The Rolex Daytona is one of the most legendary Rolex models. Vintage Daytonas are highly sought after by collectors and reach very high prices at auction. In fact, the most expensive watch in the world ever sold at auction is Paul Newman's Daytona, which sold for $17.8 million.
The stainless steel Daytona is now a modern piece highly sought after by Rolex, which has made it available only to official Rolex retailers, VIP clients, or those who have been waiting patiently for years.
But initially, the Daytona was not a great success. In fact, it was quite the opposite. This was partly due to the fact that other manufacturers had established themselves as experts in the manufacture of chronographs, including Zenith and Breitling. So Rolex initially lagged a bit behind with its first chronographs. From a commercial point of view, these were big failures, but perhaps necessary, as they would, in hindsight, pave the way for the immense success of the Daytona.
The Rolex Daytona takes its name from the racetrack of the same name in Florida. In 1902, the first car races were held on Daytona Beach, and it can be said that this is where motor racing began. Many of the famous racing drivers of the time, including Sir Malcolm Campbell of Great Britain, wore Rolex watches. In 1931, Sir Campbell wrote a letter of thanks to Rolex in 1931, saying that he was impressed with the performance of the watch.
In 1962, Rolex became the official timekeeper of the Daytona race for the first time, marking the beginning of a long (and undeniably important) relationship. That same year, Rolex named its chronograph "Daytona" to celebrate this relationship.
Complete list of Rolex Daytona models and references
Rolex 6234 Chronograph
Rolex brought out in 1955 a chronograph reference 6234 which was not named Daytona. But this watch is considered a precursor of the Daytona. The model came to strongly influence its successor, which imposed itself as the first Daytona model. The model was discontinued in 1961 and about 500 pieces were manufactured.
Rolex 6238 Chronograph
While the 6234 would eventually lead to Daytona, the 6238 reference is often referred to as the "pre-Daytona". It was quite similar to the 6234 but had some important visual differences.
The first cosmographer - 6239
Rolex published the first Cosmograph in 1963 under the reference 6239. As you may know, the Rolex Daytona is now known as the Cosmograph Daytona. It was with this reference that the model really began to transform itself into what we today consider a Daytona, with the tachymeter scale engraved on the metal bezel. It was for this model that Rolex finally began to adopt the name Daytona for the model, although it was initially referred to as "Le-Mans". It was not until 1965 that the name Daytona appeared on the dial.
Rolex Daytona 6240
This reference has become the first water-resistant chronograph and features screw-down push-pieces. As such, it also featured the text "Oyster" on the dial.
Rolex Daytona 6241
This reference was similar to the 6240 but this time it had no screwed tappets.
Rolex Daytona 6262
The Rolex Daytona reference 6262 is one of the rarest Rolex watches ever made by Rolex. The reason? It was in production for only one year, in 1970. The reference 6262 was not a big seller, and this is one of the reasons why it was discarded so quickly. It was also just a transitional model. Due to its short production period, the quantities produced are very limited, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after vintage Rolex watches.
Rolex Daytona 6264
The Rolex Daytona reference 6264 is, like many other examples of early Daytona, is extremely rare and sought after. It is the watch that collectors call "Paul Newman", as the actor and racing driver frequently wore this reference. But note that it refers to a particular dial and that several (6) Daytona references included the dial of Paul Newman. It was only in production for a few years in the 1970s, and its release coincided with that of the reference 6262.
Rolex Daytona 6263
The first versions of the Rolex Daytona ref. 6263 did not have the Daytona signature on the Cosmograph reserved for them. Among the Daytona models equipped with a Paul Newman dial, the reference 6263 is the most sought-after.
Rolex Daytona 6265
The reference Rolex Daytona 6265 is an "Oyster", which means screw-down crown and pushers. The reference was published in 1971 and has a steel bezel, unlike other references which had a black acrylic bezel. It has a 37 mm case.
Rolex Daytona 6269
While other Rolex Daytona watches are rare, this one is immensely special. The reference 6269 is made of 18-carat yellow gold. It is an Oyster with a pusher and a screw. An early collector's Daytona made in yellow gold is indeed extremely rare due to the limited group of buyers at the time.
Rolex Daytona 6270
The reference Daytona 6270 is one of the most expensive Daytona ever made by Rolex. As if an all-gold Daytona wasn't enough, this reference has a paved dial set with diamonds, and the numerals are in sapphire, the bezel is set with baguette diamonds, and the sub-dials are purple! Only eight pieces were produced, all made especially for His Majesty Qaboos Bin Said of Oman.
Rolex Daytona 16520
The Rolex Daytona 16520 marked a new chapter for the Daytona. This new generation is the so-called "Zenith Daytona". As its name suggests, the watch is powered by a Zenith caliber - modified by Rolex. Rolex has modified the movement so much that it has given it its own name - the caliber 4030. Its base is one of the world's most legendary chronograph movements - the Zenith El Primero. The special feature of this watch is that it marks the first generation of automatic Daytonas. The reference 16520 came out at the end of the 1980s.
Rolex Daytona 16523
The Rolex Daytona 16523 is a two-tone version of the Zenith Daytona, which means that it is made of gold and steel. It is powered by the 4030 caliber, based on the legendary Zenith El Primero caliber.
Rolex Daytona 16528
The Rolex Daytona 16528 goes even further into the luxuriance of the Zenith Daytona and is made of yellow gold. Apart from that, everything else is identical.
Rolex Daytona 16518
The Rolex Daytona reference 16518 is also a Zenith Daytona, but instead of being mounted on an Oyster bracelet, it was produced on a leather strap. The case is entirely in yellow gold, but the leather strap allows it to be more discreet.
Rolex Daytona 16519
The Rolex Daytona reference 16519 is another version of the Zenith Daytona, but it is now equipped with an 18-carat white gold case, mounted on a leather strap.
Rolex Daytona 116520
The reference Rolex Daytona 16520 marked a new generation of Daytona. This time, it is presented, for the first time, with an in-house Rolex caliber. Rolex gave the movement the name Calibre 4130. This new generation of Daytona watches came out in 2000. The introduction of an in-house chronograph caliber was a major achievement for Rolex, as it allowed the company to finally be able to say that all its watches were equipped with in-house calibers.
Rolex Daytona 116523
The Rolex Daytona 116523 is a two-tone version of the Daytona 116520. The difference is that it is made of gold and steel instead of solid steel.
Rolex Daytona 116528
The reference 116528 is an all-gold version of the Rolex Daytona. Powered by the 4130 caliber, but made in a bold yellow gold case and with a yellow gold bracelet.
Rolex Daytona 116589
The Rolex Daytona 116589 is a rare and unique variant of the Rolex Daytona 116520. It is presented on a leather strap, but more importantly, it has an 18-carat white gold case and a diamond bezel. It is available with a number of different dials but is most often found with diamond hour-markers.
Rolex Daytona 116509
The Rolex Daytona 116509 is made entirely in white gold and is mounted on a white gold bracelet.
Rolex Daytona 116505
The Rolex Daytona reference 116505 is made of 18-carat pink gold and has a solid gold bracelet. It is powered by the Rolex 4130 caliber, manufactured in-house.
Rolex Daytona 116515
The Rolex Daytona 116515 was originally launched on a black alligator strap, but Rolex has abandoned this configuration and replaced it with its new Oysterflex innovation - a comfortable rubber strap that adds a sporty touch to this watch.
Rolex Daytona 116599
The reference Daytona 116599 is a rare and unique version of the Daytona. It is made of 18-carat gold and is available in a number of different configurations. These mainly concern the setting of the watch, including, among others, diamonds and sapphires. Due to its high price, this watch is unusual and little discussed.
Rolex Daytona 116500LN
The reference Rolex Daytona 116500LN marks a new generation of stainless steel Daytonas. The 116500LN came out in 2016 and became the first steel Daytona to be fitted with a ceramic bezel. The introduction of this watch meant the abandonment of the previous 116520 steel Daytona reference.
Rolex Daytona 116519
The Rolex Daytona 116519 was available in several different versions. The most recent include a ceramic bezel and an Oysterflex bracelet, while the first versions include an 18-carat white gold bezel and a leather strap.
Rolex Daytona 116595
The Rolex Daytona 116595 is an extremely rare and limited modern Rolex watch, which is not part of the official Rolex catalog. It is reserved for high-level VIP customers, and in order to have the opportunity to purchase one from an official retailer, Rolex has set up a special request procedure. The watch has a bezel set with gemstones of different colors, creating a rainbow effect. The lugs of the watch are set with diamonds, and the hour-markers also feature baguette-type gemstones applied in a rainbow pattern.
Rolex Daytona 116518
Like the Daytona 116515 and 116519, this watch was originally available with a leather strap. The latest version is offered with an Oysterflex rubber strap and has a ceramic bezel. The case of this watch is made of 18-carat yellow gold.
Rolex Daytona Variations
In the course of their production, Rolex created many variations of the above models. Many of these models were available with different dials while retaining the original reference number. This is the case with many vintage Daytona watches, where the dial differences were minimal and subtle, for example when the dial print was placed in different places on the dial and the dial differences were also variable. In addition, this also applies to the newer Rolex Daytona watches, many of which are often available with a range of different dials.
There are also variants of the above reference numbers where the reference number actually changes slightly, for example, the Daytona 116599-PVEDRBLKL, which is a diamond version of the 116599. As these models are based on a particular reference number, the list does not include all the Daytona reference numbers made, but the most important basic models.
Any doubt about your Rolex Daytona reference? The Watch Certificate™ is a simple and quick solution to identify the reference, the origin, the composition of your watch, and much more.
Now that you know all about the Daytona, you can read about How to recognize a real Rolex datejust?
