
Followers of the Rolex Daytona will wish to know precisely how the 2023 metal Rolex Daytona is completely different from the earlier 116500LN model, i.e., what we are able to now name “the previous Daytona.” This in-depth comparability will reveal the smallest nuances that make for a noticeably completely different impression on the wrist. The brand new Rolex Daytona is greater, wider, and flashier on the skin, with a recent dial overlaying up a motion re-engineered for the primary time in nearly 1 / 4 of a century.
As a lot as some prefer to imagine that the important thing ingredient to Rolex’s unmatched recognition and success is hype, a giant chunk of it really comes from the long-term consistency of its collections, the ceaseless repetition of Rolex product names and design codes on the earth round us, and the corporate’s robust self-restraint when timing and performing mannequin updates. With all this in thoughts, it received’t come as a lot of a shock that the 2023 Rolex Daytona watch in metal largely includes small modifications — and only a few, if any, main ones. For Rolex geeks, there may be loads of fascinating stuff occurring, so allow us to now uncover how the brand new Daytona is completely different from the previous.
How The 2023 Metal Rolex Daytona Watch Case Is Completely different, Or Is This The “Tremendous Case” Daytona?
The brand new metal Daytona is reference 126500LN, one up, for those who like, from the ready checklist and gray-market-favorite 116500LN that’s been with us since 2016. Right here’s the primary fascinating little bit of Rolex Daytona watch trivia for you: On the steel-cased model, together with the “two-tone” Daytona with a metal case and gold bezel, the case was really asymmetrical. How so? The lugs on the left have been designed to be wider than these on the proper in order to offset the “visible weight” of the chronograph pushers, crown, and crown guards on the proper facet of the case. It’s one thing that after you have seen you’ll by no means unsee — however you most likely received’t have seen this till anyone pointed it out to you. The sharp, asymmetrical lugs caught round till 2023 on the metal middle-cased Daytona watches, in addition to on the 18k yellow gold Daytona with the 18k yellow gold bracelet. The thicker, symmetrical lugs have been first launched in 1993 on the leather-based strap-equipped 18k yellow gold Daytona and, with the aforementioned exception, these thicker lugs grew to become the norm on the strong 18k gold and platinum-cased Daytona watches.

The sleek slim lug design of the metal Daytona, seen to the proper right here, has been discontinued.
The subsequent necessary distinction, due to this fact, lay within the form of the lugs. Till the 2023 replace, metal Rolex Daytona watches and two-tone variations had pointy lugs (seen to the proper within the picture above), slightly trait that has performed an necessary position within the refinement and delicacy of the general metal Daytona design. Against this, the strong 18k gold and platinum-cased Daytonas had flat toes to their lugs, including appreciable heft and presence to them. For 2023, all Rolex Daytona watches, together with metal and two-tone fashions, can have the flat lugs, i.e., the one you see to the left within the picture above. We’ll add to this one final little bit of trivia: Till 2023, treasured metallic Daytona fashions had wider case profiles. On metal, the bezel’s edge reached far past the profile of the case, whereas on treasured metallic variations, the case sides had extra quantity to them. Once more, for 2023, all Daytona watches can have the identical case type, regardless of the materials.
These acquainted with and appreciative of the rigorously balanced proportions of the now-previous metal Rolex Daytona will discover this replace to the lug design one of many extra impactful adjustments. On the wrist, this has made the Daytona a reasonably extra “luggy” watch. Though not as extreme because the “Maxi Case” or “Tremendous Case” replace that the GMT-Grasp II obtained in 2005, and the Submariner steadily between 2008 and 2010, it would however be a stand-out modification to the metal Daytona proportions for individuals who care about such issues. For our subjective tackle your complete redesign, learn on.
Additionally new for 2023 is the metallic body across the Cerachrom bezel of the Rolex Daytona. That is one other instantly noticeable replace that impacts each Daytona with a Cerachrom bezel — choose gold Daytona watches will proceed to have a single-piece 18k gold bezel. Rolex has confirmed to us that the bezel stays a monoblock Cerachrom ceramic piece inside and isn’t a bezel insert like these on, say, the GMT-Grasp II. This ornamental metallic body dates again to 1965 with the introduction of Oyster Daytonas. The identical interval included reference 6240/6241 — aka the Paul Newman Daytona. Rolex might need been impressed by the hype across the stupendous (and doubtful) public sale outcomes of Paul Newman Daytonas, which may clarify the return of this design component.

Identical wrist, “similar” Daytona: The brand new one (backside) feels, appears to be like, and measures bigger, opposite to Rolex’s claims of each being “40mm.”
The 2023 Rolex Daytona can be wider, taking on noticeably extra space on the wrist than its predecessor. Rolex, for no matter cause, prefers to oversimplify issues and continues to name the Daytona a 40mm-wide watch. Effectively, the brand new Daytona wears bigger, thanks, at the least partially, to the broader and longer lugs, but in addition a bigger case diameter. Between 8 and a couple of o’clock, the diameter of the discontinued 116500LN is simply 38.88mm — with out pushers, as is customary to measure the diameter of a chronograph — whereas the brand new 126500LN is precisely 1mm wider at 39.88mm. Curiously, the dial opening remained the identical dimension which additionally performs its justifiable share in dimension notion. Positive, it’s important to have a watch for such nuanced updates, however there positively is a rise in diameter.
This side-by-side comparability reveals another notable adjustments on the 2023 Rolex Daytona in metal. The sharp crown guards that complemented the sharp lugs on the earlier mannequin are gone, of their place are extra pronounced crown guards with an elevated flat space (circled in blue), once more, to go together with the brand new lug design. A more in-depth take a look at the higher pusher greatest reveals how rather more pronounced and certainly wider the center case is on the brand new Rolex Daytona 126500LN (circled in purple). Whereas on the now discontinued model the bezel shaped type of a roof over the center case, reaching out and past the sting of the case itself, on the brand new model the broader lugs and bigger crown guards have sufficient quantity to stand proud of beneath the bezel. Final, and circled in inexperienced, is the metallic ring across the bezel we have now already talked about. With the beefier lugs, crown guards, and case profile, can we name this the “Tremendous Case Daytona” — or “Maxi Case,” as some favor to say?
How The 2023 Metal Rolex Daytona Watch Dial Is Completely different
Having quietly elevated the case dimension, the dial needed to observe, to maintain proportions intact. The brand new Daytona dial options significantly slimmer subdial frames the place the Arabic numerals fill their respective rings extra absolutely. One other secret Daytona trait, the “mis-leveled” 3 and 9 o’clock subdials positioned barely above the imaginary horizon between the three and 9 o’clock markers are after all right here to remain, as is the purple Daytona textual content above the 6 o’clock subdial. Though the subdials seem to have grown outwards in dimension, actually, it’s on the within rim that Rolex shaved a couple of fractions of a millimeter off.

The sharper, narrower hour markers on the 2023 Rolex Daytona have been impressed by the 1988 Rolex Daytona, pictured above.
Additionally new are the hour markers which are slimmer, longer, and extra angular than earlier than. Avid Daytona historians will spot that their “new” design really harks again to that seen on the 1988 Rolex Daytona. In the interim, the metal Daytona stays accessible with the identical two dial choices, particularly a black dial with silver coloured subdials, and a white with black subdial frames nicked the Panda dial. The subdials have saved their concentric “snailed” sample, as Rolex calls it, though this element stays nearly unattainable to be appreciated with the bare eye, even with nice near-sight imaginative and prescient. Not like with another mannequin updates, Rolex has saved the colour of the luminous “Chromalight show” unchanged at blue for the brand new Daytona. Likewise, the fingers and hour markers are nonetheless in 18k white gold. Lastly, Rolex has held onto the technically incorrect graduations on the chronograph seconds monitor. Across the periphery of the dial, in between the total second/minute markers, there are 4 traces, splitting every second into 5 components — one thing that made sense when the Daytona had a 1/fifth of a second motion within the Nineteen Sixties however doesn’t mix nicely with the 1/eighth of a second motion the Daytona has had since 1988.

Don’t get too excited: Solely the platinum Rolex Daytona can have a see-through caseback and a gold rotor.
How The 2023 Metal Rolex Daytona Watch Motion Is Completely different
The keen-eyed have actually regarded for the tiny crown to make its look beneath the 6 o’clock marker on the dial and certainly each 2023 Rolex Daytona watch sports activities that little element to point the presence of a new-generation motion inside. The Rolex 4131 motion marks the primary publicized replace to the 4130, the extremely acclaimed self-winding chronograph motion that Rolex designed, developed, and has been producing since 2000; though through the years some small, unpublicized updates have been applied within the 4130. The brand new Rolex caliber 4131 stays hidden by a strong caseback on all Rolex Daytona watches aside from the platinum Daytona.
Listed here are the precise variations between the Rolex 4130 and Rolex 4131 actions — and there are a lot. The Perpetual self-winding system of the 4131 makes use of over twice as many ball bearings (purple circle), in order to supply better sturdiness and a fair smoother operation to automated winding motion. To be honest, the 4130-equipped Daytona is among the many quietest chronographs on the market, it’s just about unattainable to listen to the rotor’s motion, even when provoked by a vicious shaking of the watch. Circled in inexperienced is the Paraflex shock absorber, a possible improve from the KIF shock absorber on the 4130. Hidden within the bowels of the motion and circled in purple is the Chronergy escapement, Rolex’s high-efficiency escapement. You’ll be able to study extra concerning the Chronergy escapement in stunning detail from SJX here. The remaining adjustments give attention to the aesthetics of Rolex’s chronograph motion: The brand new 4131 caliber has obtained the Rolex Côtes de Genève striping (marked in blue), a substantial enchancment over the curved brushed end on the 4130. Rolex has made the Genevan stripes its personal by including a elegant groove between the stripes. Final, the jewels now have a golden chaton (orange), and the rotor is opened up now to disclose extra of the motion and sports activities the Rolex crown and the Chronometer Perpetual textual content (marked in yellow) — albeit, inexplicably, all of them the improper approach up.
Regardless of the addition of the extremely environment friendly Rolex Chronergy escapement, the model makes no claims to any enhancements within the efficiency of the 2023 Rolex Daytona. Energy reserve continues to be quoted at “roughly 72 hours,” and the brand new Daytona is regulated to carry out with the extraordinarily strict timekeeping tolerances that apply to each Rolex watch presently produced, which is -2/+2 seconds per day. That stated, the improved effectivity of the escapement may assist the Daytona have its solely complication, the chronograph operate extra precisely all through the ability reserve and/or the ability reserve might be affected much less now if the chronograph is saved working the entire time.
Rolex hardly updates the aesthetics of its actions, but it has executed precisely that in an all-encompassing method with the 2023 Rolex Daytona and its 4131 caliber. Though see-through casebacks are unique to the platinum Daytona and the brand new 1908 assortment of Rolex gown watches for now, creating prettier actions (in the end) may simply be Rolex setting itself as much as quickly enable a wider vary of consumers to understand this important part of their mighty costly new watch.
In Closing, Our Subjective Evaluation Of The 2023 Metal Rolex Daytona
Whereas Rolex claims to be all concerning the perpetual pursuit of excellence — a mission assertion mirrored by its unmatched choice and amount of remarkably high-performance actions, amongst different issues — often not even “The Crown” can escape the stress of doing one thing only for the sake of doing it. With the 2016 debut of the metal Rolex Daytona 116500LN, maybe not even Rolex knew what a problem it will ultimately be to attempt to enhance upon that design and execution. Seven years later, the sixtieth anniversary of the gathering has marked the time for that “one thing” to occur, and so Rolex was anticipated to face this trial head-on and in some way modify one among its finest-ever designs — the 116500LN metal Daytona.
Even with all this in thoughts, we have now to say that lots of the updates to the Daytona, and particularly the metal Daytona, seem like hard-to-justify modifications that characterize extra of a step again than ahead. The asymmetrical design, the fragile form of the lugs, case profile, and hour markers, the monoblock and unframed ceramic bezel, the right general proportions of the metal Daytona — not one among these are watch design components that occur by likelihood, not at this stage, anyway. And but, all of those deliberate and calculated components of refinement have been undone with none historic or sensible justification.
We’ll finish this phase right here. Suffice it to say that we favor the lug design, delicate case profile, crafty asymmetry, and, above all, the general proportions of the 116500LN. However what about you? Tell us within the feedback beneath. The 2023 metal Rolex Daytona watch 126500LN is priced at $15,100 — up from the final recognized value of $14,550 for the earlier mannequin. Oh, and for those who nonetheless have an urge for food for Rolex Daytona studying materials, check out our Five Ways The Rolex Daytona Is A Better (And Worse) Watch Than You Might Expect feature article here. Final, you can learn more on the brand’s website.