Answering A Reader's Daytona Questions...

Answering A Reader's Gold Daytona Questions

Michael Wehrle from Switzerland wrote in and asked the following question:

Hi Jake,

First of all congratulations for your fantastic web page.

I am sure that you as a Rolex expert can answer my questions.

I really like the yellow Gold Daytona with the gold bracelet, but the engraving on the bezel is different to the yellow gold Model with Leather strap.

And my second question has to do with the fact the full yellow-gold Daytona has different sized shape than the full white gold Daytona. It can be seen best on the smaller crown "savers“.

Sorry for my English. If you know the reason for the differences or if you have some information about changing the shape in the Daytona Model range, please send me an answer.

Thank you so much for your help.

Best regards from Switzerland

Michael Wehrle

Hi Michael,

I believe I know the answer to your questions:

Rolex has made the yellow gold Daytona on an Oyster bracelet for many decades. When they decided to introduce a model that came on a leather strap they wanted to make it look as finished as possible and thus they updated the case design by adding solid yellow gold end-links between the lugs so the watch looks more finished.

In other words, for such an expensive watch, they didn't want to just put a strap on the watch and leave the air-space between the lugs, which would make it look kind of primitive and unfinished. You can see this solid end link look refinement in the photo below. I imagine they changed the bezel design as well to give the strap version its own identity.

In order to make certain the solid end-links are as stable and solid as possible, Rolex design decided to attach the end-links to the case under the bezel insert as seen below.

Rolex has been making the yellow gold Datyona for a long time. They only started making the white gold version in last decade. I believe with the white gold Daytona they wanted to give the watch more presence and they specifically wanted to differentiate it from the stainless steel version, so they significantly updated the case on the white gold version and made it much more like the Yacht-Master case, particularly on the back, which allows the watch to lay flatter on your wrist and give it a more modern, streamlined look.

This also explains why the white gold Daytona has a different bezel design than the Stainless Steel version.

I hope I answered your questions.

Warmest regards,

Jake