At Watches & Wonders 2025, Rolex unveils a bold take on the Cosmograph Daytona, pairing a turquoise blue dial with yellow gold and black ceramic. The result? One of the most eye-catching Daytonas in the modern collection.

The return of a Rolex turquoise dial

Turquoise has been one of the hottest colors in watchmaking over the past few years, and that’s largely thanks to Rolex. In 2020, the brand introduced a lineup of colorful Oyster Perpetuals, including the now-famous turquoise blue. Other brands quickly followed suit, making it a full-blown trend.

Ready to shine. Image: Revolution ©

Yet, despite the color’s popularity, Rolex kept its use fairly limited. Until now, it had only appeared on the Oyster Perpetual and a Day-Date with a turquoise stone dial. But in 2025, that changes — the Daytona finally gets its turn with this fan-favorite hue.

Image: Revolution ©

Unlike the Day-Date’s turquoise stone dial, the Daytona’s dial is lacquered. While that means it doesn’t have the natural texture and visual depth of a stone dial, it does offer a clean, flawless finish, arguably better suited for a precision-driven sports chronograph.

Image: Revolution ©

A turquoise-and-black combination that’s striking yet balanced

Pairing yellow gold with turquoise can be a bold move. Both colors are vibrant and saturated, which can sometimes feel overwhelming. It’s a look that you either love or find too intense.

Yet Rolex has sidestepped this potential issue beautifully. Instead of opting for an all-metal yellow gold model, the brand has chosen a version with a black ceramic bezel and rubber strap. This design choice introduces black accents — on the sub-dials, bezel, and strap — that break up the richness of the colors, resulting in a striking yet well-balanced aesthetic. In fact, one could argue that these black elements make the watch even more compelling than a purely turquoise-and-gold combination.

The printing is as crisp as ever. Image: Revolution ©

That said, if this were an all-metal model, incorporating black sub-dials would provide enough contrast to balance the richness of the gold and turquoise. This idea is reflected in the new green-dial Daytona, quietly unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2025. Unlike its predecessor, which had an all-green dial, the latest version features contrasting gold sub-dials, adding more character to the design.

The great green, mark II. Image: Rolex

As a result, the new turquoise version is a fresh, modern take that feels like a home run, giving the collection the zest it needed, especially since it has historically leaned toward more traditional colorways (excluding the off-catalogue high-jewelry models). Rolex even describes this new release as having a “flamboyant dial that magnifies its aura.”

Image: Revolution ©

Detail and movement updates to the Daytona

The rest of the watch remains consistent with the latest generation of the Daytona introduced in 2023, featuring a slightly thinner bezel with a yellow gold outer edge and the updated cal. 4131. The new movement brings improvements in efficiency over the outgoing cal. 4130, thanks to the Chronergy escapement, as well as enhanced finishing.

Image: Revolution ©

Image: Revolution ©

Tech Specs: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona “Turquoise Blue Lacquer”

Movement: Cal. 4131; automatic; 72 hours power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and chronograph
Case: 40 mm x 11.9 mm; 18k yellow gold; water resistant to 100 m
Dial: Turquoise blue lacquer
Strap: Oysterflex bracelet
Availability: At Rolex retailers
Limited edition: No