To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the legendary Daytona collection, Rolex introduced the Cosmograph Daytona Platinum Ice Blue Dial in 2013. The reference 116506, marked the first time a Daytona was crafted entirely from platinum.

The reference 116506 features a 40mm case made entirely of 950 platinum, paired with a solid Oyster bracelet in the same metal. Its featured detail is the ice blue dial, a color used exclusively by Rolex on platinum models, contrasted by a chestnut brown Cerachrom ceramic bezel with a tachymetric scale. Available with lume filled baton indices or diamond baguette hour markers, the watch is powered by the self winding Caliber 4130, renowned for its efficiency, robustness, and 72 hour power reserve. As only the third Rolex model to debut a Cerachrom bezel, it further emphasized the brand’s innovative use of advanced ceramics.

In 2023, Rolex celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Daytona collection by unveiling the updated Platinum Daytona Ice Blue Dial, reference 126506. Building on the design of its predecessor, the new model retained the platinum case, Oyster bracelet, ice blue dial, and chestnut brown Cerachrom bezel but introduced a number of refinements. The bezel was redesigned for sharper definition, markers were subtly updated for improved legibility, and the sub dials were in brown to enhance contrast and depth.

Most notably, the 126506 is powered by the updated Caliber 4131, an evolution of the 4130. This movement maintains a 72 hour power reserve but incorporates Rolex’s Chronergy escapement for improved efficiency and features a yellow gold rotor for added elegance. For the first time in Daytona history, Rolex also introduced a transparent caseback, allowing wearers to view the intricate mechanics of the caliber within.