Rolex Forums - Rolex Watch Forum - View Single Post - New Rolex daytona panda 126500LN vs 116500LN

Otto · 26 March 2024, 08:17 AM

I haven't read all of the posts here, so I apologize in advance if this is redundant.

I was wandering around in Tokyo last Friday and in two different locations I tried on the new 126500LN. I saw the same metal/configuration in other stores as well. In the two locations, I tried on the new 126500LN and the "old" 116500LN. Each time it was a white dial watch. Honestly, as someone who has been wearing stainless, bimetal, and gold Daytonas for over 20 years, I had to strain hard to detect any difference between the old and new models. On my wrist, they both felt exactly the same and I had to look hard to notice the difference between the subdials, lugs, metal bezel ring, etc. One thing I noticed right off the bat though, as I looked closely, is that the contrast on the new dial/bezel combination is less than on the "old" model, at least to my eyes, and I prefer higher contrast; but I had to strain to detect this difference under the lights in the shops. Also, when I focused on the lugs, I was reminded of the old canard that sooner or later every sports or professional model in the Rolex lineup becomes more and more Sub-like. Don't get me wrong. It's a beautiful watch with a cool look, and if I didn't own the 116500LN I'd be trying to buy one immediately, but I just didn't find anything compelling about the changes. Maybe the differences would be more noticeable outdoors in natural light. I don't know. When I moved from a stainless steel bezel 116520 to the 116500LN, the changes between the two models were stark and compelling as something new. So, I really wanted to be bowled over by the new Daytona 126500LN, and I was honestly shocked not to be wanting one immediately. Maybe next time I'll see it differently, but I saw it in multiple shops in Tokyo and it just didn't make me want to move to the new model. My son, who is not really a watch guy, couldn't detect the differences until I explained them to him and even then he remained skeptical that they changed anything meaningful. I disagreed with him in terms of contrast, but he honestly could not immediately distinguish the watches in the next shop even after I explained the differences in one shop. On the other hand, I saw new Oysterflex models where the changes are more noticeable and I found myself gravitating toward them; but then again they are ultra expensive.

26 March 2024, 08:17 AM	#553
Otto 2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 Pledge Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Japan Watch: Daytona and others Posts: 3,020	I haven't read all of the posts here, so I apologize in advance if this is redundant. I was wandering around in Tokyo last Friday and in two different locations I tried on the new 126500LN. I saw the same metal/configuration in other stores as well. In the two locations, I tried on the new 126500LN and the "old" 116500LN. Each time it was a white dial watch. Honestly, as someone who has been wearing stainless, bimetal, and gold Daytonas for over 20 years, I had to strain hard to detect any difference between the old and new models. On my wrist, they both felt exactly the same and I had to look hard to notice the difference between the subdials, lugs, metal bezel ring, etc. One thing I noticed right off the bat though, as I looked closely, is that the contrast on the new dial/bezel combination is less than on the "old" model, at least to my eyes, and I prefer higher contrast; but I had to strain to detect this difference under the lights in the shops. Also, when I focused on the lugs, I was reminded of the old canard that sooner or later every sports or professional model in the Rolex lineup becomes more and more Sub-like. Don't get me wrong. It's a beautiful watch with a cool look, and if I didn't own the 116500LN I'd be trying to buy one immediately, but I just didn't find anything compelling about the changes. Maybe the differences would be more noticeable outdoors in natural light. I don't know. When I moved from a stainless steel bezel 116520 to the 116500LN, the changes between the two models were stark and compelling as something new. So, I really wanted to be bowled over by the new Daytona 126500LN, and I was honestly shocked not to be wanting one immediately. Maybe next time I'll see it differently, but I saw it in multiple shops in Tokyo and it just didn't make me want to move to the new model. My son, who is not really a watch guy, couldn't detect the differences until I explained them to him and even then he remained skeptical that they changed anything meaningful. I disagreed with him in terms of contrast, but he honestly could not immediately distinguish the watches in the next shop even after I explained the differences in one shop. On the other hand, I saw new Oysterflex models where the changes are more noticeable and I found myself gravitating toward them; but then again they are ultra expensive.