Which Rolex Daytona to Buy? Every Reference and Its Gulf Price

Which Cosmograph Daytona References Does Rolex Make in 2026?

Rolex makes 16 Daytona references in 2026, and they divide by case metal and bezel. Oystersteel and Yellow Rolesor open the range, solid gold with a Cerachrom or engraved metal bezel forms the middle, and gem-set gold references occupy the top. The table gives the lowest US retail price for each reference; dial variants set with diamonds cost more within the same reference.

The steel Daytona ref. 126500LN is the only current Daytona under $20,000 at retail, offered in two dial versions at the same price of $16,900.

In April 2026, at Watches and Wonders in Geneva, Rolex added a further Daytona outside the regular catalogue. The ref. 126502 is the first Cosmograph Daytona in Rolesium: Oystersteel for the middle case and bracelet, a platinum ring securing a sapphire case back, and a platinum band around an anthracite Cerachrom bezel in tungsten-rich ceramic. Rolex pairs it with a white enamelled dial and presents it as an exceptional watch. It does not appear among the 47 models on rolex.com, and no price is published.

What Separates One Daytona Reference From Another?

The movement does not. Every current reference runs on calibre 4131 with the Chronergy escapement, about 72 hours of power reserve and Superlative Chronometer certification at minus 2 to plus 2 seconds per day after casing. What changes from one reference to the next is the case metal, the bezel, the bracelet and the dial.

The bezel falls into three families. Cerachrom references carry a monobloc ceramic bezel with a moulded tachymetric scale, its numerals and graduations coated with a thin layer of platinum by PVD. The 126503, 126505, 126508 and 126509 use a fixed gold bezel with an engraved tachymetric scale. On the 126589RBR and 126579RBR, 36 brilliant-cut diamonds replace the tachymetric scale altogether.

The bracelet follows the bezel. Rolex fits the 18 ct gold Daytonas with a Cerachrom bezel exclusively with the Oysterflex, flexible metal blades overmoulded with high-performance elastomer, which places the 126515LN, 126518LN and 126519LN on it. Steel, Yellow Rolesor and the gold references with a metal bezel wear the three-piece Oyster bracelet with a folding Oysterlock clasp and 5mm Easylink extension.

Platinum sits apart. The 126506 is the only reference in the regular catalogue with a transparent case back, paired with an ice-blue dial, a chestnut brown Cerachrom bezel and a platinum Oyster bracelet. It starts at $84,600, five times the price of the steel 126500LN with the same movement.

Which Discontinued Daytona References Can You Buy Today, and at What Price?

The 1165xx references of the previous generation, built on calibre 4130, now trade only pre-owned, alongside a few older 16xxx references. The finder below shows every Daytona The Luxury Closet in Dubai currently lists, current and discontinued, with duties and taxes included in the price for GCC delivery. It is refreshed weekly from the platform’s product feed.

Filter by condition and by box and papers before comparing prices. On the pre-owned market, condition and a complete set move each listing as much as the reference does.

Index values for the discontinued references tracked by WatchCharts are in the market tables of our Rolex collector’s guide, updated each quarter. The ref. 6239 that began the line in 1963 is a separate market, driven by dial originality and auction results, and its story is told in our Paul Newman Daytona.

What Does a Daytona Cost Delivered to Riyadh or Dubai?

Saudi Arabia levies 5 percent customs duty plus 15 percent import VAT on the duty-inclusive value, about 20.75 percent of the CIF value, while the UAE charges 5 percent duty plus 5 percent VAT, about 10.25 percent. Applied to the US retail price of the 126500LN, $16,900 becomes about $20,407 delivered to Riyadh and about $18,632 delivered to Dubai, before shipping and clearance fees. The same rates on the platinum 126506 at $84,600 add about $17,555 in Saudi Arabia and $8,672 in the UAE.

Pre-owned prices at The Luxury Closet already include duties and taxes for GCC delivery, so the listed figure is the delivered figure. The steel 126500LN listed there at USD 33,606 costs almost double its US retail price. That difference is the secondary-market premium a buyer pays to have the watch now, not an import cost.

To run the figures for any reference and either country, use the landed cost calculator in our guide to buying in Saudi Arabia. The same guide covers the documents Saudi customs asks for at clearance.

Which Daytona Should a Gulf Collector Choose?

The right Daytona follows from three choices: case metal, bezel and bracelet. The table matches each collector profile to a reference by case, bezel and bracelet; retail prices are in the reference table above and pre-owned prices in the finder. It makes no forecast about future value.

A pre-owned Daytona is only as good as its verification. Serial numbers, papers, case finishing and the match between dial and reference are covered in our authentication guide, and our monthly selection of pre-owned pieces priced against the market is in DialEast Picks.

More Rolex Collections and Maisons

Rolex collections

• Rolex Submariner Guide
• Rolex Sea-Dweller Guide
• Rolex Deepsea Guide
• Rolex GMT-Master II Guide
• Rolex Explorer Guide
• Rolex Explorer II Guide
• Rolex Air-King Guide
• Rolex Yacht-Master Guide
• Rolex Yacht-Master II Guide
• Rolex Day-Date Guide
• Rolex Sky-Dweller Guide
• Rolex Land-Dweller Guide
• Rolex Datejust Guide
• Rolex Lady-Datejust Guide
• Rolex Oyster Perpetual Guide
• Rolex 1908 Guide
• Rolex Padellone Guide

Other maisons

• Patek Philippe Guide
• Audemars Piguet Guide
• Richard Mille Guide
• Vacheron Constantin Guide
• Breguet Guide
• A. Lange and Söhne
• Jaeger-LeCoultre Guide
• IWC Schaffhausen Guide
• Cartier Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Cosmograph Daytona references does Rolex make in 2026?

Rolex lists 16 Cosmograph Daytona references and 47 models on rolex.com. All have a 40mm Oyster case and calibre 4131, and they differ by case metal, bezel, bracelet and dial. A further configuration, the ref. 126502 in Rolesium with a white enamelled dial, was presented in 2026 as an exceptional watch outside the regular catalogue.

What is the most expensive Rolex Daytona on rolex.com?

The ref. 126595TBR in Everose gold, with diamonds set on the bezel and lugs and a Sundust dial set with diamonds, is listed at $160,900, about SAR 603,375. The least expensive is the steel ref. 126500LN at $16,900, about SAR 63,375. Prices are the US retail prices published on rolex.com.

How much does a Rolex Daytona cost delivered to Riyadh?

Saudi customs duty and import VAT add about 20.75 percent of the CIF value. On the US retail price of the steel ref. 126500LN, $16,900, that gives about $20,407 before shipping and clearance fees. Pre-owned prices at The Luxury Closet in Dubai already include duties and taxes for GCC delivery, with a 126500LN listed at about USD 33,606.

Which calibre powers the current Rolex Daytona?

Every current Daytona uses calibre 4131, introduced with the new generation in 2023 as an evolution of calibre 4130. It has the Chronergy escapement, a Perpetual rotor and about 72 hours of power reserve. Rolex certifies it as a Superlative Chronometer at minus 2 to plus 2 seconds per day after casing.

Which discontinued Daytona references can you buy in the Gulf today?

The finder on this page lists every Daytona The Luxury Closet in Dubai currently offers, including discontinued 1165xx references of the calibre 4130 generation and older 16xxx references. Prices include duties and taxes for GCC delivery. Each pre-owned piece sells individually, so the list changes from week to week.

Which Rolex Daytona has a transparent case back?

In the regular catalogue, only the platinum ref. 126506 has a transparent case back, with an anti-reflective coating, from $84,600. The 2026 ref. 126502 in Rolesium also has a sapphire case back, held by a platinum ring. Rolex lists no other current Daytona with a transparent case back.

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