Short on time? Rolex launched the 126500LN at Watches & Wonders 2023, for the Daytona's 60th anniversary. It replaced the 116500LN with small but real changes: a new calibre 4131, a thin steel edge around the ceramic bezel, reshaped lugs and a refined dial. 40mm Oystersteel, about 72 hours of power reserve. Ours has the black dial and is a 2025 full set.
Backstory
The Daytona turned 60 in 2023, and Rolex marked it the way Rolex usually does: not with a revolution, but with a careful update. The 116500LN had been the steel Daytona since 2016, the first with a black Cerachrom bezel. The 126500LN kept everything people loved about it and refined the rest.
If you've read our 116500LN piece, this is the next chapter. We've also covered the white "panda" 126500LN separately.
Key Details
The case is still 40mm Oystersteel with screw-down pushers and 100 metres of water resistance. The changes are in the details. The Cerachrom bezel now has a thin steel edge around it, a nod to the metal-edged bezels of 1960s Daytonas. The lugs were reshaped, and the dial got slimmer markers and hands, with finer rings around the counters.
The black dial with silver-toned counters is the understated option. The white panda gets the attention. The black one looks sharper and more serious, and it's easier to live with.
The Movement
Calibre 4131 replaced the 4130. It's still a column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch, but it now has the Chronergy escapement and a few other updates from Rolex's newer movements. The power reserve stays at about 72 hours. It's certified as a Superlative Chronometer.
On the Wrist
It wears like the 116500LN: compact for a chronograph, about 12mm thick, on an Oyster bracelet with Easylink for a quick half-size adjustment. If you're choosing between the two generations, honestly, the wrist won't tell you much. It's the details you'll notice when you look closely.
Final Thoughts
The 126500LN is the most refined version of the modern steel Daytona. It's not a big change from the 116500LN, and that's the point. Rolex polished a watch that was already right.
Ours is a 2025 Daytona 126500LN with the black dial, full set, in excellent condition.
