Rolex Daytona Ceramic

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The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona has been the benchmark of racing chronographs since 1963, but it reached a new level of durability inโ€ฏ2016 when Rolex introduced the scratchโ€‘proof Cerachrom bezel on the steel ref.โ€ฏ116500LN. Inโ€ฏ2023 the facelifted 126500LN arrived with the inโ€‘house Calibreโ€ฏ4131 and a slimmer case profile. Whether you crave the monochrome โ€œPandaโ€โ€ฏwhite dial, the coveted platinum iceโ€‘blue 126506, or the Everoseโ€ฏgold Oysterflex 126515LN, our inventory covers every Rolex Daytona ceramic referenceโ€”each inspected by Swissโ€‘trained watchmakers and ready to ship worldwide.

Evolution of the Ceramic Daytona

  • 2011ย โ€” Platinum Prototype
    Rolex unveils a oneโ€‘off platinum Daytona with brown ceramic bezel at Baselworld.
  • 2013ย โ€” 50th Anniversary Platinum 116506
    First production Cerachrom Daytona, iceโ€‘blue dial, 950โ€ฏplatinum case.
  • 2016ย โ€” Steel 116500LN
    โ€œHolyโ€‘Grailโ€ update: steel case, black Cerachrom bezel with platinumโ€‘filled tachymeter scale. Waitโ€‘lists explode.
  • 2023ย โ€” New 126500LN & Calibreโ€ฏ4131
    Slimmer lugs, sapphire display caseback on platinum, optimized Chronergy escapement.

Cerachrom Bezel Explained

Rolex begins with zirconiumโ€‘oxide powder, sinters it at 1โ€ฏ500โ€ฏยฐC, then CNCโ€‘mills the tachymeter scale before PVDโ€‘filling the numerals with platinum (steel/platinum models) or Everose gold (gold models). The result:

  • Hardness: 2โ€ฏ000โ€ฏVickersโ€”30ร— tougher than aluminum inserts.
  • Fade Resistance: Pigment is bakedโ€‘in; UV or chlorine canโ€™t dull the black or brown tone.
  • Scratch Proof: Everyday knocks leave steel polished links scarredโ€”but Cerachrom stays perfect.

Rolex Ceramic Daytona Price

Model Retailโ€ฏUSD Avg. Preโ€‘Owned 12โ€‘Month Trend
126500LN Black $15โ€ฏ100 $29โ€“30โ€ฏk +7โ€ฏ%
126500LN Panda $15โ€ฏ100 $32โ€“33โ€ฏk +8.2โ€ฏ%
126506 Platinum $80โ€ฏ900 $92โ€“95โ€ฏk +6โ€ฏ%
126515LN Everose $32โ€ฏ100 $45โ€“47โ€ฏk +5โ€ฏ%

Ceramic Daytona FAQ

What is a ceramicโ€ฏDaytona?

Itโ€™s a Rolex Cosmographโ€ฏDaytona fitted with a Cerachrom bezelโ€”a oneโ€‘piece zirconiumโ€‘oxide ceramic ring that is virtually scratchโ€‘proof, UVโ€‘stable and inlaid with platinum or gold numerals. Mechanically it remains a steel, gold or platinum Daytona; the ceramic bezel simply adds durability and a modern aesthetic.

What year did the ceramicโ€ฏDaytona come out?

Rolex first released a production ceramicโ€‘bezel Daytona in 2013 with the platinum ref.โ€ฏ116506. The highโ€‘volume steel modelsโ€”the 116500LN โ€œPandaโ€ and blackโ€‘dial versionsโ€”followed in 2016, bringing Cerachrom to the mainstream.

Does Rolex make a ceramic watch?

Rolex doesnโ€™t produce an allโ€‘ceramic case, but it widely uses Cerachrom ceramic bezels on the Daytona, Submariner, GMTโ€‘Masterโ€ฏII, Yachtโ€‘Master and Deepsea lines, giving those watches outstanding resistance to scratches and fading.