CLUBHOUSE | TEE TIME SPECIAL
NEED FOR SPEED EVAN RAST TAKES A LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF ONE OF ROLEX’S MOST ENDURING MODELS – THE COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA.
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Clockwise from top: The legendary Paul Newman; the Rolex 24 at Daytona; the latest edition of the Rolex Daytona Cosmograph, which was on show at Baselworld 2013; Daytona Beach in the 1960s 94
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watch with a following that can probably rival NASCAR’s, the Rolex Daytona has always had an affinity to racing. The timepiece was named after the famous Daytona International Speedway in Florida, which when opened in 1959 was the fastest racing circuit in the US, and one of the first Super Speedways in the world. Every year, the seaside track with a 4km circumference and impressive 31-degree banked turns has been a permanent fixture in the racing calendar, hosting events like the 24 Hours of Daytona; a day-long endurance race run on a combined course, the American equivalent to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Officially renamed Rolex 24 in 1992, the race is part of Speedweeks, a series of events that lead up to the most prestigious race of the season, the Daytona 500. T he bir thplace of NA SC AR , Day tona International Speedway witnessed a great number of speed records even before its was properly constructed. The area’s hard-packed sand made it a favourite among racers like WK Vanderbilt who set the first world speed record there in 1904; Ralph DePalma, who held the record from 1919 to 1929, and While Rolex had been later, the rivals Henry Segrave and making chronographs Malcolm Campbell who both would be knighted by King George since the 1930s, it V for their records. was in 1963, a year Breaking the world land speed record nine times between 1924 after the first 24and 1935, Campbell sparked Rolex hour endurance race owner’s Hans Wildorf’s interest, at Daytona that the especially in 1930, when he started wearing a Rolex Oyster to all his company decided record-breaking exploits. He still to categorise a line wore the watch five years later dedicated to racing. as he became the first man to break 482km/h – the speed of an airplane in those days – at the wheel of his famous Bluebird. Campbell wrote to Rolex about his watch keeping perfect time despite the strenuous HKGOLFER.COM
conditions: “I was wearing it on the occasion of the JCC Double 12 Hours Race on Friday and Saturday last, and the vibration which this watch had to withstand during this long period has not upset its timekeeping properties in the least.” Thus Campbell became the brand’s first ambassador, though he promoted the watch for free.
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BECOMING THE COSMOGRAPH While Rolex had been making chronographs since the 1930s, it was in 1963, a year after the first 24-hour endurance race at Daytona that the company decided to categorise a line dedicated to racing. It was a design ahead of its time: the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was a highly sporty mechanical model in stainless steel, with a precision stop watch measuring time to one-fifth of a second. It was the company’s first watch with contrasting coloured sub-dials (all the past models were monochromatic) and the tachymeter scale used for measuring speed was moved from the dial to the bezel. These details made the watch easier to read, and are among the reasons why the Rolex Daytona is so easily recognisable. What elevated the watch’s success to an iconic status was probably actor and race driver Paul Newman, who from the 1970s, wore a Cosmograph Daytona to his races and even around Hollywood. The model he wore – with a dial featuring a seconds track on a band the same colour as the three sub-dials – would become so famous that it’s now unofficially named after him. Since then, the timepiece has been continuously associated with distinguished drivers, from Sir Jackie Stewart to Hurley Haywood (Daytona’s most titled champion). Since the mid-1960s the Cosmograph Daytona has been the HKGOLFER.COM
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winner’s trophy at the Rolex 24, regarded as a Rolex, the Cosmograph Daytona continues to token of endurance for the best racing drivers in top the company’s bestseller list. At one point the world. When asked about his thoughts on the certain models had a three-year waiting list, race, this year’s winner, Scott Pruett said, “It’s all and many command impressive prices on the about the watch.” A few days later, Pruett led his auction market. team to their fifth Rolex 24 victory. Half a century later, the Cosmograph Daytona The watch has also seen continues its evolution. The latest many versions. In 1965, model, presented in Baselworld One of the most screw-down chronograph this year, comes in 40mm platinum sought-after models and features a eye-catching ice blue pushers were introduced with a black bezel. In 1988, dial with the impact- and weatherfrom Rolex, the the Cosmograph Daytona resistant monobloc Cerachrom Cosmograph was introduced with an bezel and sub-dials in chestnut automatic movement. brown. The watch features the selfDaytona The new- generation winding 4130 chronograph calibre. continues to top base calibre 4130, with While the watch will forever be a vertical clutch, Rolex’s linked to the Daytona International the company’s shock-resistant Parachrom Sp eedway, the Cosmograph bestseller list. hairspring, and an increased Daytona has also supported races power reserve of 72 hours around the world. The watch is the (from 50) was introduced in 2010. It was the first official timepiece for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with movement to have the word ‘Daytona’ engraved the chronograph worn by eight-time winner Tom on the oscillating weight. Kristensen. This year Rolex also became one of the One of the most sought-after models from principal partners for Formula 1. 96
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In fine form: the latest edition of the Rolex Daytona Cosmograph (this page); the Daytona International Speedway (opposite), which the timepiece is named after HKGOLFER.COM
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