Daytona 116518 OF Paul Newman dial opinions?

[JSolution]

Originally Posted by kans86

Thanks. I have many white dial watches now otherwise the 116519LN could be a choice as well. Curious if the OF strap easily gets dirty with dusts or oily substances?

personally had no problems with it looking dirty or anything. Another thing that really bothered me is the oysterfelx strap really isn't BLACK it's more of a really dark grey, at least to my eyes. i actually think it would loook better on black leather,

[kans86]

Originally Posted by JSolution

personally had no problems with it looking dirty or anything. Another thing that really bothered me is the oysterfelx strap really isn't BLACK it's more of a really dark grey, at least to my eyes. i actually think it would loook better on black leather,

+1 exactly what I feel. The OF strap lacks the color contrast/sharpness of the watch.

[accountank2000]

Originally Posted by kans86

Thanks. I have many white dial watches now otherwise the 116519LN could be a choice as well. Curious if the OF strap easily gets dirty with dusts or oily substances?

Originally Posted by JSolution

personally had no problems with it looking dirty or anything. Another thing that really bothered me is the oysterfelx strap really isn't BLACK it's more of a really dark grey, at least to my eyes. i actually think it would loook better on black leather,

No problem with oils / dirt here. Colour-wise I suppose you could say it's a really dark grey rather than black - if you're comparing it to the black ceramic bezel, or a real jet black / pitch black, it's not as dark.

Sitting here at my desk, it's darker than my grey desk and laptop keyboard but less dark than my black smartphone or black leather belt. On the WG model it is absolutely fine, the whole colour palette for the watch is basically black / grey / silver / white gold. If you were throwing yellow in there too, maybe you would be the kind of person who would want something more of a shiny matching black for the bezel, or something 'showy'.

For me, I wouldn't want it on a black leather, as they are invariably glossy or somewhat reflective, and can appear a bit too 'dressy'. A Cellini is fine with a leather strap - a standard traditional thing for an expensive watch. But the OF image is a nice clean modern sports-luxury, it is tasteful without trying to be too 'flashy' or too 'formal'. They want you to feel you could wear it while driving a racecar, or perhaps more realistically taking your buddies to the corporate entertainment / executive boxes to watch the racecars at a F1 circuit). And keep your crocodile strap for when you want to put on a tuxedo and take your grandmother to the opera :

[watchwatcher]

Originally Posted by kans86

Anyone know if it is possible to put a YG bracelet on this one? Such as using the bracelet of the 16508.

It isn't, sorry.

Originally Posted by MichelleP

I have it on the bracelet. I like the gold bezel with the bracelet and ceramic with the oysterflex

Beautiful watch. I share your thoughts.

[kans86]

Originally Posted by watchwatcher

It isn't, sorry.

Thanks for confirming. Otherwise it would be a good solution.

[kans86]

Originally Posted by accountank2000

No problem with oils / dirt here. Colour-wise I suppose you could say it's a really dark grey rather than black - if you're comparing it to the black ceramic bezel, or a real jet black / pitch black, it's not as dark.

Sitting here at my desk, it's darker than my grey desk and laptop keyboard but less dark than my black smartphone or black leather belt. On the WG model it is absolutely fine, the whole colour palette for the watch is basically black / grey / silver / white gold. If you were throwing yellow in there too, maybe you would be the kind of person who would want something more of a shiny matching black for the bezel, or something 'showy'.

For me, I wouldn't want it on a black leather, as they are invariably glossy or somewhat reflective, and can appear a bit too 'dressy'. A Cellini is fine with a leather strap - a standard traditional thing for an expensive watch. But the OF image is a nice clean modern sports-luxury, it is tasteful without trying to be too 'flashy' or too 'formal'. They want you to feel you could wear it while driving a racecar, or perhaps more realistically taking your buddies to the corporate entertainment / executive boxes to watch the racecars at a F1 circuit). And keep your crocodile strap for when you want to put on a tuxedo and take your grandmother to the opera :

It makes sense. Or I just wish the OF is as clean as the Patek 5167's rubber strap.

[sameer222]

Any new thoughts on this piece for 2022? Recently handled one and thought it's sublime, and as ridiculous as it may seem given there is a premium on it, it may in fact be a sleeper in the current line up

[WILLIWALKER]

Fantastic piece but not for me, I don't like matte dials! Otherwise the red is great!!

[jbsmith]

Love mine and the OF...no pcls and as others have stated a more sporty look for such a sporty watch. Because of this, I wear this daytona more than the white dial ceramic ss. Imo, save the all gold options for less sporty watches such as day date, skyd, etc. Btw, one of the reasons it's considered a pn dial is the addition of a third color in the form of red ticks. Hodinkee has an article explaining vintage pn dials that carry over some into modern dials, hence giving us another nickname.

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[flightlevel150]

Originally Posted by accountank2000

The watch in the OP isn't known as a Paul Newman. Simply, the OP is calling it that and has probably heard other people say it because they are just using a lazy stereotype that if a Daytona has three colours on the dial and solid contrasting subdials (panda style regardless of colour), that's a bit like the old Paul Newmans...

On the old models, the more 'exotic' dials which differentiated the ones that became known as Paul Newman from the normal dials of the time (even where the normal dials had solid (panda / reverse panda) subdials, had the following features:

- subdials have a different art deco style font and the dashes have squares on the end; the minutes subdial has 4 quadrants ie 15,30,45,60 rather than 20 40 60.

- the seconds are marked on a separate track around the edge of the dial with a different background colour to the main dial

- the 5 minute markers are small square blocks rather than rectangles / longer baton markers

- the seconds on the track and the 'daytona' text (if there is any daytona text) may be in a third colour e.g. red (but not always)


The current model in YG doesn't have the art deco font or the square dashes on subdials or the 4 quadrants, the separate background colour for the seconds track, the small blocks for 5-min markers. It doesn't have any of that stuff that Paul Newman's watch had.

Stylistically, apart from having red on the daytona text and seconds markers, it's like the non PN one on the left on the image below, rather than the PN one on the right (image borrowed from hodinkee, originally from antiquorum.com):



I suppose the OP is saying that if you look at old Daytonas, the colour scheme of the current yellow gold OF is a bit like this one below, which is considered a 'PN'-type exotic dial with champagne subdials on black, and a black bezel, and a gold case.



But 'similar colour scheme to one of the PNs' doesn't mean you should call it a PN.

Anyway, back to the OP's question:

I don't have this one (116518), instead I have the 116519LN (white gold model, grey / steel dial on oysterflex). I'm not much of a fan of yellow gold.

But for me it was very easy to 'get past the rubber strap'. It's a great strap which is comfortable and stays in place, the strap and ceramic bezel won't scratch and scuff the same way a soft PM would, and the contrast of the black strap against the precious metal case looks very nice, and you still get a proper PM clasp. I preferred it to a full precious metal bracelet .

While a precious metal bracelet is more 'traditional', some would describe that as 'timeless' while others would say 'old fashioned'. I'm not a YG guy although I think perhaps the oysterflex suits the white gold better than the yellow gold because the rubber strap in black is a good contrast against the silvery steel dial, while a yellow gold bracelet might be a better contrast against the black dial of the yellow gold model.

I've had my 116519LN less than a couple of months but it's my favourite watch. If you prefer the colour scheme of the 518LN, go for it.

I posted a few thoughts on mine (and a bit more detail about the strap) on this thread last month: https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=751003

Thank you!!
I cringe every time I see a grey dealer referring to this model as a PN…

[RyanO]

I got the call today for this piece, after a 3 year wait. Stoked to say the least.

It is my favorite Daytona dial, and I agree that it is still a relative sleeper in the lineup.

Was there a verdict on the name? Is is more correct to refer to this as the JPS Daytona?

[clubrcr]

I love my watch. I really like the YG as well, as the different bezels give both watches entirely different personalities. I would own both, but I ended up selling my WG Daytona because it was a scratch magnet.

[ap1]

Originally Posted by accountank2000

The watch in the OP isn't known as a Paul Newman. Simply, the OP is calling it that and has probably heard other people say it because they are just using a lazy stereotype that if a Daytona has three colours on the dial and solid contrasting subdials (panda style regardless of colour), that's a bit like the old Paul Newmans...

On the old models, the more 'exotic' dials which differentiated the ones that became known as Paul Newman from the normal dials of the time (even where the normal dials had solid (panda / reverse panda) subdials, had the following features:

- subdials have a different art deco style font and the dashes have squares on the end; the minutes subdial has 4 quadrants ie 15,30,45,60 rather than 20 40 60.

- the seconds are marked on a separate track around the edge of the dial with a different background colour to the main dial

- the 5 minute markers are small square blocks rather than rectangles / longer baton markers

- the seconds on the track and the 'daytona' text (if there is any daytona text) may be in a third colour e.g. red (but not always)


The current model in YG doesn't have the art deco font or the square dashes on subdials or the 4 quadrants, the separate background colour for the seconds track, the small blocks for 5-min markers. It doesn't have any of that stuff that Paul Newman's watch had.

Stylistically, apart from having red on the daytona text and seconds markers, it's like the non PN one on the left on the image below, rather than the PN one on the right (image borrowed from hodinkee, originally from antiquorum.com):



I suppose the OP is saying that if you look at old Daytonas, the colour scheme of the current yellow gold OF is a bit like this one below, which is considered a 'PN'-type exotic dial with champagne subdials on black, and a black bezel, and a gold case.



But 'similar colour scheme to one of the PNs' doesn't mean you should call it a PN.

Anyway, back to the OP's question:

I don't have this one (116518), instead I have the 116519LN (white gold model, grey / steel dial on oysterflex). I'm not much of a fan of yellow gold.

But for me it was very easy to 'get past the rubber strap'. It's a great strap which is comfortable and stays in place, the strap and ceramic bezel won't scratch and scuff the same way a soft PM would, and the contrast of the black strap against the precious metal case looks very nice, and you still get a proper PM clasp. I preferred it to a full precious metal bracelet .

While a precious metal bracelet is more 'traditional', some would describe that as 'timeless' while others would say 'old fashioned'. I'm not a YG guy although I think perhaps the oysterflex suits the white gold better than the yellow gold because the rubber strap in black is a good contrast against the silvery steel dial, while a yellow gold bracelet might be a better contrast against the black dial of the yellow gold model.

I've had my 116519LN less than a couple of months but it's my favourite watch. If you prefer the colour scheme of the 518LN, go for it.

I posted a few thoughts on mine (and a bit more detail about the strap) on this thread last month: https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=751003

Lots of info here! It’s kinda like 116500 being a panda. Nope

[Big Tex Rolex]

I love this dial, but I am on a waiting list for a different dial, because I already have too many Black Dial watches, including a Black Dial Daytona.

But in any case, for this dial, or for the dial / watch I am waiting on … I will order the day I get it a Black Alligator Rolex strap.

I can wear it with both, and decide which I like better.

Rolex themselves go back and forth … the older 116519’s came on Alligator straps.

[SS Oyster]

Originally Posted by Alan111

I don't think this is a considered a Paul Newman dial. This is the John Player model I believe.

Definitely a PN dial.

[Santiago32]

This is my favorite Daytona variant.

I love the matte black and matte gold subdials. the red track and second hand is a very nice touch.

I feel like the OF works really well the with matte black dial. There is no other dial like it in the current line up.

[garyk]

Some Paul Newman dials:






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[southparkclyde]

Originally Posted by Santiago32

This is my favorite Daytona variant.

I love the matte black and matte gold subdials. the red track and second hand is a very nice touch.

I feel like the OF works really well the with matte black dial. There is no other dial like it in the current line up.

Completely agree. The matte black dial and OF rubber look identical in person, especially in sun light.

[jb335]

To me, the 518 is too dark overall. I prefer the 508 version.




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[southparkclyde]

The 508 is beautiful too. Fun fact, the 116518-047 is the only ceramic Daytona with a red seconds hand.

[Alfa2109]

Originally Posted by jb335

To me, the 518 is too dark overall. I prefer the 508 version.




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I have to say I do prefer the 116528, but I love the PN dial on both the YG and the ceramic references.


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[Alfa2109]

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[Oyster Al]

Originally Posted by southparkclyde

The 508 is beautiful too. Fun fact, the 116518-047 is the only ceramic Daytona with a red seconds hand.

That’s what makes this one so special!

[Chadridv]

Originally Posted by MichelleP

I have it on the bracelet. I like the gold bezel with the bracelet and ceramic with the oysterflex



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This is your answer OP.

My personal preference is the oysterflex version with CE bezel but if you don’t like rubber straps, the full gold is the one for you. It’s a fantastic watch.

[jtorrebl]

I like the 116519 better. Or if you want yellow get the 116518LN but with black subdials and champagne face. Oysterflex doesn’t get dusty or grimes at all