Rolex Just Dropped a New White Gold Daytona to Celebrate 100 Years of Le Mans
This weekend marked the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s oldest endurance race, in which teams compete to cover the greatest distance in 24 hours at the French city’s Circuit de la Sarthe. Rolex has served as the official timekeeper and provided the official timepiece of the race since 2001. Last week, the Crown revealed that winners of this year’s monumental event would receive a specially engraved Daytona to honor the occasion, and now it’s been unveiled as an official member of the Rolex catalog.
The all-new Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Celebrating 100 Years of Speed draws inspiration from the original Daytona launched in 1963 and nicely coincides with the legendary model’s 60th anniversary. While similar in design and aesthetic, the commemorative edition features some modern upgrades.
Its 40mm case and bracelet are crafted from 18-karat white gold as opposed to the typical stainless steel. In addition, it offers a Cerachrom bezel in black ceramic and a reverse panda dial with a black backdrop and contrasting white registers in the spirit of the Paul Newman Daytonas, which further adds to the model’s vintage-inspired appeal. (Of course, Newman himself also raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979.) Another notable characteristic of the 100 Years of Speed is the number “100” in red on the tachymeter scale in honor of the race’s centenary.
Powering this commemorative Daytona is the COSC-certified caliber 4132, which allows the hours of the chronograph function to be counted over 24 hours instead of the model’s usual 12 as another nod to the day-long race. While the variation awarded to this year’s winners comes complete with a solid case back engraved with this year’s race logo and the phrase “Winner 2023,” this version features an exhibition case back displaying the caliber 4132.
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To cement this special occasion, Rolex tapped Danish driver Tom Kristensen—who holds the record for the most wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with nine victories, six of which were consecutive—as an ambassador.
“Being the official ambassador is a big responsibility and an honor,” Kristensen says. “I’m proud to celebrate the legacy of the 24 Hours of Le Mans over the past 100 years and to reflect on the many evolutions and revolutions. For a racing driver, Rolex and Le Mans are the perfect match. Both have an extraordinary heritage, built and forged over a century.”
The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Celebrating 100 Years of Speed is priced at $51,400 and is available today. Run, don’t walk, to your authorized dealer as soon as you can.
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