The Cosmograph Daytona collection has gained a cult following among watch aficionados, thanks to a long-lasting link with motor racing and Rolex’s unswerving attention to detail.

The success of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona has been remarkable. Rolex has manufactured chronograph watches since the 1930s, but the first design recognizable as the modern and collectible sports chronograph was the Cosmograph model 6239, with a tachymetric scale on the bezel. The name of Rolex – and especially the Cosmograph – is inextricably linked with motor sport, a tie that goes back to 1935 when English driver Malcolm Campbell, the holder of multiple land speed records, was already wearing a Rolex Oyster. In September 1935, in his record-breaking car Bluebird, he was the first person to exceed the mythical record of 300 miles per hour. He reached a speed of more than 301 mph (about 484 kilometers an hour) an extraordinary achievement at the time.

Rolex reinforced its close link with motor sport in the late 1950s when the company first supported the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans races. The 6239 model was released in 1963 and two years later, at the request of Rolex USA, the name Daytona was inscribed on the dial of Cosmograph watches intended for the American market. Subsequently, use of the Daytona name was extended to the entire range of Cosmograph models, including those destined for non-American markets – and it has been used ever since.

Cosmograph Daytona watches are peerless chronometer-certified chronographs dedicated to speed. They allow the timing of laps on their hour and minute totalisers and on the sweep second hand. They also feature a tachymeter bezel that makes it possible to calculate average speeds. The decision to name these models after the famous city that has been the home of car racing and testing for more than 100 years was an inspired one and it marked a significant turning point in the history of the Cosmograph range. Today, Rolex continues to sponsor motor racing events, not only endurance races such as the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Le Mans Series, but also classic car events such as the Goodwood Revival in England, for pre-1966 racing cars and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion in California.

In the early 1950s, Rolex began developing “Professional” watches that were worn by professionals as well as by people with active lifestyles. They were designed to be ultra-reliable working tools. The Cosmograph Daytona was destined to be one of these Professional watches and it has since become an iconic watch not only for racing drivers, but also for spectators.

At first, Cosmographs were available with two dials. The standard dials were either black (with silver registers) or silver (with black registers). There were also “exotic” dials, either black with white registers or creamy white with black registers. The much sought-after models with these exotic dials became associated with Paul Newman, the actor and racing driver. How Paul Newman’s name came to be linked with these watches is not known for certain, but the Cosmograph Daytona definitely became better known after he wore one in the 1968 film Winning. Watches featuring this dial became known among fans as “Paul Newman Daytonas,” as was mentioned in the book Paul Newman, Les images d’une vie (Paul Newman: A life in pictures), published in 2006. Rolex, however, has never used this name.

The millennium marked the beginning of an important new era for the Cosmograph Daytona when it was equipped with a new movement, the 4130 chronograph caliber, which was designed and manufactured by Rolex. It has become one of the most admired movements in the watch world and offers utmost precision and endurance.

At Rolex, attention to detail is everything. Consider the action of the chronograph buttons of the Daytona. When they are pressed, they produce a satisfying click. To achieve this, research was carried out to determine the ideal pressure needed to create this reassuring click. Then a spring had to be perfected to accomplish this and activate the chronograph mechanism, while integrating perfectly into the movement. Above all, it had to withstand wear and tear over many years. The 4130 movement was the first to be equipped with Rolex’s patented Parachrom hairspring which is made from a unique alloy developed after many years of research. It is ten times more resistant to shocks than conventional counterparts and is paramagnetic (unaffected by magnetic fields). This exclusive technology takes the performance of a Rolex watch to new limits.

The use of 904L stainless steel is another example of innovation by Rolex. It provides maximum resistance against corrosion and was previously used in the chemical industry and in other specialized applications such as the manufacture of surgical instruments. It can be polished to perfection. Rolex uses 904L steel in all steel versions in the Daytona collection.

A masterpiece of watchmaking technology, the Cosmograph Daytona embodies many components, materials, design features and technical advances that have earned it a well-deserved accolade as one of the world’s most iconic watches.

Historically, the Cosmograph Daytona has appealed mainly to men, but in 2004 Rolex surprised the watch world by showing that it can create not only some of the finest classical watch designs, but also stunning, richly detailed versions of the Daytona that show no design restraint at all. The leopard model, for example, is set with diamonds and cognac sapphires and is intended for the woman who has the flair to blend elegance with extravagance. It is 18 Kt yellow gold on a leopardskin style strap, with a matching pattern on the dial. The bezel is set with 36 baguette-cut cognac sapphires and with diamond end-pieces. Other diamond and gem-set models have followed.

One of the greatest strengths of Rolex has always been its obsession with perfection and its use of visionary technology. Today, Rolex remains at the cutting edge of horological technology. The teams that race at Daytona and Le Mans strive continuously to produce faster and more reliable cars. At Rolex, too, the quest for precision, reliability, endurance and perfection is never-ending – and the Cosmograph Daytona is a superb example of this dedicated quest for excellence.

About Rolex Motorsports - Rolex’s presence in motorsports began in the 1930s with Malcolm Campbell. While wearing a Rolex Oyster in 1935, he was the first person to drive an automobile over 300 miles per hour, setting a new land speed record. Rolex truly solidified its position in the sport in 1959 when it began an association with the Daytona International Speedway in Florida and later became the title sponsor of its pre-eminent endurance race, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, in 1992. It was shortly after its initial affiliation with the race track that Rolex introduced a watch designed for lovers of speed, the Cosmograph Daytona, which allowed its wearer to clock elapsed times and calculate average speeds.

Rolex is involved in sponsorships of some of the most prestigious events in the motorsport industry. Endurance races such as the Rolex 24 At Daytona, The 24 Hours of Le Mans, the European Le Mans Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series have been a critical piece of the Rolex portfolio. In addition, Rolex has supported the bygone era of racing by celebrating design, speed, passion and endurance in sponsoring historic races such as the Goodwood Revival and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, as well as concours events such as The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Pebble Beach Tour D’Elegance presented by Rolex, and The Quail, a Motorsport Gathering.


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