Cosmograph Daytona Steel / Black

The Cosmograph Daytona was introduced in 1963 as a chronograph designed for professional racing drivers, with a tachymeter bezel that could measure average speeds over a known distance. Its association with Paul Newman — whose wife Joanne Woodward gave him a reference 6239 with an exotic dial — transformed it from a modestly selling sports chronograph into the most sought-after vintage wristwatch in the world. Newman's personal Daytona sold at auction in 2017 for $17.75 million. The modern Daytona, powered by the in-house calibre 4130 since 2000, remains one of the most difficult Rolex references to acquire at retail and one of the most instantly recognisable chronographs ever produced.

The Cosmograph Daytona is equipped with calibre 4130, a self-winding mechanical chronograph movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Its architecture incorporates far fewer components than a standard chronograph, thereby enhancing the movement’s reliability. Like all Rolex Perpetual movements, the 4130 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. The chronograph movement features a Parachrom hairspring, offering greater resistance to shocks and to temperature variations.