Short on time? Rolex made the 126529LN for the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It's the only modern Daytona that can time a full 24 hours, thanks to a dedicated calibre 4132, and it has a red "100" on the bezel. It launched in June 2023 and was gone by April 2024. White gold case and bracelet, Paul Newman-style dial.
Backstory
Rolex doesn't usually make watches for a single moment. Models are introduced, refined over years, and quietly replaced. The Le Mans broke all of those habits.
Rolex has been the official timekeeper of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for years, and in 2023 the race turned 100. In June, race week, the 126529LN appeared. Ten months later, at Watches & Wonders 2024, it vanished from the catalogue. For a Rolex sports watch, that's practically a limited edition.
The Movement
This is what makes the Le Mans more than a commemorative dial. A normal Daytona chronograph tops out at 12 hours. The Le Mans goes to 24, which, not coincidentally, is the length of the race.
To do that, Rolex built the calibre 4132, a column-wheel chronograph with a 24-hour totaliser where the 12-hour counter usually sits. It has around 72 hours of power reserve and Rolex's Superlative Chronometer certification, and you can watch it work through a sapphire caseback. A genuine mechanical change, not a marketing exercise.
Key Details
The 40mm case and Oyster bracelet are both 18k white gold, with a black Cerachrom bezel. On the tachymeter scale, the "100" is printed in red. It's a tiny detail, and it's the first thing anyone who knows looks for.
The dial borrows from the vintage "Paul Newman" Daytonas: black with contrasting white sub-dials. It's the most famous look in Rolex history, and it works just as well here.
On the Wrist
White gold is the clever choice. From across the room, it reads like a steel Daytona. Up close, and on the wrist, you feel the weight and see the slightly different lustre. Understated luxury, if that's not too much of a cliché for a watch with a red 100 on it.
The downside? White gold is softer than steel, so the bracelet will show wear more easily if you wear it hard. Small price to pay.
Final Thoughts
The Le Mans is a rare case of Rolex doing something genuinely different with the Daytona, giving it its own movement, then stopping almost immediately. It has a real story, a real mechanical difference and a direct link to the racing that gave the Daytona its name. Collectors noticed all of it, and so did we.
Ours is a 2025 example in excellent condition with box and papers. See it here.
