Although the last few years, in Rolex language, have been capitalized by the arrival of the new Rolex used daytona of the Rolex Yacht–Master 40mm 116621 Steel and Everose Gold, of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Steel and Cerachrom and this year by the Rolex Deepsea 126660 and especially from the Rolex GMT Master II “Pepsi” 126710 BLRO, it should be underlined that these were also the years that brought the debut of three new Rolex Daytona White Gold Milan.
The official sponsor brand of Formula 1 has in fact continued the development of the new range of the Rolex Daytona White Gold Milan, which began with the platinum version of 2013, which paved the way for the Cerachrom bezel, passing through the two steel references, the 116500LN both with white and black dials, which have sent the historic all-steel references into retirement, up to the three versions in gold and panda dial this year.
The history of the new steel versions with Cerachrom ceramic bezel is recent and still worthy of news: they have become, since their launch at Baselworld 2016, an incredible object of desire and the initial list price of €11,550 has remained absolutely indicative, considering the lack of availability in the face of market demand, which as I write commands a price of at least €7000 higher.
Is it better to have a Steel Daytona or a Gold Daytona (both in Cerachrom)? A market price that gradually and inexorably tends to bring the Cosmograph Daytona in steel closer to the references in this article, the 116518LN, 116519LN and the 116515LN, and which gives the measure of the appeal among enthusiasts of the most famous chronograph in the world in its version in steel.
Rolex, to bring some order among the now many references that are part of the Rolex family, has already presented years ago the new used Rolex Daytona Milano with Cerachrom bezel and Oysterflex bracelet, all identified with the reference 116515LN, with Arabic numerals or applied baton indexes and exclusively with Everose gold case, Rolex's proprietary alloy.
The real difference between the latest version and the previous ones of this reference is the presence of the panda dial, which is then extended and replicated in white and yellow gold, two versions that were still missing and which close the circle of the Rolex Daytona as historically we know, namely those of the 62XX series. Who chooses a Daytona? From my point of view, those who use a Rolex Daytona are a different customer from those who choose a classic time-only Oyster Perpetual, a Rolex Sky–Dweller or a Rolex Datejust 41 126333 Oystersteel and Yellow Gold to give an example, even if there are many the owners of an infinite series of models of the brand who distribute their tastes almost equally between one or the other (Rolex Cellini included).
Among those I deal with on a daily basis, there are many who consider the Daytona an alternative choice to a Submariner or a GMT Master II, not complementary. If the debut, years ago, of the Cerachrom bezel and the versions in precious metals, decreed a repositioning of the collection which, from my point of view, saw the steel chronograph in overlapping positioning with the divers.
Italiano