Rolex

The lineage of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona has always been the epitome of Rolex collecting, also known as one of the top-quality chronographs in the world. Surging through multiple generations even pass the quartz crisis, the Daytona is still the best chronograph and most coveted by watch connoisseurs. The collection even reached new heights after famous racing legend Paul Newman’s own Daytona was auctioned and redefined vintage Daytona collecting in the watch community. The evolution of Daytona started a new chapter when it was switched to Zenith based movement in 1988, revamping the appeal with modern aesthetics. Until 2000, Rolex introduced its own in-house calibre 4130 for this legendary collection to which it is still in use today.

 In the early 2000s however, opposing to their traditional conservative take towards watch designs, Rolex introduced a collection of candy pop colour dials in the Daytona, housed in a sleek, elegant white gold case. The nicknamed “Beach Daytona” was a unicorn in the production line up at that time as the coloured dials are in fact made in hardstones to make it even more appealing. Craftmanship is not always mentioned in Rolex watches but they do have sophistication and superior knowledge in manufacturing stones dials since the 80s. The quality of these dials cannot be understated as they are extremely brittle and hard to polish where a slightest mistake would lead to fracture, making each dial a rare timepiece on its own. The white gold Roman numerals adorned on the dial complementing the hands were contrasted by the red “DAYTONA” text above the seconds register, a hint of sportiness as a homage to this superb collection.

 What is even more playful is the matching colour lizard straps that came with the watch. Whilst these special straps are not in production anymore, they already fetch high prices separately in the market. A true rarity in Rolex collecting, the “Beach Daytona” series was produced in very limited numbers due to its difficulty and materials. Hence, Sotheby’s is extremely proud to present one for each dial variation as it is nearly impossible to bring together a complete set of these watches.

The green dial of this present “Beach Daytona” is made of green chalcedony, a rare hardstone ranging from light to deep. By incorporating Rolex’s signature colour, the watch is a timeless classic in years to come with its original green lizard strap and presentation box.