Very little has yet to be said about the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. The model line, which draws from motorsport and an ill-fated effort to compete with the moon-faring Omega Speed master, has transcended watch culture to become the unofficial mascot of the watch industry. With waitlists spanning into the years at authorized retailers, Daytona is undoubtedly the most desirable and hardest-to-get Rolex to date.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116500 presented here is the predecessor to the new Daytona 126500LN released in early 2023. Initially released in 2016, the 116500 was by far the most talked-about watch of that year, with high interest at launch. While the Daytona design has always been more evolution rather than revolution, the most striking change to this reference was the use of ceramic bezels for the bezel, as opposed to the stainless steel bezels seen in previous generations.

The Rolex Daytona has been and will always be the unofficial flagship model for Rolex, partly due to its rich history and its association with famous individuals. At 40mm, it's a wearable watch for almost any wrist size, and its design language sits amongst some of the most fabled designs.