Wow.. Double Rainbow !

Watch brands - at least the major ones - tend to be very specialised in what they do. Some are renowned for the finishing of their movements, others for their ability to elegantly integrate complications. Rolex is certainly the top player when it comes to tool watches: ever since the Fifties, the crowned Maison has built a solid reputation for making reliable, purpose-oriented timekeepers. There’s the Submariner, for divers. There’s the GMT-Master, for travellers. And then there’s the Daytona, arguably the world’s most iconic chronograph, launched in 1963 and conceived to record lap times at racetracks. It was one of the first chronographs to feature the scale on the outer bezel rather than on the dial, to allow for an easier reading, and was quickly endorsed by pilots and common people alike.

So we can only imagine how the no-nonsense folks at Geneva reacted when a client asked them to make a special set of Daytonas, replacing the bezel with a full round of diamonds. They probably thought it was the worst idea ever. But it wasn’t just any client, it was Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman; and as it would turn out, it was a great, great idea. The year was 1988, and the gem set Daytona was officially born.

Two references originated from this commission, both based on the standard yellow gold Daytona, but with different bezels. The 6269 had 44 princess-cut diamonds, while the 6270 - arguably the better looking of the two - featured 28 baguette-cut stones. Not much is known about these watches: exact production figures are obscure, and serial numbers don’t follow a precise pattern; some bear a Khanjar engraved on the caseback, and some don’t - the latest 6270 to surface came from a German first owner, confirming not all watches were sold to Oman. What’s sure is that less than thirty 6269 and twenty 6270 exist, making these references an absolute dream for collectors: on their rare auction appearances, they command prices well into the six figures, often surpassing the million-dollar mark.

Diamonds on Daytonas may have been unexpected in 1988, but Rolex was quick to integrate them into the upcoming generation of the model: emeralds, sapphires, rubies and other gems appeared on “Zenith” Daytonas, as well as on the “116” series. Precious stones were arranged in many different ways, with outcomes ranging from the surprisingly elegant to the openly tacky (you all remember the Leopard, right?); yet, all these models somehow managed to remain under the radar.

Then, in 2012 the 116598 and 116599 “RBOW” were introduced at Baselworld, adorned with thirty-six coloured sapphires set in a rainbow gradient - plus diamond-set lugs and hour markers on the black dial. Only a selected circle knew, back then, that the disruptive bezel was not an absolute first: it had already appeared on a mid-Nineties Daytona, allegedly made as a piece unique for a Middle Eastern client. Bearing reference number 16599 SA AEC (for “Sapphires Arc En Ciel”), the watch traded hands several times over the last three decades, but never appeared publicly; it only surfaced earlier this year at Phillips, and will be hammered in Geneva next month.

So, when the general public saw the 2012 releases, reacted with quite an outrage: they were as far as one could imagine from the archetypal Rolex. However, on second thought, the Rainbow makes absolute sense in many aspects, taking what the brand does best and bringing it to the highest possible level. The stark contrast between the precious metal case and the plain black dial, highlighted by the gold flakes in the subdials and the red hands, epitomises the perfect mix of luxury and functionality Rolex is renowned for.

But it’s through the precious stones that the watch really takes the spotlight: the ability required to source, cut and set the gems to that degree of precision is something no other watchmaker (and probably just a few jewellers) has. Only flawless stones are accepted for the watch, and the tolerance allowed for the cut is a mere two-hundredths of a millimetre, meaning there are virtually no differences between any two Rainbow bezels. If you consider that sapphires are natural stones, you should be able to grasp how exceptional the feat is. In fact, despite the turmoil that followed its release, the Rainbow quickly gained wide and well deserved acclaim, paving the way for countless similar watches from other brands the likes of Omega, Hublot and even Patek Philippe - a sign that its quality and appeal were soon evident to most.

Just like the 6270 did in the Eighties, the Rainbow Daytona is the peak Rolex of its era. The two watches are the brand’s boldest take on the contemporary horological zeitgeist, and their ultimate recognition amongst collectors, enthusiasts, and competitors proves how well Rolex can foresee and understand the spirit of the time. Are they excessive? Yes. Are they unnecessary? Also yes. But so is a yellow gold Submariner, after all - so why not go the extra mile and deliver an unapologetically loud watch?