SS Daytona Dials hard to read

[Jimmy boyle]

Originally Posted by Alan G

I am in the Market for an SS Daytona and have picked up some excellent advice and information from RF members , I am fortunate enough to have one on hold at an AD, I have no issues with the size or no date and could live with either dial although initial preference is Black, I had the opportunity to try both black and white locally but came away quite shocked, the dealers lighting wasn't the best and I am at he point where I need reading glasses to read or use a pc but not for general use but the black dial was just a blur which I put down to glare the silver/black dial and hands, bad light and my eyes and the white seemed a bit better , I did try both outside the store in the daylight and both were better but this has rocked my confidence and left me wondering how others have got on with this and wether one dial colour has been more preferable to those who have experienced this issue
I still really want one and thought it was noticeably more comfortable that my Sub, I have an IPhone for the time lol! but it isn't really the point

Any advice would be greatly appriceated

I realise it's not the watch but which dial is most suitable?

Alan

Personally, I'd take either in a heartbeat!

Tell you what, get a white one,and I'll swap you my GMT 2 for it!!

[Jlsd]

Originally Posted by nycturbovr6

it's a daytona who cares if you can read the time or not

x2

[boost2perfection]

I have a white Daytona, I hear ppl complaining but honestly I never have a problem. I dk how a watch is hard to read? Unless it's got a face full of diamonds it's not an issue for me. Maybe because i'm not old? and i have a good eye sight? Confused

[aleeboy]

I have pretty decent eyesight. However, I still find the Daytona subdials hard to read. Telling the time does not present the same problem.

The Daytona is a beautiful watch. Perfect for telling the time.

[anothernewphone]

Originally Posted by jjnd08

I have a white, and I can read it just fine at 4 am when I wake up and glance at the lume. I have no issues reading it any time of day.

I am also 29 though with 20/20 vision.

I'm also 29 with 20/20 vision, after LASERs fixed my eyeballs. I find the Daytona to be one of the lesser-legible Rolex models, but legible nonetheless. I want one.

[mfer]

I feel all chrono's are illegible compared to non-chrono's.

Easiest to read is a speedy, but Daytona, just looks great.

Truth be told, the chrono function in pretty useless to me. I hardly use it.

[texex91]

The date is the worse for me

[AK797]

I have always objected to people who say Rolex watches are now jewellery as they simply by definition are not because they serve a function, to tell the time and maybe date, whereas earrings and bracelets etc are purely aesthetic, but if you can't even read the time on your watch easily then this really is a jewellery piece and thus I would think very hard about selling it.

[locutus49]

I dont' object to anyone. Each to their own tastes. Why box ourselves into categories?

[Muzz]

Corrective surgery is cheap now, not only would you be able to improve productivity you could also wear a Daytona! Win Win

[Seaswirl]

Not as easy to read as a Sub, but I don't have a problem reading the time at all. Takes a couple of days for your eyes/ brain to get used to picking up the hands, especially coming from a Sub. If in doubt though, don't get it!

[Dvenus11]

biggest complaint about the white dial daytona

[BLACKHORSE 6]

I don't have the best vision but I can read the time on my black dial stainless steel Daytona at a glance very easily. I do think that Rolex could have made the subdials more readable by making the font and tick marks bolder and the subdials themselves a little less shiny. This doesn't bother me as I don't feel the need to read the subdials quickly as I do with the time. When I use the chronograph function I don't mind taking the extra time to really focus on the subdials.

It's something with the watch that you just have to accept, or not. No watch is absolutely perfect in my book. There are always things that I would like to change if I could. But overall, the SS Daytona gets many, many more things right than it does wrong and so I love it.

[redsubby]

Not sure what your age is but I am in mid 30s and have never had issue reading my black dial SS Daytona. Not sure why this is such a big issue for a lot of people, I am beginning to think it's the eyes, not the watch....

[Old Expat Beast]

I tried on the black and white Daytonas and found them hard to read, both the regular hands and the subdials. My THC grey, on the other hand, is as legible, or more so, than any of my Rolexes (night and day).

[Vaxe]

I agree with the legibility, now if only they come in 40mm

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

I tried on the black and white Daytonas and found them hard to read, both the regular hands and the subdials. My THC grey, on the other hand, is as legible, or more so, than any of my Rolexes (night and day).

[fullcourt]

black faced ss daytona, no problem reading it

[miamiman]

I waited 10 years to get a Daytona ,and I have had it for about three months .it is a beautiful watch ,but I never wear it its always in my safe ,cause I can't see the damn dial and hands ands its the white face ,what a shame. I had the speedmaster and it was so easy to read. I don't know if to sell it or just keep it. I think you have to put that watch on and see how you feel immediately, if it doesn't sing to you, don't get it....

[wdin]

Originally Posted by tkerrmd

if you cant see a watch why buy it?

x2

[Singslinger]

Originally Posted by subtona

Waited 20 years to get one ... Sold in less than 6 months because it was illegible for me.

Ps. I owned the white dial (V serial), I believe the black is even more challenging to read.

Btw. In the 20 years I was waiting for a Daytona to come my way I settled (at the time for my second choice) for a Submariner. In the end, I will always own diver submariner or sea dweller and appreciate it for its supreme legibility and simplified function of timing up to 60 minutes

Same here. Was on the waiting list for 3 years at an AD in Zurich, but when I got it, I found it hard to see the time (white dial). Swapped the dial for black, but that was worse! Eventually sold the watch and bought the Deepsea - much to the relief of my eyes!

[DrGee]

I resisted chiming in on this but as an eye doctor, it would make sense that the Black dial would be the best to visualize the actual main hands of the Daytona. The White would be the most difficult. As for the chronos, they should be easily viewed, period, but they are small. The bezel, depending on the lighting and the luster of your bezel (ie. the brown on the platinum) could be difficult to see but the darker contrast with the brown is the best you'll ever see.

I personally do not have any difficulty seeing any part of my Daytona...just my two cents....what do I know, I'm just an eye doctor :)

[00pumpkin]

I don't have a problem reading the time on my black dial Daytona.

[toomuchtalk]

Uber cool watch. Yet, who actually buys a Daytona to time precise events? I know one guy out there who does! Porche and racing comes to mind....

[toomuchtalk]

Originally Posted by DrGee

I resisted chiming in on this but as an eye doctor, it would make sense that the Black dial would be the best to visualize the actual main hands of the Daytona. The White would be the most difficult. As for the chronos, they should be easily viewed, period, but they are small. The bezel, depending on the lighting and the luster of your bezel (ie. the brown on the platinum) could be difficult to see but the darker contrast with the brown is the best you'll ever see.

I personally do not have any difficulty seeing any part of my Daytona...just my two cents....what do I know, I'm just an eye doctor :)

[Ravager135]

Daytonas are icons. If you want one because you want an iconic watch, I find their precious metal dial offerings easier to read. If you want a chrono, there are many other offerings out there that are far easier to read.

[rmfnla]

Originally Posted by Investr

I have a black, and I definitely agree its definitely harder to read than say a DJ or Sub. The silver hands get kind of lost in the silver chrono rings, BUT this watch is 100% sweet and I grin to myself every time I glance at the time(which does take a little longer to compute)........

Just means you get to gaze at it a bit longer...

[RollieVerde]

I would say of the two the black dial. I have a white dialed Air-King I inherited from my dad, and I have a real problem reading it at times. I also have an Explorer, and it is light years easier to read thanks largely to the contrast of the dial and hands. My eyesight is awful up close these days w/o reading glasses.

[locutus49]

It kills me how little love the Daytona gets. Either they are too small, too feminine, or unreadable. Like some famous guy once said, haters gonna hate.

[Seaswirl]

Originally Posted by locutus49

It kills me how little love the Daytona gets. Either they are too small, too feminine, or unreadable. Like some famous guy once said, haters gonna hate.

I've been sensing this as well and to each their own. The Daytona is by no means a perfect watch, but I do sometimes see people going out of there way to take a shot. Not so much in this thread, but in others. What I find interesting is that the criticisms levied against the Daytona are conspicuously absent when discussing other watches with the same perceived shortcomings. When's the last time someone responded with "needs a date for a daily wearer" when someone announces that they picked up a no date sub or explorer I? Why does no one call a sub a woman's watch even though some female celebrities are now wearing them? Or a DJII for that matter? I get that some people just don't like the Daytona, but I find the lack of consistency odd.

[Dyim]

I have trouble with the chrono function. Just have to take my glasses off. If you cannot tell time, then you need glasses for sure.

This is hard to read