Good evening everyone!
On Saturday, June 10, 2023, Rolex suddenly announced a new model.
The model is...
[Rolex] "Daytona" "Ref. 126529LN"
The 18KWG (white gold) Daytona was announced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Le Mans 24 Hours . Due to its cool appearance and the timing of the new release, it has quickly spread on social media and attracted a lot of attention. In this article, we will explain the hotly talked about new Daytona, so please read to the end!
*Images are taken from the official Rolex website.
Basic specifications
Features
From here, we will introduce four features of the newly released "Daytona".
I. The sub-dial is a revival of "Paul Newman"!?
This new model features a sub-dial that is reminiscent of the Paul Newman dial.
The design of the black dial with white subdials and the hammer-like square markers is a perfect homage to the Paul Newman dial.
*Source: https://www.phillips.com/
It is no exaggeration to say that the "Daytona" with the "Paul Newman" dial is the most popular among vintage Rolexes. I think it is still fresh in our memory that at the PHILLIPS auction held in New York in October 2017, a "Daytona" worn by "Paul Newman" himself was sold for an astonishing price. By the way, the winning bid was about 17.75 million dollars (about 2 billion yen at the time), the highest price in the history of wristwatches. This result attracted even more attention, and the price rose in an instant. It is now an extremely rare model that is rarely seen on the market.
This latest model inherits the specifications of that legendary model, and although it is a current model, it also exudes a vintage atmosphere, and is likely to gain wide support from watch novices to enthusiasts alike.
II. Cerachrom bezel
Another design point of interest is the Cerachrom bezel. You can see that only the number "100" is in red. This is thought to be in keeping with the fact that this is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Le Mans 24 Hours, and this single point is a nice contrasting color/accent that makes it look cool. Also, it may be surprising, but this is the first time that a Cerachrom bezel has been used on a model with a gold case and bracelet. While retaining the solid feel that is not found in the Oysterflex, it gives off a bold and firm impression, making it a very well-balanced watch.
III. Emergence of a new movement
"Daytona" 60th Anniversary New Product Fair " At the Watches and Wonders Geneva 2023 event, a new movement, Cal. 4131, was just introduced along with the new design, but now a new movement, Cal. 4132, has been adopted. This may have come as a surprise to many.
Incidentally, it is said that the "Cal.4132" was made specifically for this model, and the counter at the 9 o'clock position has been changed from the previous "12-hour" to "24-hour". This was achieved by adopting a new patented mechanism. Compared to the "Cal.4131", there are no changes to the specifications themselves, but with the change to a 24-hour counter, only the parts corresponding to that function have been upgraded. This is an important point that shows that this is a special model that pays homage to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
IV. See-through case back
The fourth and final point is that, like the new PT (platinum) Daytona and 1908 models announced in April 2023, this model comes with a see-through back. It is possible to view the beautiful gold rotor and the Côtes de Genève-decorated receiver plate, making this a very pleasing feature for watch lovers. Rolex has a strong image of a solid back, but it seems that they will continue to use see-through backs for special edition models in the future.
summary
Frankly, I thought it was super cool! What did you all think?
Since this is a special edition model, it is expected that there will be few of them on the market, but this year deliveries are earlier than usual, so I think it won't be long until we can see it. And how much will it be sold for when it appears on the secondary market? This is also something to be curious about.
Well, as always, if you have purchased one, please come to our store to show it off! We will do our best to get you hooked! (laughs)
Finally, I hope that by reading this column, even one more person will become interested in luxury watches!
see you!