Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New 2023 Rolex Daytona Collection, And It Has A Transparent Back (At Least on The Platinum)!
The new Daytona collection is here, and it comes with an updated calibre 4131 visible from the caseback.
This is it; the new Rolex watches have been released. And the big announcement comes in the shape of a brand new Cosmograph Daytona, updated for the 60th anniversary of the model. Visually, it seems just a simple update. Which it is, in a way. But there’s more to discover than just the updated aesthetics. Turn the (platinum only) watch over, and there’s the new calibre 4131, and what’s more, it’s on view under a transparent back. Let’s discover the new Rolex Daytona 2023 Collection, including a new steel 126500LN model, but also two-tone, gold and platinum editions.
Born in 1963, the Daytona has become an emblematic collection. In their previous shape, the 116520 and 116500LN references in steel dated back to 2000 when Rolex came up with the new in-house calibre 4130. The first major update in more than two decades is there.
Visually, the updated Cosmograph Daytona follows the same principles as recently updated models, with refined cases and shaper lines. The cases are slightly more tapered and less rounded. But the Daytona is still a Daytona, no doubt about that. The 100m water-resistant case, still with a screw-down crown and screwed pushers, has retained its proportions of 40mm with a relatively thin profile of 11.90mm. The lug width is still 20mm. Most models in this new collection come with a Cerachrom bezel, but one thing has changed, as we’re now talking about an insert with a thin metallic band around it, giving more contrast and a more aerial feel. This is visible on the new steel reference 126500LN, with its black insert outlined by a thin polished steel ring. Most models are still worn on a 3-link Oyster bracelet, closed by an Oysterlock clasp, with a 5mm Easylink comfort extension.
The dials of this new Rolex Daytona have also been slightly redesigned with thinner rings for the sub-counters, more contrast between the sub-counters and the base dial, and markers that appear marginally thinner and sharper. For example, the Platinum Daytona 126506 features a classic light blue dial with a chestnut brown ceramic bezel and rings on sub-dials, all appearing sharper, thinner, and better defined. The same can be said about the white dial steel Daytona 126500LN. On the Everose Daytona 126505, the bright black dial is sunray brushed with full sundust gold-coloured counters.
The new 2023 Rolex Daytona comes with an updated movement, calibre 4131. Based on the already advanced 4130, it now features the patented Chronergy escapement, a blue Parachrom hairspring and retains the 4Hz frequency and 72h power reserve of the previous generation. The rotor has been redesigned, and the decoration has been refined – the bridges of calibre 4131 feature a Rolex Côtes de Genève decoration, which differs from the traditional Côtes de Genève by the addition of a slightly polished groove between each band. The chronograph function is still engaged by a robust mechanism with a column wheel and vertical clutch.
Importantly, on the platinum reference 126506, the movement has a solid gold rotor and is visible under a sapphire caseback… which is quite unexpected from Rolex. Too bad the gold and stainless steel Daytona don’t feature the same see-through back since the new decoration of the movement seems rather appealing.
The new Rolex Daytona 2023 collection is launched now and will soon be “available” from retailers – with, of course, the same low availability as before, no doubt about that. The Steel Daytona 126500LN is priced at EUR 14,950, the Rolesor 126503 is priced at EUR 19,350, the gold models on Oysterflex start from EUR 30,300, on a bracelet at EUR 39,100, and the platinum 126506 is “upon request”.
More details at Rolex.com.
