What the Rolex Daytona Rainbow Is
The Rolex Daytona Rainbow is a Cosmograph Daytona with a bezel set with 36 baguette-cut sapphires in a graded color sequence that runs from red at 12 o'clock through orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Rolex released it in three gold cases: yellow gold ref. 116598RBOW in 2012, white gold ref. 116599RBOW, and Everose gold ref. 116595RBOW in 2018. Case size is 40 mm. Water resistance is 100 m. The movement is the Rolex calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph with a 72-hour power reserve.
Reference specs
- Case: 40 mm in 18k yellow gold, white gold, or Everose gold
- Bezel: 36 baguette-cut sapphires in rainbow order
- Lugs: diamond-set on the 2012 and 2018 references
- Dial: black lacquer with sapphire hour markers on ref. 116595RBOW; other references carry gem-set or pavé dials
- Movement: calibre 4130, automatic, 28,800 vph, 72-hour reserve
- Bracelet: Oyster, three-piece links, Oysterlock clasp
Prices
US retail for ref. 116595RBOW at launch in 2018 was under $100,000. Secondary market prices sit above retail. Rolex does not publish production numbers for the Rainbow Daytona and does not list it as a numbered limited edition.
Fake Rolex Daytona Rainbow: Questions Answered
How Copies Differ
Most fake Daytona Rainbow watches use 316L or 904L steel with gold plating. A genuine gold case and bracelet on a 40 mm Daytona weighs far more than a plated copy. Weight is the first check and it needs no tools.
Gemstones are the second. Genuine sapphires are cut to one baguette profile and matched for hue so the color band steps from red to violet. Copies use glass, spinel, or dyed corundum. The result is a blotchy band, gaps between stones, and color that shifts under daylight. Look at the setting channel from the side. Stones that sit above the metal, or show adhesive, point to a copy.
fake rolex daytona rainbow related
The movement is the third. Genuine 4130 movements run at 28,800 vph and hold a 72-hour reserve after a full wind. Many copies use a 7750 base or a clone with a shorter reserve and a different pusher feel. Subdial hand heights and the sweep of the chronograph seconds differ.
Dial and print: Rolex uses a set coronet shape, letter spacing, and font weight on "COSMOGRAPH" and "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED". Copies show thicker strokes, uneven spacing, and a coronet that is wide at the base. The Daytona has no date, so there is no cyclops on the crystal. Anti-reflective coating on genuine crystals shows a faint blue tint at the edge only.
Checks that need a loupe
- Reference and serial engraving between the lugs: depth, font, and spacing.
- Hallmark stamps on the case flank and clasp.
- Clasp coronet and "ROLEX" engraving on the Oysterlock.
- Bracelet end-link fit at the lugs: genuine links sit flush.
Replica Market Prices and Legal Status
Fake Daytona Rainbow watches sell from about $50 for a quartz model to $800 and up for a copy with a clone 4130 movement. Gold plating adds cost but not gold content.
In the United States, trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320. US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watch shipments, and Rolex is an active trademark owner in those cases.