Rolex Celebrates Thr 60th Anniversary Of The Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona
5 min read
The Cosmograph Daytona's iconic design and technical performance have made it a household name outside of motor racing. In honour of the watch's 60th anniversary, Rolex has redesigned every model in the line.
At Watches And Wonders 2023, Rolex unveils the next iteration of its Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, which features improvements across the board. The distinctive case and dial layout that has defined the chronograph since its introduction has been revisited with a focus on improving a few key areas. The dial's visual appeal is improved, and the contrast between the dial and the counters' rings is heightened by using complementary colours. Light refractions on the lugs and case sides highlight the refined profile of the updated Oyster case. A thin band of the same metal as the middle case surrounds the bezel on models with a Cerachrom bezel.
Calibre 4131 is new this year on the Cosmograph Daytona. This new chronograph movement is an improvement on the calibre 4130 and features several of Rolex's most notable innovations, such as the Chronergy escapement. The aesthetics have been a major focus. New finishes are used throughout the calibre, most notably on the bridges, which are decorated with Rolex Côtes de Genève, the brand's take on a traditional watchmaking decoration. The Cosmograph Daytona, powered by Calibre 4131, not only shows the time of day, but also measures and displays time intervals in the form of a chronograph.
The transparent case back and 18 ct yellow gold oscillating weight of the prestigious and iconic Cosmograph Daytona 950 platinum watch were recently added. The Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, like all Rolex watches, is certified as a Superlative Chronometer, guaranteeing superior performance while worn.
Associated With Quickness
The Cosmograph Daytona, released in 1963, was tailored specifically to the requirements of top-tier race car drivers. The legendary Rolex chronograph is the go-to tool for timing events and calculating average speeds thanks to its tachymetric bezel and high-performance mechanical movement.
The Cosmograph Daytona's name and features forever link it to the world of motorsport, and 60 years after its debut, it remains unrivalled in the world of sport chronographs.
Advanced Ceramics
When it came to monobloc bezels and bezel inserts, Rolex was an early adopter of specialised Ceramics. These materials have a rare intensity of colour and are resistant to environmental effects; they are also nearly scratchproof. The chemical make-up of the high-tech ceramic also renders it inert and corrosion-proof. Rolex's independence in producing these ceramic parts stems from the company's development of proprietary expertise and innovative manufacturing methods.
The new generation of the Cosmograph Daytona is available in 950 platinum, with a variety of dial colours and a monobloc Cerachrom bezel in chestnut brown ceramic. The Cerachrom bezel on the white lacquer dial Oystersteel variant and the yellow gold dial, bright black counters 18k gold watch is black ceramic. A thin layer of platinum or yellow gold is deposited using a PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) process over the recessed graduations, numerals, and inscriptions on the tachymetric scale.
A Metaphor For Water-resistance: The Oyster Case
The new generation of the Cosmograph Daytona features a 40 mm Oyster case that is guaranteed to be waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet). The Oystersteel, 18 ct yellow gold, Everose gold, or 950 platinum middle case is the most luxurious option. The movement can only be accessed by certified Rolex watchmakers, who use a special tool to hermetically screw down the case back, which is trimmed with fine fluting. The Triplock winding crown and the chronograph pushers both screw down tightly against the case, and the former is protected by a triple waterproofness system and an integral crown guard. The sapphire crystal is coated with an anti-reflective material, making it nearly scratch-proof. The Oyster case is watertight, providing maximum security for the inside movement.
A sapphire case back with an anti-reflective coating has been added to the 950 platinum Cosmograph Daytona, allowing the wearer to see the inner workings of the watch and appreciate the movement's decoration and oscillating weight.
EVERLASTING CALIBRATION 4131
The new generation of the Cosmograph Daytona is powered by Rolex's brand new calibre 4131 chronograph movement, which was introduced this year. This mechanical movement winds itself and boasts exceptional accuracy, power reserve, ease of use, and dependability; it is a technological masterpiece. By incorporating a chronograph into the movement with fewer parts, its durability is improved. A sturdy mechanism with a column wheel and vertical clutch activates it for a lightning-fast, pinpoint launch. Rolex Côtes de Genève decorate the calibre 4131's bridges; these are slightly different from classic Côtes de Genève in that they feature a polished groove between each band.
The Chronergy escapement, featured in the Calibre 4131, is both highly efficient and dependable. This escapement is nickel-phosphorus based, making it immune to powerful magnetic fields. Rolex uses a blue Parachrom hairspring, a paramagnetic alloy, in their movements. The hairspring provides outstanding stability across a wide range of temperatures and excellent shock resistance. The Rolex overcoil guarantees consistent operation from any angle. To further improve the movement's resistance to shock, Rolex mounted the oscillator on their patented high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers. An improved ball bearing supports the swinging mass.
The Calibre 4131 uses a Perpetual rotor for its self-winding mechanism. The superior efficiency of the escapement and the barrel design in calibre 4131 allow for a power reserve of around 72 hours.
The 950 platinum model of the new generation Cosmograph Daytona introduced this year features a cool blue dial and is attached to an Oyster bracelet. This bracelet is also used with the Oystersteel variant and the yellow Rolesor variant (a combination of Oystersteel and yellow gold) both of which feature a white lacquer dial. The 18-carat Everose gold version, which features a black dial and Sundust subdials, is also available on an Oyster bracelet. Designed at the tail end of the 1930s, the Oyster Perpetual three-link bracelet is the most popular and widely worn style in the collection.
The Oysterlock folding safety clasp is featured on both the Oyster bracelet and the Oysterflex bracelet of the Cosmograph Daytona. Using the patented Easylink comfort extension link, the Oyster bracelet's length can be adjusted by the wearer by about 5 mm. Rolex's patented ceramic inserts increase the bracelet's comfort and durability, and they can be found inside the links of the 950 platinum and 18 ct Everose gold models. Rolex included their Glidelock extension system in the Oysterflex bracelet. Using a rack hidden beneath the clasp cover, this patented mechanism allows for precise length adjustments of the bracelet with no additional hardware. The bracelet's length can be easily adjusted from about 10 millimetres with the Rolex Glidelock on the Oysterflex bracelet's six notches of approximately 2.5 millimetres.
The 2015 Rolex Superlative Chronometer certification applies to all Rolex watches, including the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona. In addition to the official certification of the movements by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, this label attests to the fact that every Rolex watch that leaves the brand's workshops has passed a series of tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria (COSC). After the movement has been housed in the watch case, the final product undergoes a battery of tests designed to ensure it will perform flawlessly when worn, including tests for accuracy, power reserve, water resistance, and automatic winding. The rate deviation tolerated by the brand for a completed watch is much smaller than that accepted by COSC for official certification of the movement alone, so a Rolex Superlative Chronometer has an accuracy of 2/+2 seconds per day.
