Possibly the most collectible Rolex model; released in 1963, the Cosmograph Daytona is the motorsport timepiece that is now viewed as the coolest of the Rolex models – no arguments from me. For anyone interested in motorsport, Daytona Beach in Florida is the famous venue for NASCAR’s Daytona 500 mile race along with other events at Daytona International Speedway. It isn’t much of a stretch to name the Rolex chronograph after the legendary motorsport track.

Released in 1955, the precursor to the Cosmograph Daytona was the manually wound 6234 reference that was apparently anything but a best seller. Rolex was well regarded in the sports watch category and the chronograph was fitted inside an oyster case with the tachometer printed on the dial. There was only 500 of this model manufactured between the years of 1955 to 1961, known as the pre-Daytona, these timepieces are highly collectible and sell for big dollars.

The Cosmograph model was released in 1963 and featured to tachograph scale engraved in the bezel to increase legibility. Not yet known as the Daytona, the name given to the chronograph was Le Mans before a name change to Daytona. Despite being worn by racing enthusiast Paul Newman, the Daytona was not yet a popular timepiece and somewhat languished behind other well known chronographs.

The current model Cosmograph Daytona is fitted with the in-house 4130 automatic perpetual movement from 2000 onwards that has a 72 hour power reserve with parachrom hairspring and COSC certification. The classic Daytona models were fitted with an outsourced and modified Valjoux Calibre 72 hand wound movements with Rolex raising the standard frequency from 18,000 to 21,600 vph.

From 1988 onwards, the Zenith El Primero automatic movement was fitted to the Cosmograph Daytona range with modifications including slowing the standard 36,000 vph to 28,800 vph. Ironically, the early Cosmograph Daytona was not in demand and a poor seller, apparently Rolex retailers were eager to discount the model to get them to sell.

Now days, a waiting list of three to five years is not uncommon to secure a Cosmograph Daytona with a basic oyster steel model setting you back $15,700 AUD, white gold $36,450 AUD, yellow gold $44, 050 AUD and the platinum model is listed as price on request. Remarkably, these prices seem pretty reasonable as rare and vintage Cosmograph Daytona models can set you back $200k plus along with some of the Paul Newman models.