Of Course John Mayer Is Already Wearing the New Rolex Daytona ‘Le Mans’
John Mayer wasted no time getting the Rolex of the moment on his wrist.
The Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter-guitarist showed off the newest Cosmograph Daytona at a show in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sunday evening.
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The timepiece was initially created for the winners of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. (The Crown has served as the official timekeeper and provided the official watch of the endurance race since 2001.) The model (reference 126529LN) was then added to the Rolex catalog in June, meaning that a certain American musician could add it to his extensive collection.
The watch is a celebration of Le Mans’s centennial. It was released on the race’s 100th anniversary and is officially called the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Celebrating 100 Years of Speed. (It’s a mouthful, we know.) The watch’s debut also coincided with the Daytona’s 60th anniversary.
The 100 Years of Speed takes design cues from the original Daytona that was released in 1963 but was treated to a few modern upgrades. Most notably, the 40 mm case and bracelet are crafted from 18-karat white gold rather than the typical stainless steel. Another distinguishing feature is the red “100” adorning the white tachymeter scale on the black Cerachrom bezel.
Evoking the Paul Newman Daytonas, the Le Mans edition features a reverse panda dial with a black backdrop and contrasting white registers. Flip it over and the exhibition caseback gives you a clear view of the caliber 4132. (The movement allows the hours of the chronograph function to be counted over 24 hours instead of the usual 12 as another nod to the day-long race.)
Engravings are the only real difference between Mayer’s $51,400 model and the ones awarded to the victors at this year’s Le Mans. The champs received Daytonas with solid casebacks inscribed with the race logo and the phrase “Winner 2023.” Mayer is clearly a winner in the watch game, though.
The “Your Body is a Wonderland” singer has established himself as a true horological superstar, with a collection that is valued the tens of millions. More impressive still is his ability to get timepieces so soon after they release. He has flexed the hottest new designs shortly after debut, from that Rolex Day-Date with the jigsaw-puzzle dial to the limited-edition Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Spider-Man. There’s something to be said for being a loyal, discerning, and, well, deep-pocketed collector.
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