When Paul Newman and his team achieved the GTS-1 class victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1995, the watch he was awarded at the end of the race was a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona chronograph. An appropriate trophy for a man who had worn this legendary Oyster model since he developed a passion for motor racing in the early 1970s. The Cosmograph Daytona accompanied him throughout his dual career as an actor and racing driver, becoming as durably associated with his name as with the Daytona race track.

At Baselworld 2013, Rolex is introducing a new prestigious version of the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, the emblematic model launched in 1963, exactly 50 years ago this year. This legendary chronograph is proposed for the first time entirely in 950 platinum, the noblest of precious metals. It is equipped with a chestnut brown monobloc Cerachrom bezel and an ice blue dial.

A key part of the Cosmograph Daytona’s identity is its Cerachrom ceramic bezel with a tachymetric scale, making the watch the ideal instrument to measure average speeds of up to 400 miles or kilometres per hour. The numerals and graduations are perfectly legible thanks to the deposition of a thin layer of platinum via a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) process.


The Cosmograph Daytona’s 40 mm Oyster case, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet), is a paragon of robustness, proportion and elegance. The characteristically shaped middle case is crafted from a solid block of 950 platinum. The fluted case back is hermetically screwed down with a special tool exclusive to Rolex watchmakers. The winding crown, fitted with the patented Triplock triple waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case. It is protected by a crown guard that forms an integral part of the middle case. The pushers also screw down securely against the case. The crystal is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire. The waterproof Oyster case provides optimal protection for the Cosmograph Daytona’s high-precision movement.

The Cosmograph Daytona is equipped with calibre 4130, a self-winding mechanical chronograph movement with a column wheel entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Like all Rolex Perpetual movements, the 4130 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. Its design and quality manufacture provide peerless precision and reliability. The oscillator, the true heart of the watch, has a blue Parachrom hairspring patented and manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive alloy. Insensitive to magnetic fields, the Parachrom hairspring offers great stability when exposed to temperature variations and remains up to 10 times more precise in case of shocks than a traditional hairspring.

This new Cosmograph Daytona is fitted with a solid-link Oyster bracelet in 950 platinum, with an Oysterlock safety clasp that prevents accidental opening. The clasp also features the ingenious Rolex-patented Easylink rapid extension system that allows the wearer to easily increase the bracelet length by approximately 5 mm, for additional comfort in any circumstance.