evaluation of past models and also helps maintain prices in the secondary market. With the release of Ref. 116500LN, Ref. 16520 was re-evaluated, And with this new model, It is once again in the spotlight. As it has been discontinued for 23 years, The number of pieces is extremely limited, And the value of well-maintained examples is predictably high. With this new release, It will be interesting to see how other models are affected.

Daytona 16520

40mm, Black, Oyster

Daytona 116520

40mm, Black, Oyster

Daytona 116500LN

40mm, Black, Oyster

This new Daytona release will once again be recorded in history and will become a milestone for the brand. I feel personally honored to be able to witness both the beginning and end of the now-discontinued third-generation Daytona.