Rolex’s Daytona for Le Mans’ 100th Year Gives off Paul Newman Vibes
Cheers to 100 years of 24 Heures du Le Mans or 24 Hours of Le Mans. For 100 years, the world's oldest racing event has invited hundreds to partake in the endurance-focused race where the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours is crowned the victor. This year, Ferrari took the crown.
Rolex joined in the celebrations, honoring Le Mans the Rolex way: giving winners Daytona watches and debuting a special edition Daytona.
Rolex's new Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona is quite the timepiece, to say the least. For starters, the Cosmograph Daytona features a reverse panda dial — a black dial with white counters and a distinct graphic design. It's an exotic dial which Rolex says is "inspired by a traditional Rolex dial."
Our thoughts? It gave off major Paul Newman feels. Specifically, the dial reminded us of the Daytona 6263, a.k.a. the "Paul Newman Daytona." The famous driver was known to flex a Daytona during races — hence how the timepiece got its nickname — specifically those with exotic dials.
There are plenty of other details for watch lovers to gush over, like the 4132 calibre, which measures up to 24 hours in reference to Le Mans' 24-hour race. It's undoubtedly a Le Mans-worthy improvement from the usual 12-hour calibre.
Engraved on the Cerachrome bezel is a tachymetric scale, which displays a special "100" in a bold red ceramic — a nod to the Le Man's 100th milestone anniversary.
In rounding off the Cosmograph Daytona, Rolex wraps all the details with a white gold coat complete with an Oyster bracelet and case with a transparent back. The final touch? A $51,400 price tag.
Looking to drop $51K on the newest Daytona? Rolex recommends you contact for your local Rolex dealer for inquiries. Though, commenters seem to think it'll be the next centennial by the time you finally get off the waitlist for the piece.
