Photos by Ed Rhee, Jake Witkin, and David Bredan
Gem-set Daytona watches have been popular within certain watch-collecting circles ever since Rolex started making them. However, conversations about them became more mainstream over the last decade or so with the likes of the Rainbow, Eye of the Tiger, diamond-set “Platona,” and plenty of off-catalog models transforming into the darlings of the “unobtainium” Rolex references. At Watches and Wonders 2024, Rolex doubled down on this part of its collection by releasing a slate of bejeweled Daytona watches. We went hands-on with two of them: the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 126579RBR and the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 126589RBR, both fancy distant cousins of the Daytona Panda, complete with white gold cases, mother-of-pearl dials, and diamond-set bezels.
For those who have handled Daytona chronographs, you know that they generally wear more compact than their 40mm-wide measurements suggest. This makes for a pleasant experience on the wrist. As always, they’re slim (about 11.90mm thick) and restrained in proportions, and it’s easy to understand why the Daytona is often cited as one of the most comfortable luxury chronographs on the market. In 2023, Rolex released an entirely new generation of the Daytona. When David Bredan went deep into figuring out the differences between the old Daytona and the new Daytona, he discovered that the newer ones are, in fact, 1mm wider, clocking in at 39.88mm. Now, the extravagant diamond-set bezel, set with 36 brilliant-cut diamonds, adds even more volume to the look of the watch — like wearing white clothes can give the illusion of a larger frame. And I suppose if you’re going for a diamond variant of the Daytona, larger and flashier are the goals.
In addition to diamonds replacing the signature tachymeter bezel, the mother-of-pearl dials are the other flamboyant detail on these new Daytona references. The Daytona ref. 126589RBR is furnished with a white MOP dial with black MOP counters—a precious take on the fan-favorite “panda” colorway, if you will. Conversely, the Daytona ref. 126579RBR is a “reverse panda” execution, featuring a black mother-of-pearl dial with white MOP subdials. Mother-of-pearl’s main party trick is that it can take on a whole new color depending on how the light hits it, which is especially true of the darker variations. As you can see from the photos, the black MOP counters can range from light pink/purple to a shimmering grayish-black shade. In the metal, the black MOP dials and/or counters don’t look nearly as chocolaty brown as the Rolex press pictures depict.
According to Rolex, “The disks of material used for the dial and the counters are positioned to optimize the color intensity of each variety of mother-of-pearl and further enhance the contrast between them.” The company asserts that an entirely new manufacturing process was created to achieve this. I can confirm that the color of the dials is indeed intense, and the legibility of the white counters on the darker background is better than the opposite colorway. Rolex also opted to add eight diamond hour markers, leaving room for three Chromalight lume-coated rectangles at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, and naturally, the brand’s emblematic coronet at 12.
Aside from the dials, another difference between this pair of gem-set Daytonas is the bracelet. The white MOP dialed 126589RBR is paired with an Oysterflex bracelet whereas the black MOP dialed 126579RBR includes a white gold Oyster bracelet, both equipped with the Oysterlock folding safety clasp in white gold. The Oysterflex nudges the watch more into the sporty realm, but not by much. It’s still a Daytona dripping in diamonds and no strap, even a black rubber one, can tame the lavishness on full display.
When I first saw these new models, I thought they looked familiar. As in, hasn’t Rolex already done this? I was half right. We’ve seen similar dials (such as ref. 116509 black MOP), comparable round-cut diamond bezels (such as ref. 116599RBR), and, of course, the pairing of white gold cases and Oysterflex bracelets (such as references 116519 and 126519) has become a staple in the lineup. Rolex took some of these ingredients, threw them in the blender, sprinkled in the new-gen Caliber 4131 that debuted last year along with the updated case proportions, and served up these new Daytona models. Caliber 4131 promises a precision rating of -2/+2 seconds per day (after casing), supplies 72 hours of power reserve, and is fitted with a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring and high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers. The bridges decorated with Rolex Côtes de Genève and the cutout oscillating weight are hidden from view, shielded by solid white gold casebacks.
Will these variants be more attractive to a female audience? Probably. Many of the bejeweled or gold Daytonas I see out in the wild are on women’s wrists. However, we can’t overlook the fact that diamond watches are staples in many men’s watch collections too. Perhaps mother-of-pearl dials are harder to see right now as a top choice for men, but crazier things have happened in the watch space. If any company can influence watch tastes and trends, I wouldn’t bet against Rolex. Plus, I think my colleagues Ed, Jake, and David wear these diamond and mother-of-pearl Daytona watches quite well! Confidence and occasion are key here. On a racetrack with diehard motorheads? Not so much. Night out in Vegas or Miami? Hell, yes.
If I had the pick of owning any Daytona, these wouldn’t be on the top of my list (or, frankly, on my list). However, between the two, I’d go for the Oyster bracelet black MOP dial. Not only do I find the white gold bracelet more attractive (I’m not the biggest fan of the Oysterflex in general) but also, for me, an Oyster bracelet is more in line with how a Daytona should look and feel. Furthermore, although undoubtedly opulent, the darker “reverse precious panda” dial is slightly subtler to my eye than the lighter one. The Rolex Daytona ref. 126589RBR retails for $61,400 USD while the Rolex Daytona ref. 126579RBR retails for $70,100 USD. For more information, please visit Rolex’s website.
