BASELWORLD 2016 OYSTER PERPETUAL COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA INTRODUCES

A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE

The Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona embodies a history marked by a passion for and motor sport. Created by Rolex in 1963, this model born for racing has established an extraordinary track record in the world of motor sport thanks to its reliability and performance. Known simply as the “Daytona”, the has risen to the rank of an icon as one of the best known chronographs in the world.

Before lending its name to one of Rolex’s most emblematic models, the city of Daytona Beach in – with its famous long, straight beach, and sand packed as hard as cement – forged its own legend as the capital of land speed records from 1903. The name Daytona also epitomizes the historic ties that bind Rolex and automobile racing, whether in endurance or speed.

Content available for download on pressroom.rolex.com A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE CONTENTS PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 3

CONTENTS THE PLACE THE WATCH THE LEGEND P. 5 P. 22 P. 35

1903–1935 1963 1930 THE KINGS OF SPEED COSMOGRAPH, SIR THE CHRONOGRAPH 1936–1959 OF THE FUTURE 1962–1969 A SAND TRACK UNIQUE IN , THE WORLD 1965 AND SIR JACKIE STEWART BLACK BEZEL AND 1959 –2016 SCREW-DOWN PUSHERS 1973 A TEMPLE OF MOTOR RACING 1988 SELF-WINDING MOVEMENT 1992–2010 AND SUPERLATIVE ROLEX 24 AT DAY TONA®, CHRONOMETER THE , GOODWOOD REVIVAL AND 2000 A NEW CHRONOGRAPH STANDARD 2013 FORMULA 1® AND 2016 MONOBLOC CERACHROM BEZEL DAYTONA A PLACE A WATCH A LEGEND

1963 2016

TOM KRISTENSEN “EACH DRIVER WANTS TO WIN ‘HIS’ ROLEX DAYTONA” COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE PLACE

DAYTONA BEACH WORLD CAPITAL OF SPEED

THE CITY OF DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA, HAS GONE DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF SPEED. MOTOR RACING TOOK PLACE ON ITS BEACH FROM 1903, AND MANY WORLD LAND SPEED RECORDS WERE BROKEN THERE, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CULMINATING AT 276 MPH (445 KM/H) IN 1935. IN THE TODAY, DAYTONA BEACH IS STILL CONSIDERED THE “WORLD CENTRE OF AUTOMOBILE RACING”. FROM ITS HEADQUARTERS THERE, THE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY CORPORATION ­OVERSEES 13 AMERICAN RACETRACKS INCLUDING THE LEGENDARY DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY. DAYTONA ALSO HOSTS THE GOVERNING BODIES OF NASCAR AND GRAND-AM. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 6

Daytona Beach, 1935 Sir Malcolm Campbell’s World attempt on the beach at Daytona at the wheel of his Bluebird.

THE PLACE

THE KINGS OF SPEED

1903–1935

From 1903 to 1935, the hard-packed sand at Daytona Beach became famous worldwide as the perfect place to beat land speed records. No fewer than 80 official records were set there, 14 of which were for the fastest speed in the world. A sign that long stood at the location of the “measured mile”* listed several of the most famous feats of the time. They included those of William K. Vanderbilt in 1904, who at 92 mph (148 km/h) set the first world record at Daytona, and Barney Oldfield, who became the king of speed in 1910 after reaching 131 mph (210 km/h) in 1910 with his Lightning Benz. After setting his record, Oldfield declared his speed to be “as near to the absolute limit of speed as humanity will ever travel”. Ralph DePalma, one of the greatest race drivers of his time, set a new world record at the wheel of his powerful 12-cylinder Packard in 1919 at 149 mph (240 km/h) – a record that would stand unbeaten for more than 10 years. Then came the era of the two most formid ­able rivals in the history of the conquest of speed: Malcolm Campbell and Henry Segrave. These two wealthy Englishmen, who would later both be knighted by King George V for their speed records, began to compete against each other in the 1920s on the racetrack in , opened in 1907 as the first purpose-built racing circuit in the world. When their ever more powerful cars became too fast for the concrete oval at Brooklands, they turned to beaches, first at Pendine Sands and in England, then inevitably, at Daytona. Each one built a vehicle in secret capable of exceeding 200 mph (321 km/h), a speed reached only by aeroplanes at the time.

* A mile (1.6 km) marked on the sand which served as a gauge to calculate the speed of the racers. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 7

Telegram to Rolex, 1933 “Rolex watch worn yesterday during record attempt and still going splendidly notwithstanding rough usage received.” – Campbell

Their cars, constructed for racing in a straight line on the beach, were equipped with aircraft engines. Segrave won the first Daytona encounter in 1927 driving his Sunbeam Mystery S, reaching 203 mph (328 km/h). This was the first record certified according to international standards, by calculating the average speed of two runs in opposite directions on a measured mile in order to compensate for the wind. COMPLEX Campbell raised the bar the following year with Bluebird – the name he gave to all his cars – at 207 mph (333 km/h). In 1929 Henry Segrave took the lead again at 231 mph (372 km/h) with his new race car Golden THE FASTEST CARS AT DAYTONA Arrow, a world record that earned him his knighthood and a place on COMPLEX COMPLEX the front page of The New York Times. Tragically, he died a year later in SPEED DRIVER CAR an accident while trying to break the record for speed on water. Blue bird V Campbell then became the uncontested king of speed, beating his 276 MPH SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL BLUEBIRD V own world records in Daytona year after year with ever more powerful 193 5 UNITED KINGDOM versions of Bluebird. His exploits attracted thousands of people, as

Blue bird V well as the press from all over the world, to Daytona Beach. In March BlueBlue bird bird IV V Blue bird V

1935, aiming for 300 mph (482 km/h), he hit 330 mph (531 km/h) on his BLUEBIRD IV 253 MPH SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL first pass – the highest speed ever reached in Daytona – but problems 1932 UNITED KINGDOM on the run in the opposite direction reduced the average speed of his

Blue bird IV Blue bird IV official record to 276 mph (445 km/h). This was the last record set on Golden Arrow Blue bird IV the beach in Daytona. Campbell’s disappointment prompted him to 231 MPH SIR HENRY SEGRAVE GOLDEN ARROW test a new site, the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. In September of the 1929 UNITED KINGDOM same year, he succeeded in meeting the challenge and set his ultimate

Golden Arrow official record at 301 mph (485 km/h). Since 1930, Campbell had been MysteryGolden - S Arrow Golden Arrow wearing a Rolex Oyster, the watch on his wrist during the exploit. In TRIPLEX 207 MPH RAY KEECH advertisements at the time, he attested to its exceptional resistance to 1928 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA shocks and vibrations. Thus, the first Rolex Testimonee in motor sport

Mystery - S TriplexMystery - S was already closely tied to Daytona. Mystery - S

Triplex Triplex Triplex A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 8

SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL UNCONTESTED KING OF SPEED

BEATING HIS OWN WORLD RECORDS

YEAR AFTER YEAR IN DAYTONA BLUEBIRD V, 1935 WITH EVER MORE POWERFUL VERSIONS

ENGINE LENGTH WEIGHT SPEED OF BLUEBIRD

2,300 B HP 8.2 M 4.75 T 301 MPH V12 AEROPLANE­ ENGINE A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 9

THE PLACE

A SAND TRACK UNIQUE IN THE WORLD DAYTONA BEACH–ROAD COURSE

1 936–1959 SOUTH TURN SOUTH

After the attempts to set land speed records moved to Utah, the beach in Daytona did not end its romance with motor sport. As of 1936, it hosted races unlike any others in the world, allowing Daytona to NORTH TURN maintain its status in automobile racing. Soon came the golden age of stock car races on an oval track, half of which was on the beach and half L EN G TH AVERAGE TIME on a narrow road parallel to the ocean. From 1937, this unlikely race ­­ 4.2 MILES 1 HR45 (6.8 KM) track also attracted the 200-mile American motorcycle champion­­ship, which became a classic under the name Daytona 200. The races on the beach were extremely spectacular and were followed by hundreds of FORMAT AVERAGE SPEED spectators. Wooden grandstands were erected alongside the turns on 160 MILE RACE 100 MPH the sand where some competitors became bogged down, when they ( 257. 5 KM) (160 KM/H) did not end up in the ocean. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 10

SPEED WEEKS THE “MEASURED MILE”

THE CARS ACCELERATED OVER

SEVERAL KILOMETRES TO REACH

THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SPEED ON ENTERING

THE MEASURED MILE

From this tradition NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Racing) was born in 1948 in Daytona. Today NASCAR races are held in the four corners of the United States in what has become one of the categories of motor racing most followed by the American public. That same year, the Speed Weeks created in Daytona in the early 20th century were reborn. For two weeks, generally in the Florida sun in February, the beach in Daytona once more became the nerve centre of automobile sport in the United States. A measured mile on the beach again allowed the organization of speed contests, in which all makes of American cars and prestigious European sports car brands took part in order to promote their most recent models. The cars accelerated over several kilometres to reach the highest possible speed as they arrived at the measured mile. These competitions were also open to the public; each driver was allowed to try to set an officially certified speed record in his own car. Epic motorcycle and car races on the famous Daytona Beach–Road Course, between road and beach at low tide, were the highlight of the Speed Weeks. Legend has it that a large number of the best drivers had been involved in contraband alcohol traditionally distilled in the Appalachian mountains in the south- eastern United States (Georgia, North and South Carolina in particular) and were highly experienced racers for being well practised in evading the federal agents who regularly chased after them. In the mid-1950s, urban development and the deterioration of the sand began to threaten competitions on the beach. The president and founder of NASCAR, William France, Sr, launched an ambitious construction project for a permanent, hard-surface racetrack for the speed races. The Daytona International Speedway was inaugurated in 1959 to perpetuate Daytona’s unique heritage and worldwide fame. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 11

THE PLACE When it was inaugurated in 1959, the Daytona International Speedway was the fastest racing circuit in the United States, and one of the first Super Speedways in the A TEMPLE OF world. The tri-oval shape and the dimensions of the 2.5-mile (4 km) circuit still impress MOTOR RACING anyone who enters the grounds. Its unusual design is all about speed with 31-degree banking in the turns, more than 10 metres high at its tallest point. The high banking allows cars to approach the turns at great speed without skidding off the track due to centrifugal force, and offers spectators a good view of the race from any seat in 1 959–2016 the grandstands. The construction work presented major engineering challenges, notably to pave the track surface. Project engineer Charles Moneypenny developed a unique technique for laying asphalt in the banked turns. The paving machines were connected to bulldozers anchored at the top of the turns to allow them to work on the slope. This patented technique would later be used to build other racetracks. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 12

THE ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA®

CIRCUIT PLACE DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, FLORIDA, USA

FORMAT 24-HOUR RACE

L EN G TH 3.56 MILES (5.73 KM)

TURNS 12 , TWO WITH 31° BANKING

The design of the Daytona International Speedway is special in other ways. From the beginning its founder, William France, Sr, wanted to make the new track more than just the most important venue for NASCAR races. He also wanted it to be an international benchmark. And the way to attract the best racing drivers in the world to Daytona was to organize races in the category considered, at the time, the elite in motor sport: sports cars. William France, Sr, invented a revolutionary concept by building a road racing course on the infield of the giant speedway to host sports car and motorcycle races, combining a classic track and a unique oval with banked turns. This innovative approach brought about the race that would become the Rolex 24 At Daytona®, one of the most prestigious endurance races in the world alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It gave the American racetrack its international status. The first edition of the race, under the name “Daytona Continental”, took place in 1962, one year before the launch of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. The race and the watch were practically contemporaries and their destinies would soon become inextricably linked. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 13

ROLEX — OFFICIAL TIMEPIECE THE RACE ADOPTED THE NAME ROLEX William France, Sr, a great admirer of Sir Malcolm Campbell, also wore a Rolex. He appeared in an advertisement for the brand AND THE WATCH in the early 1960s mentioning Rolex as the Official Timepiece of the Daytona ­International Speedway. From the first editions of the Daytona THE NAME Continental, the winners have received a Rolex watch in addition to the trophy. At the launch of the Cosmograph, designed for racing OF DAYTONA drivers, the watch naturally became the supreme prize awarded to the champion. And not long afterwards, to emphasize the brand’s connection to the American racetrack, Rolex named the model the Cosmograph Daytona. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 14

THE WINNERS’ TROPHY

A COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA WITH AN ENGRAVED CASE BACK

In 1992, Rolex became Title Sponsor of the , making official an association that had already become legendary. Ever since then it has been called the Rolex 24 At Daytona®. The longest and most prestigious race in the United States, this event marks the opening of the international motor sport season and is known by everyone as “The Rolex”. Crowds traditionally abandon the grandstands to occupy the vast space in the infield in a particularly festive atmosphere. In 2012, this legendary race celebrated its 50th anniversary in style. The anniversary edition was marked by a record attendance and an epic finish. The winning team won with a lead of only 5 seconds after 24 hours of close racing, precision timed by the official Rolex clock near the finish line. By the end, the winners had covered a distance of 2,672 miles (4,300 kilometres), equivalent to driving across the United States between New York and Los Angeles. Captivating, spectacular and extremely demanding, the Rolex 24 At Daytona® is, besides the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the only sports car race in the world to test the ultimate limits of man and machine in a twice- round-the-clock format. Today as in the past, the drivers who take part in this race – many of whom come from the worlds of Formula 1®, NASCAR, IndyCar and endurance racing – dream of one day putting a Daytona on their wrist, acquiring it the only way that would earn universal respect: by winning it. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 15

GENTLEMEN START YOUR ENGINES A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 16

4:24 PM 182 MPH

293 KM/H A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 17

11:43 PM THE FIRE BRIGADE A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 18

3:28 AM THE A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 19

8:52 AM THE FUEL MAN A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 20

10:19 AM THE GARAGE A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE T H E P L A C E PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 21

2:40 PM THE FINISH LINE COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH

THE OYSTER PERPETUAL COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA IS THE CONSUMMATE ROLEX CHRONOGRAPH

EFFICIENT, PRECISE, LEGIBLE, ROBUST, RELIABLE, WATERPROOF AND SELF-WINDING, IT IS ALSO COMFORTABLE, ELEGANT AND TIMELESS. JUDGING BY THE SUCCESS AND OUTSTANDING REPUTATION WORLDWIDE OF THIS PERFECT ALCHEMY OF FORM AND FUNCTION, IT IS CONSIDERED IN MANY RESPECTS TO BE THE ULTIMATE CHRONOGRAPH. MORE THAN 50 YEARS AFTER ITS LAUNCH IN 1963, ITS PERFECTION IS THE PRODUCT OF A LONG MATURATION PROCESS. EACH INSCRIPTION ON THE DIAL OF A ROLEX WATCH IS A GUARANTEE OF PERFORMANCE. THEY WERE ADDED ONE BY ONE TO THIS EMBLEMATIC WATCH AS IT EVOLVED: SIMPLY “COSMOGRAPH” AT THE OUTSET, OVER THE YEARS “OYSTER”, “PERPETUAL”, “COSMOGRAPH”, “DAYTONA”, AND “SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED” WERE ADDED, CHRONICLING A LEGEND IN WATCHMAKING. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 23

NEW FEATURES

TAC H Y ME TR I C S C A L E ON THE BEZEL

STRONG-CONTRAST DIAL

THE WATCH

COSMOGRAPH, THE CHRONOGRAPH OF THE FUTURE

1963

In 1963, Rolex launched a new-generation chronograph, the Cosmograph, dedicated to racing drivers. The singular name invented by Rolex immediately marked it out as a very different new model. The chronograph counters stood out clearly on the dial thanks to their strongly contrasting colour, black on a light-coloured dial or a light colour on a black dial. The tachymetric scale – that allows average speeds over a given distance to be measured using the chronograph seconds hand – was moved from the dial to the bezel. Dictated by functional considerations, these features made the chronograph far more legible – one of the challenges of the time. They also gave the watch a technical and sporty look, making it instantly recognizable and placed the Cosmograph firmly among the Professional , a category created by Rolex 10 years earlier, in 1953, with models such as the Explorer dedicated to explorers and mountaineers, or the Submariner specially designed for deep-sea diving. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 24

NEW FEATURES

SECONDS TRACK ON A CONTRASTING BAND AROUND THE EDGE OF THE DIAL

SQUARES ON THE MARKERS IN THE COUNTERS

New dials were introduced, expanding the range in the in 1933, which were often equipped with other functions early years. One special version would become famous on the dial such as a tachymetric scale for measuring as the so-called “” dial, since the renowned speed, a telemetric scale to track distance, or a pulso ­ American film star – who was also a racing driver and an meter to measure heart rate. The first chronograph icon of masculine style – regularly wore a Daytona with equipped with a waterproof Oyster case appeared in that particular dial. Its design increased legibility of the 1939. From its launch, the Cosmograph also featured chronograph functions under difficult race conditions. It the Oyster case invented by Rolex in 1926 – robust and was characterized by the printed seconds track around the waterproof thanks to the screw-down case back and dial on a band of the same contrasting colour as the three winding crown – as well as a solid metal bracelet. The counters. The graduations, in certain cases, were inscribed watch had a manually wound mechanical movement in red. The counters themselves were differentiated by reputed for its reliability and precision. No brand had yet squares on the markers for easier reading of tracked time. been able to overcome the technical hurdle of producing The Cosmograph was part of a long Rolex tradition. a self-winding ­chronograph. The brand launched its first chronographs with counters A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 25

THE WATCH

BLACK BEZEL AND SCREW-DOWN PUSHERS

1965

The Cosmograph evolved in 1965 with the launch of a version that introduced screw-down chronograph pushers instead of the pump pushers found on the original model. The screw-down pushers brought the finishing touch to the Oyster concept, preventing the pushers from being manipulated accidentally and protecting from the risk of water entering the case. As testimony to its reinforced waterproofness, the name “Oyster” was inscribed on all the dials in addition to “Cosmograph”. Another new feature came in the form of a black Plexiglas insert for the tachymetric bezel. The white graduations increased legibility yet again. An additional inscription – Daytona – appeared on some dials during the new Rolex chronograph’s early years. Initially limited to watches for the US market, it was most probably added at the request of the Rolex affiliate in the United States to mark the brand’s link, as Official Timepiece, with the Daytona International Speedway in Florida, and to anchor the model in the world of motor racing. The name gradually began to appear on every Cosmograph dial, finally taking on its current curved shape NEW FEATURES in red lettering above the counter at 6 o’clock. Rolex’s chronograph, the Oyster Cosmograph Daytona,

SCREW-DOWN CHRONOGRAPH also became available in an 18 ct yellow gold version, ­PUSHERS certified as a chronometer. And the gold versions additionally BLACK TACHYMETRIC BEZEL IN ­PLEXIGLAS bore the famous phrase ­“Superlative Chronometer Officially

Certified” on their dial, a rare achievement for a chronograph. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 26

EN COURS DE THE WATCH SHOOTING

SELF-WINDING MOVEMENT AND SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER

1988

Despite the arrival of quartz movements in the 1960s–1970s, The new model met with great success, owing to Rolex remained faithful to the mechanical watch and to the a surge of renewed interest during the early 1990s for Cosmograph Daytona, preparing its future evolution. In mechanical watches generally and chronographs in 1988, the Daytona became self-winding. The brand opted for particular – a phenomenon to which the Daytona itself very a quality, commercially available chronograph movement, probably contributed. It was seen on the wrists of a number which it then significantly modified to meet its own require- of personalities, not only in the racing world, but also in ments, replacing more than 50 per cent of the components political and economic circles and in the arts. Leading on with parts specifically designed for its movements. from this, the model’s rarity on the market only fuelled The resulting new calibre 4030 included, among other its desirability and created a demand unprecedented in features, a Rolex “heart” – an oscillator with a variable inertia watchmaking history, and which has not slackened in more balance wheel, Microstella regulating nuts and a hairspring than 25 years. with a Breguet overcoil – as well as a self-winding module with a Perpetual rotor invented by the brand in 1931. The movement was systematically submitted for official COSC certification to receive the designation of chronometer, attesting to its superior precision. All versions of the new model featured the phrase ­“Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” on their dial as well as “Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona”. The update went far beyond technical features. The NEW FEATURES redesigned aesthetics increased the diameter of the Oyster case from 36 to 40 mm and included shoulders to protect NEW AESTHETICS the crown. The tachymetric bezel in metal was made wider 40 MM DIAMETER and engraved with a 400-unit graduated scale. New hands, NEW SELF-WINDING MOVEMENT new hour markers, new counters within banded circles: CHRONOMETER CERTIFICATION the dial was modernized, while preserving its inimitable CROWN GUARD style and its signature “Daytona” in red letters. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 27

THE WATCH As a backdrop to the launch of an entirely new ­interpretation The model has a new-generation self-winding of the Cosmograph Daytona, it is difficult to imagine an ­chronograph movement – calibre 4130 – entirely designed A NEW CHRONOGRAPH event more symbolic than entering a new millennium. The and manufactured in-house. A masterpiece of engineering STANDARD new model introduced by Rolex in the year 2000 – like the and micromechanics, replete with innovative and patented first Cosmograph in its time – embodied the ­chronograph technical solutions, this high-performance movement has of the future. set a new standard for luxury self-winding chronographs in Its aesthetic s remained delib er ately faithful to the c odes terms of robustness, reliability, efficiency and precision, as 2000 of the 1988 Cosmograph Daytona, refining the already well as for ease of maintenance. iconic and distinctive design of the original, and its subtle Calibre 4130’s performance stems particularly from the strong lines and perfect ergonomics. In 1963 the Rolex use of a vertical clutch to activate the chronograph function, chronograph had innovated with radically new aesthetics instead of the traditional lateral clutch. This novel solution that enhanced the legibility of its functions. However, the functions on the principle of two discs one above the other, innovations in the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona which work together by direct friction contact, and offers for the new millennium essentially lie inside the case. significant advantages: extremely precise starting and A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 28

stopping of the perfectly smooth-running chronograph The oscillator, the strategic heart of the watch and new movement. First, the horizontal positioning of both seconds hand as soon as the pusher is pressed; and the guarantor of its precision, also took advantage of telling chronograph counters – the small-seconds was moved ability of the chronograph to function for long periods of innovations. A larger balance wheel, equipped with the from its usual position at 9 o’clock to the bottom of the dial time without impacting on the precision of the watch. Rolex micrometric regulating system via Microstella nuts, at 6 o’clock. Secondly, the minute and hour counters are With calibre 4130, Rolex engineers managed to contributes to the movement’s precision. In keeping aligned slightly above the centre of the dial, an aesthetic reduce the number of components for the chronograph with the architecture of Rolex calibres, it is held in place signature that enhances the visual balance of the dial and mechanism by 60 per cent, thereby enhancing its reli­­ by a traversing balance bridge, fixed at both sides to underlines the meticulous attention to detail so typical of ability. They particularly simplified the minute and hour improve resistance to shocks and vibrations. But one Rolex. Contrary to its predecessors, no additional new counter systems – traditionally two distinct mechanisms of the most spectacular developments introduced on inscription appears on the dial of the new Cosmograph situated on each side of the movement – by integrating the oscillator of the new Cosmograph Daytona is the Daytona. But, should one last, well-deserved description them into a single module judiciously placed on one side Parachrom hairspring. Developed, patented and entirely be needed to qualify its characteristics, it would have to of the movement with an off-centre clutch. This patented manufactured by Rolex in an alloy of niobium, zirconium be that of the “ultimate chronograph”. solution reduces from five to one the number of adjust- and oxygen, the Parachrom hairspring has exceptional ments by excentric screws required to regulate the chrono­ qualities that greatly increase the movement’s precision graph. It also saves space, making it possible to house a by significantly enhancing its resistance to perturbation. larger mainspring and thereby extend the power reserve to It is also insensitive to magnetic fields, extremely stable 72 hours, instead of the previous 50. The mainspring, the in the face of temperature variations and is unaffected by powerhouse of the watch, can be replaced without needing the thousands of small shocks a watch is subjected to in to disassemble the whole movement. The independent daily wear. It remains up to 10 times more precise than a self-winding module is easily removed to access the barrel. traditional hairspring. Additionally, the self-winding mechanism benefits from The new calibre 4130 was also the first Rolex calibre to substantially enhanced bidirectional winding efficiency, have its name engraved on the oscillating weight: a curving notably thanks to the rotor’s mounting on a ball bearing “Daytona” in red letters echoing the name on the dial. Two and to a system of new-generation reversing wheels. details on the dial show that the watch was fitted with the A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 29

THE WATCH

MONOBLOC CERACHROM BEZEL

2016

In 2016, the aesthetics of the steel Cosmograph Daytona have evolved again. A superbly sculpted, smooth and lustrous high-technology monobloc Cerachrom bezel in black ceramic, has been introduced in place of the engraved metal bezel. This visual and technical evolution represents a nod to history and the 1965 model, also fitted with a black bezel insert, but in Plexiglas. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 30

NEW FEATURES

BLACK MONOBLOC CERACHROM BEZEL IN CERAMIC

COUNTERS WITH BLACK RINGS

A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 31

This innovative Cerachrom bezel, developed and patented by Rolex, offers a number of advantages. Its hardness makes it virtually scratchproof, it keeps its colour despite the effects of UV rays and it is corrosion-resistant. In addition to this extreme durability, the numerals on the tachymetric scale are exceptionally legible, thanks to a process developed by Rolex. The graduations are first moulded in the ceramic before it is fired at 1,500° C, then coated with a thin layer of platinum via PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition). The clear definition obtained through this process, together with the contrast of the platinum against the black ceramic, lends peerless legibility to the bezel of the 2016 Daytona. The design of the graduations has also evolved with numerals and triangular markers around the edge of the bezel. The monobloc Cerachrom bezel is made in a single piece and holds the crystal firmly in place on the middle case, ensuring waterproofness. This exclusive component first appeared in 2011 on an 18 ct Everose gold Daytona before being fitted in 2013 on the 950 platinum version celebrating the Cosmograph Daytona’s 50th anniversary. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 32 A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 33 A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE WATCH PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 34

1963 1965 1988 2000 2016

COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA

STEEL MODELS COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND

THE NAME DAYTONA TELLS THE STORY OF A PASSION FOR MOTOR RACING

WHETHER IT REFERS TO THE CITY IN FLORIDA – THE BIRTHPLACE OF SPEED – THE EPONYMOUS RACING CIRCUIT AND THE ENDURANCE RACE HELD THERE TODAY, OR THE EMBLEMATIC ROLEX CHRONOGRAPH DEDICATED TO RACING DRIVERS, THE NAME DAYTONA TELLS THE STORY OF A PASSION FOR MOTOR RACING. IT IS AT THE HEART OF A LEGEND FORGED OVER TIME BY THE PIONEERS OF SPEED AND GREAT DRIVERS. EACH OF THESE HISTORIC FIGURES TESTIFIES TO THE LONG-STANDING AND PRIVILEGED TIES THAT ROLEX HAS FOSTERED WITH THE WORLD OF MOTOR RACING. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 36

SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL

THE FIRST MAN TO BREAK 300 MPH

THE LEGEND

SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL

KING OF SPEED

Sir Malcolm Campbell broke the World Land Speed Record nine times between 1924 and 1935, setting five of them on the beach at Daytona. He also set four world water speed records. Known as the “King of Speed” and knighted by King George V for his feats, in 1935 Sir Malcolm became the first man to break 300 mph (482 km/h) at the wheel of his famous Bluebird on the Bonneville Salt Flats. From 1930 onwards, Campbell had been wearing a Rolex Oyster, and it was on his wrist during this record-breaking exploit. He thus became the first Rolex Testimonee in motor sport. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 37

THE LEGEND

DAN GURNEY

FIRST DAYTONA ENDURANCE WINNER

In 1962, Dan Gurney won the first edition of the Daytona Continental – later to become the Rolex 24 At Daytona®. A spectacular victory after what was the slowest finish in history. Dan Gurney had been in the lead DAN GURNEY throughout, but his engine failed 1 minute 40 seconds before the end of the race just short of the finish line. He stopped the car, looked at HIS ENGINE his watch, checked how much time was left, released the brakes, and FAILED A FEW coasted over the line to claim victory. Five years later in 1967, this legendary driver, with a number of METRES FROM victories also to his name in Formula 1®, sports car, NASCAR and THE FINISH LINE IndyCar racing, introduced one of the great traditions to motor sport. After his victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the teetotaler vigorously shook the bottle of champagne he received, spraying all the people on the podium. The photos immortalizing the moment show Gurney wearing his Rolex Datejust. Returning to Daytona in 2008, as Grand Marshal of the Rolex 24 At Daytona®, Dan Gurney gave the signal to start the race. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 38

THE LEGEND

VIC ELFORD

WINNING ALL-ROUNDER

British racer Vic Elford entered into motor sport legend as one of the fastest and most accomplished all-round drivers of the 1960s and 1970s. In 1968, he won the Rolex 24 At Daytona® and received the Cosmograph Daytona trad­­ itionally offered to the winner. It was a good year for him. A few weeks before the US race, he had triumphed at the and, a month after Daytona, he finished second at Sebring. May brought a win at the endurance race in Sicily, followed by another, two weeks later, at the Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres in Germany. He came fourth in his first Formula 1® Grand Prix, in France. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1972, he stopped to help another driver after a serious accident, a deed for which he was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the French President. Nicknamed “Quick Vic” by his fellow racers, this exceptional driver officiated as Grand Marshal at the 2010 edition of the Rolex 24 At Daytona®. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 39

SIR JACKIE STEWART

ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED DRIVERS OF THE LAST 50 YEARS

THE LEGEND

SIR JACKIE STEWART

ACE AT THE WHEEL

Born in Scotland in 1939, Sir Jackie Stewart is undoubtedly an emblematic figure in contemporary motor racing. His achievements make him one of the most celebrated Formula 1® drivers of the last 50 years. His commitment to driver safety has revolutionized the face of motor sport. He has also gone on to achieve one of the greatest reputations as a sportsman in the media world. Sir Jackie Stewart took part in 99 Formula 1® Grand Prix races, winning 27, carrying off three world cham­­pionships (1969, 1971 and 1973) and finishing 43 times on the podium. He has been a Rolex Testimonee since 1968. In tribute to his exceptional career, in 2012 he was designated Grand Marshal of the 50th anniversary edition of the Rolex 24 At Daytona®. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 40

THE LEGEND

HURLEY HAYWOOD

DAYTONA’S MOST TITLED CHAMPION

Five victories in the Rolex 24 At Daytona®, three at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and two at the ; Hurley Haywood is recognized as one of the most accom- plished endurance racing drivers. He is also the most titled champion at Daytona, which he won for the first time in 1973. Hurley Haywood is famous for once having said: “If you have one ounce of energy left, then you haven’t done your job properly”. In 1977, he accomplished a feat at Daytona by driving for eight hours non-stop after his two teammates refused to drive at night. And he won the race. Several months later, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, becoming the first driver to claim the legendary double win. For Haywood, Daytona is the most difficult of the three famed endurance races, mainly because of the long January night but also the number of cars running on a shorter circuit with three separate classes competing together. In 2012, at the age of 64, Hurley Haywood brought his racing career to a grand finish by participating in the 50th anniversary edition of the Rolex 24 At Daytona® – his 40th time. In 2013, he stepped to the other side of the line at Daytona as Grand Marshal, giving the start to the race – with a Cosmograph Daytona on his wrist. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 41

THE LEGEND ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA®

NON-STOP RACING

Considered one of the most prestigious endurance car FOUNDED races in the world, the Rolex 24 At Daytona® is held at 1962 the Daytona International Speedway in Florida and runs non-stop for 24 hours, almost 12 of them at night. The DISTANCE

only contest of its kind in North America, the race is >2,50 0 M I followed by tens of thousands of enthusiastic spectators. >4,000 KM The best drivers in the world gather here to chase victory

and win a Cosmograph Daytona, the legendary trophy of MAXIMUM SPEED

the Rolex 24 At Daytona®. Rolex has been associated with >19 0 MPH the Daytona International Speedway since 1959 and Title >300 KM/H

Sponsor of the race since 1992. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 42

THE LEGEND THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS

STERN TEST OF ENDURANCE

Created in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the oldest and one of the most prestigious car races in the world. A stern test of the reliability of the machines as well as the physical and mental stamina of the drivers, Le Mans attracts some of the greatest names in motor sport. On the 13.6-kilometre course, some 60 cars, each with teams of three drivers, race against each other divided into two Prototype and two GT classes. The winning team is the one which covers the greatest distance in 24 hours, some 5,300 kilometres. Rolex has been Official Timepiece of the race since 2001. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 43

THE LEGEND

GOODWOOD REVIVAL

GOLDEN ERA OF MOTOR RACING

The Goodwood Revival is a three-day festival held each September. It is one of the world’s most popular motor racing meetings and the only UK event that recreates the golden era of motor sport in the 1950s and 1960s, with vintage cars, legendary drivers, and music and clothing of that era. The festival acts as a showcase for exceptional wheel-to- wheel racing and relives the glory days of the Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit, which ranked alongside Silverstone as one of Britain’s leading racing venues throughout its active years. Rolex has been a partner of the Goodwood Revival since 2004. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 44

THE LEGEND

TOM KRISTENSEN

RECORD-SETTING ENDURANCE

Having clocked up nine victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1997 and 2013 – including six consecutive wins from 2000 to 2005 – the Danish racing driver holds a record number of successes in the oldest and one of the most prestigious automobile endurance races in the world. Dubbed “Mr Le Mans”, this emblematic figure in the sport also triumphed six times at the 12 Hours of Sebring, held each year in Florida. A Rolex Testimonee since 2010, Tom Kristensen was endurance racing’s World Champion in 2013 and officiated as Grand Marshal at the 2016 Rolex 24 At Daytona®. “Motor sport is all about getting the best out of your machine through optimization and technology, and anyone who is interested in that is also interested in mechanical watches,” says Tom Kristensen. “Ask anyone in the motor sports world to name a watch and the first to be mentioned is bound to be the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona… It has a history and class around it that everyone trying to aim for the top in motor sport understands and respects. Each driver wants to win ‘his’ Rolex Daytona.” A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 45

THE LEGEND FORMULA 1 ®

ROLEX – GLOBAL PARTNER AND OFFICIAL TIMEPIECE

In 2013, Rolex became one of the major partners of Formula 1®, as a Global Partner and Official Timepiece. The move reinforced Rolex’s commitment to top-level motor racing. This partnership with the pinnacle of motor sports brings together two leaders in their fields who share a passion for performance, precision, excellence and innovation. It is part of a strategic move by Rolex to focus its sponsorship activities on ventures chosen for their strong symbolic value and their global resonance. A CHRONOGRAPH BORN TO RACE THE LEGEND PRESSROOM.ROLEX.COM 46

SCOTT PRUETT

“IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WATCH”

THE LEGEND

SCOTT PRUETT

NEW DAYTONA CHAMPION

After winning his fifth Rolex 24 At Daytona® in 2013, Scott Pruett equalled the record Hurley Haywood held for more than 20 years and entered into the annals of motor racing. With each of those victories, he has won a ­Cosmograph Daytona engraved on the case back with the date, the race logo and the magical word: “Winner”. “It’s all about the watch,“ he said, talking about the legendary trophy coveted by all drivers.