Rolex Daytona Two-Tone
The two-tone Daytona pairs a steel case with an 18k yellow gold bezel, crown, pushers and center bracelet links, a combination Rolex calls Yellow Rolesor. It has been in the catalog since 1988 across four references: the Zenith-based 16523, the 116523 and 116503 with Rolex’s own calibre 4130, and the current 126503 with calibre 4131. Every two-tone Daytona we hold is listed below, with available watches first and sold pieces kept for comparison. The black dial two-tone Daytona also has its own page.
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Rolex Daytona Two-Tone Price
The official retail price for the two-tone Rolex Daytona is $24,550 (ref. 126503 with a white, black or golden dial, as of September 2026). At Watch My Diamonds, two-tone Rolex Daytona watches range from $16,995 to $29,645 across 13 priced listings.
Rolex lists the 126503 at $26,650 with its diamond-set bright black and golden dial. New 126503s are hard to get from authorized dealers, so on the secondary market they usually sell above retail. The earlier references are priced mainly on condition, dial and whether the original box and papers are present: a clean 116523 or 116503 usually costs less than a new 126503, and rare dials such as mother-of-pearl sit at the top. The range above includes watches that have already sold, which show what buyers actually paid better than an asking price does. A listing with no price shown is available on request, not sold.
Four Generations of the Two-Tone Daytona
The 16523 (1988–2000) was the first two-tone Daytona, launched alongside the steel 16520 and the yellow gold 16528. Its automatic movement, calibre 4030, was built by Rolex on a Zenith El Primero base, which is why collectors call this generation the “Zenith Daytona”.
The 116523 (2000–2016) moved to calibre 4130, Rolex’s first in-house chronograph movement, with a 72-hour power reserve. Over sixteen years it was made with many dials, including mother-of-pearl and diamond-set versions.
The 116503 (2016–2023) kept the 4130 and changed the details: the tachymeter bezel has bolder numerals and triangular markers instead of round ones, and every 116503 has the engraved rehaut and the blue Parachrom hairspring, which the 116523 only gained partway through its run.
The 126503 (2023 to today) is the current model. Its calibre 4131 adds Rolex’s Chronergy escapement and keeps the 72-hour power reserve. The watch is certified as a Superlative Chronometer (−2/+2 seconds a day) and is water-resistant to 100 meters. Rolex makes it with a white, black or golden dial, and with a bright black and golden dial set with diamonds.
Yellow Rolesor, and the Daytonas That Are Not Two-Tone
Rolesor is Rolex’s name for steel combined with gold, a pairing it has used since the early 1930s and trademarked in 1933. On the Daytona there has only ever been one version, Yellow Rolesor. Rolex has never made an Everose or platinum two-tone Daytona: the Everose Daytona and the platinum Daytona are solid precious metal, and so is the yellow gold Daytona. The two-tone sits between those and the steel Daytona, with the gold where it shows most.
What to Check Before Buying a Two-Tone Daytona
18k gold is softer than steel, so the gold parts of a two-tone Daytona show wear first: the tachymeter bezel, the crown and pushers, and the center links of the bracelet. Look for dents on the edge of the bezel, crisp engraving on the tachymeter scale, and even stretch across the links. Heavy polishing rounds off the case edges and cannot be undone. On any piece, compare the serial number on the case with the papers. Every listing states whether the watch is new or pre-owned, and shipping and returns are free.
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Rolex Daytona Two-Tone FAQ
Does Rolex still make the two-tone Daytona?
Yes. The current model is the 126503, introduced in 2023 with calibre 4131. Rolex makes it with a white, black or golden dial, and with a diamond-set bright black and golden dial.
What is the retail price of the two-tone Rolex Daytona?
As of September 2026, Rolex lists the 126503 in the United States at $24,550 with a white, black or golden dial and at $26,650 with the diamond-set dial. Rolex can change these prices without notice, and a new 126503 bought outside an authorized dealer usually costs more.
How much gold is in my two-tone Rolex Daytona?
Rolex does not publish the gold weight of its watches. On a two-tone Daytona, the gold is in the bezel, the winding crown, the chronograph pushers and the center links of the bracelet, all solid 18k yellow gold, which is 75% pure gold. The case middle and the outer bracelet links are steel. A 116503 on its full bracelet weighs roughly 150 to 160 grams, most of it steel. The gold content has little to do with the price, which is set by the reference, the dial and the condition.
Is there a two-tone Daytona in Everose gold or platinum?
No. Rolex has only made the two-tone Daytona in Yellow Rolesor, steel with yellow gold. The Everose and platinum Daytonas are solid precious metal.
Why do some listings say “Price on request”?
At this level, many watches change hands without a posted figure, because the market moves faster than a listing can. A watch marked price on request is available, so contact us for the current figure. Sold watches are marked as sold on the listing itself.