Watch Spotting: Roger Federer Wearing The New Yellow Gold Rolex Le Mans Daytona At The U.S. Open
When Rolex launched an unexpected new white gold Daytona last year at the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it might have been one of the biggest moments in recent Rolex history. With a full reverse panda dial (no multi-tone “ring” counters, just white on a black dial), Paul Newman-style lollipop subdial markers, and the red 100 on the bezel, it might have been the hottest watch last year. Even wilder for Rolex, they discontinued it after less than one year and replaced it with a yellow-gold model. I can’t recall a shorter-lived Rolex reference. We did a Hands-On/In-Depth of the original. Ben did A Week On The Wrist. But I’m pretty sure last night’s U.S. Open was the first time the new one was seen in the wild. In the wild on the wrist of Roger Federer. Standing next to Rolex CEO Jean-Fédéric Dufour.
No move by Rolex is ever done unintentionally, but nearly every move is done with some level of subtly. Putting this watch on this wrist next to this man might seem coincidental, but it might as well have been the equivalent of sounding a foghorn in a library. Federer seems to have one of the closest relationships to the brand as one of Rolex’s modern “testimonees.” A Swiss icon and tennis legend, a lot of watch lovers watch his wrist closely as he often brings out the “big guns” in the rarest pieces from Rolex’s catalog (or often, “off-catalog”). Well, alright Rolex, you’ve got my attention.
Roger Federer watching tennis and Kevin Hart watching tennis.
A play in two acts. pic.twitter.com/AyGZUq2AMw
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 4, 2024
Aside from one or two leaked photos from Watches & Wonders, very few people have seen the new yellow-gold Le Mans Daytona. Thanks to Rolex and Federer, we get another look; in videos shared online since last night’s quarterfinal matches, you can see the telltale details. The watch is the newest case shape for the Daytona rendered in yellow gold, and we assume it has a display caseback like the white-gold Le Mans. It has a black ceramic tachymeter bezel with red 100, a black dial, and white subdials with the “lollipop” markers. So far this is the closest I’ve gotten to the watch – a full New York City borough away – but if we ever get a chance to get hands-on, you know I’ll do my best to bring you more photos.
Top photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
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