How could Rolex destroy their most beautiful Daytona watch? Speachless.

[franklee168]

Just saw a side/side. The bezel/dial looks small with the new lugs. My eyesite may be failing me now.

[EEpro]

This is bad ass

[IS2000]

I actually preferred the new version over the outgoing SS Daytonas. The watch has more of a racing chronograph look to it imho. I have a black dial Daytona and I think it feels a tad too dressy with the roundish case and one piece bezel.

[cari66ean]

Originally Posted by Driver8

I know change is generally always feared , but I'm genuinely interested in why so many believe the new Daytona bezel ring will be this unbelievable scratch magnet? Surely it's no different to the outer bezel of a Sub, or a GMT, or the Explorers, or the bezel on a PM Daytona, or indeed the case size itself of the Daytona?

Personally I think it looks very thin and most confined to the vertical edge of the bezel, so I honestly think it's a non-issue.

Pretty much. It might show scratches a tad easier than e.g. a Sub or GMT because it's a flat opposed to scalloped surface but it still remains a small surface area. So scratches will catch the eye way less than on an e.g. full metal bezel yet it will be way more shatter resistant than a full ceramic one.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by cari66ean

It never "needed" the slimmer crown side lugs, nor was every Daytona using them until now a "mistake". It was a valid conscious choice back then, just as the symmetrical ones are now. Neither of them were "needed" nor were they a "mistake".

The same goes for the bezel. Calling it a "fail" is yet another knee jerk reaction on something Rolex changed, like every time they do. Personally I find the the new bezel way classier, just as it probably was more of a durability improvement for them, since this design while more prone to scratches and dings (that won't show as easily on such a small surface area) will massively improve shatter resistance.

Maybe they are taking a page out of the Omega playbook

I've been wearing the 321 about 2-3 days a week since last June and see no signs of wear on the bezel ring. I like how it frames the bezel and IMO give it a more premium look.

As I said earlier, I'd have to see the new Daytona IRL to judge, but I'm assuming Rolex has done a great job of it.

And .. who says brushed case sides don't work.


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[Hardtimes]

Put me down in the LOVE category!!

[Toivonen]

Originally Posted by Smart Water

New one looks a lot better

period.

[Driver8]

Originally Posted by swish77

And for guys applauding the new allegedly more balanced case .... There's a reason Rolex had designed the Daytona case like that in the first place .... since the mid-1960s! The crown side needs slightly slimmer lugs to balance out the pushers. So, what, Rolex is admitting that EVERY Daytona produced until now was a mistake? That's just silly.

Well let's not forget though that the weird asymmetric lugs aren't even consistent across the current range - some are asymmetric while some are symmetric. As I'm sure you know, the asymmetric case is found on all the SS, all the TT, and the YG models on the bracelet, while the symmetric case is found on the YG models on the OF strap, plus all WG, all RG and all Platinum models.

Rolex's own press script about the SS Daytona a few years ago stated that - "The Daytona's design is an exercise in perfectly mastered symmetry. Its screw-down pushers on each side of the crown are counterbalanced by the slightly wider lugs on the opposite side of the case, maintaining aesthetic balance".

So in other words, this means that on some Daytonas, Rolex use asymmetric lugs to create an asymmetric case for better "balance" (), while on other Daytonas they use symmetric lugs to create an actually symmetric case, which (by Rolex's own yardstick) must mean they wilfully created what they think is an unbalanced case that's not symmetric (despite it actually being balanced and symmetric)!

Just weird, and best consigned to history IMO, as it now rightfully is.

[cari66ean]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Maybe they are taking a page out of the Omega playbook

I've been wearing the 321 about 2-3 days a week since last June and see no signs of wear on the bezel ring. I like how it frames the bezel and IMO give it a more premium look.

As I said earlier, I'd have to see the new Daytona IRL to judge, but I'm assuming Rolex has done a great job of it.

And .. who says brushed case sides don't work.


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Yup, I think it looks more premium than the full ceramic bezel. And now it looks like a metal watch with a metal bezel (with an insert) opposed to putting case parts of different materials together.

I also think it's less a case of taking a page out of Omega's playbook but more coming to the realization that the initial design of having a slim ceramic edge exposed on a bezel is not ideal durability wise.

[Robf52]

Originally Posted by harvey

…i kinda like the new reference more. The dial looks cleaner and the case quite svelte.

+1.

[yessir69]

Originally Posted by harvey

…I kinda like the new reference more. The dial looks cleaner and the case quite svelte.

This.

[Rori]

New design is spot on. Old design was a mess.


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[epicurus]

New one by a mile.

[Rrpdc]

Originally Posted by Zed82

The steel ring around the bezel is an ugly addition. The case looks chunkier and the brushed sides are just weird. The old one looks a more complete design.

Totally agree. +1

[envuks]

Originally Posted by gt0279a

Looks like they just slapped the existing precious metal case on the steel models.

Not my favorite.

I’m not sure. To me the case looks even bigger than the past RG and WG cases.

The pushers look sunk in and the crown guards look very bulky.

From the angles in these photos the proportions look like a step in the wrong direction.

The other thing that catching my eye the wrong way is that the dial details look smaller and more fine. Smaller indexes and subdial surrounds, but the cases is bigger and chunky. That seems like a subtle downgrade

But people will still eat it up.


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[kilyung]

Doesn’t matter how much I like the new one if I don’t get offered one. LOL

[Rico_Brasole]

I love the new design.

But let be honest- most of us are talking about a piece we’ll never sniff at retail….ever … so pretty much getting up in arms about nothing really


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[AdamW]

An already difficult to read watch becomes even harder. Thinner hands and smaller subdials.
Pass.

[lmcgbaj]

New one looks better IMO.

[Krash]

I just don’t know how someone can hate one and love the other. LOL

Literally almost identical with only subtle differences.


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[Phrank]

Never liked the chunky ceramic bezels of the current lineup, this new release, bezel looks properly integrated into the watch rather than looking like it was slapped on top. My opinion only, but love this new release.

I’d actually consider “upgrading” my 520 to this version. Looks very clean to me.

[Cwillis0001]

Originally Posted by Krash

I just don’t know how someone can hate one and love the other. LOL

Literally almost identical with only subtle differences.


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I'm with you on this. The OP was kinda dramatic. "Destroyed?" Really? "Devastated and gutted?" I can't even tell if this is sarcasm or not.

[1259]

The new Daytona looks significantly better than the old one at least based on pics

[ghostface]

In other news, it seems as though all chocolate dials are now discontinued, as they disappeared from their website. Can anyone confirm my findings?

[Giovannibravo]

I think they did it because the Ceramic can chip.

[rolexgs]

Originally Posted by ghostface

In other news, it seems as though all chocolate dials are now discontinued, as they disappeared from their website. Can anyone confirm my findings?

yes

[Dave4D]

Originally Posted by Mystro

I am devastated and gutted. This forum is therapy for me today.
This has got to be the biggest Rolex fail I can possibly think of. Rolex took a perfect organic design and purposely ruined every aspect of the iconic Daytona. It’s like they are trying to showcase how much better the 11 series Daytona is/was with a “New Coke” exercise in marketing.

Epic fail with butchering the Daytona line. I am in disbelief Rolex could make so many design screw-ups their most perfect watch.

Oh man that metal edge around the bezel is a huge issue for collecting dings and wear marks. IMO….it adds nothing and becomes a liability.
The biggest “fail” is the beautiful organic case lines have been butchered into a now blocky supercase look? ??
A blocky Daytona?



The 11 series Daytona has now become incredibly special and “THE” SS Daytona.

I really do not see how the new case has been butchered and is now a blocky supercase.

To be frank, it reads like you own the 116500LN and wishes for it to increase in value. But I'm sure that can't be true, right?

[ghostface]

Too bad they discontinued their chocolate. That was one of my favorites from them in the daytona lineup.

[illiguy]

It is nice to have these 1st world problems though, amirite?

[904VT]

Agree. Rolex releases don’t even get me excited any longer. Bc of of changes like this that are there just create “new” watches and drive demand. More of the waiting game BS.