Yearly for the previous 100 years, motorsport followers flock to the France Circuit de la Sarthe, alongside the outskirts of Le Mans, France, for the well-known 24 Hours of Le Mans. The legendary race was based in 1923 and is at present the world’s oldest energetic endurance racing occasion that noticed Ferrari AF Corse successful the 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary trophy this previous weekend. In honour of the a centesimal yr of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex unveiled a particular version of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona as a becoming tribute to the centenary showcase.
An emblem of pace and the embodiment of the racing spirit, the Cosmograph Daytona wants no additional introduction. It debuted on the asphalts in 1963 and was designed with a tachymeter bezel and high-performance chronograph to satisfy the wants {of professional} race drivers. Whereas the Cosmograph Daytona was born for the races 60 years in the past, it has since transcended race circuits and cemented its standing as an icon on this planet of horology.
After unveiling a revamped lineup of the Cosmograph Daytona at Watches & Wonders Geneva this yr, slight tweaks to this particular version set it aside as a becoming tribute to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A refined red-coloured numeral on the tachymetric scale highlighting the a centesimal yr of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is maybe probably the most telling. Usual from black ceramic, the Cerachrom bezel options recessed graduations, numerals and inscriptions coated with a skinny layer of platinum, save for the quantity 100, which is stuffed with purple ceramic. Whereas which may not be the obvious to these not within the know, the redesigned chronograph sub-registers depart clues for this particular version.
Eagle-eyed collectors and fans alike can be fast to notice the classic Cosmograph Daytona on the sub-register hashes. An much more minute element is the 24-hour sub-register used to mirror the 24-hour race format of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. To realize this, a patented mechanism comprising seven parts was added to this yr’s Calibre 4131 to type the Calibre 4132. Whereas that is not a novelty, an open case again affords an unobstructed view of the motion and its decorations.
The Cosmograph Daytona is clad in an 18k white gold Oyster case and matching Oyster bracelet with Oysterlock folding security clasp and an Easylink consolation extension hyperlink. Water resistance is rated to 100m, ample to deal with sporting circumstances. And as with all Rolex watches, the Cosmograph Daytona carries the Superlative Chronometer certification guaranteeing a ± 2 seconds precision after casing.
This text first appeared on Males’s Folio