Rolex Cosmograpg Daytona - A Brief History

The legend of the Rolex Cosmogrpah Daytona was one that was born on the beaches in Florida in 1963 to celebrate a sponsorship with the renowned Daytona-24 hour race of that same year. Prior to this Rolex had produced a Chronograph which did not sell all that well initially however these early watches are now considered as a “Holy Grail” by the Rolex Watch collectors across the world.


In fact the Cosmograph Daytona that was released in 1963 also did not sell all that well for a good number of years until the late 1980s when the demand shot up exponentially. It was this demand that required Rolex to seek a new movement in order to satisfy the new demand for their soon to be iconic legend. Rolex approached Zenith, whom at this time were struggling within the industry themselves but happened to have produced a staggeringly precise chronograph, the “El Primero” that Rolex desired for the Daytona. As production started to increase as did the demand with Rolex Watch admirers scrambling to get hold of this iconic watch whether it be the “El Primero”, Paul Newman dial, or other rare model references such as 6238, 6239, 6240, 6241, 6262, 6263 6264 and 6265.


The Daytona we see and lust over today now has the beating heart of a pure Rolex movement and still maintains a desirability envied by most manufacturers. With a range on offer from a Steel 116520 to a Platinum 116506 Cheshire Watch Company are sure to be able to find and offer you the Daytona of your choice. . Please contact us for further information