BaselWorld 2011: 50th Anniversary Rolex Cosmograph Daytona?

The year 2011 is the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex Cosmograph, which leads credence to the possibility that Rolex may launch a all new Rolex Cosmograph Daytona this year at Basel 2011, or at least an anniversary edition. Something with a bit of green on the dial, or a platinum model has been suggested. However, exactly what year Rolex may ascribe as the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is not all that clear. According to OysterInfo, the Rolex Cosmograph was launched in 1961, while the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was launched in 1962. So whether the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is 2011 or 2012 is not all that clear. 

Setting aside the issue of the year of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona anniversary, you have the other issue of whether Rolex will actually celebrate the anniversary of its watch. Rolex did give us the Submariner LV with the green bezel in 2003, which coincided with the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex Submariner, and the new GMT Master II, in 2005, which coincided with the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex GMT Master. On the other hand, Rolex has let the other anniversaries of their watches pass, without issuing a new model.

Will they issue one this year or next? The current design is about two decades old, so we are pretty sure we will be seeing something sooner rather than later. On the other hand, it is not one of the models that Rolex has to update to make it more salable. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona's sell so well, they even limit the number they manufacture in stainless steel. 

With the small sizes of the 34mm Air Kings, Oyster Perpetuals and Oyster Perpertual Dates and the 36mm Rolex Turn-o-Graph loosing relevance and catering to a smaller market these watches seem more in need of an update. The Rolex Yatchmaster is another model whose popularity could be improved with an upgrade. Rolex may update the Cosmograph Daytona in 2011 or 2012, although we think it make more sense for them to update another model instead. 

But with the Explorer II already being anticipated, Rolex may want something more dazzling for the first year of the new decade. Rolex has already done over the GMT Master, Submariner, DeepSea, Day-Date and Datejust. There is really just one more icon left to go.

About Rolex. Rolex SA is a Swiss manufacturer of wristwatches and accessories founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis. Rolex is the largest single luxury watch brand by far, producing over 2000 watches per day. Rolex is the best known and most sought after watch brand in the world.