Black dial Daytona 116500ln vs 126500ln

[illiguy]

116500 (White) slightly better to my eye than 126500 (White)

126500 (Black) much better to my eye than 116500 (Black)

Full disclosure: own the 116500 (White) and have deposit for the 126500 (White), but seriously consider switching to the Black dial.

[KatGirl]

I prefer the 12 series in both colors.

Kat


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[Hkspwrsche]

Originally Posted by lcs77

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Nice! Prefer the new dial but old bezel.

[goldboy]

The changes are so minute that it just comes down to trade-offs. Do you prefer a metal ring around the bezel or do you prefer slimmer classic lugs? Etc... plenty of examples like this between them.

At the end of the day they are both Daytona's and will both leave a legacy mark in the history of this iconic model within the Rolex professional line.

[omar-rye]

Originally Posted by KatGirl

I prefer the 12 series in both colors.

Kat


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Me too

[Big Tex Rolex]

In both the Black and the White, I prefer the “pop” of the subdial rings in the 11 Series over the rings in the 12 Series.

I like the symmetrical lugs of the 12 Series.

I’m indifferent on the hour markers, and any other cosmetic changes …

and now that we’ve learned that they are virtually the same size …

the larger (wider) / more bold subdial rings of the 11 Series watches, both Black and White, make the 11’s the winners, for me.

[PandaLover]

Originally Posted by EEpro

Congrats! They are great

[ArtNouveau]

Originally Posted by goldboy

The changes are so minute that it just comes down to trade-offs. Do you prefer a metal ring around the bezel or do you prefer slimmer classic lugs? Etc... plenty of examples like this between them.

At the end of the day they are both Daytona's and will both leave a legacy mark in the history of this iconic model within the Rolex professional line.

Similar thoughts to me. People debate over the minutiae, all I know is the changes aren’t enough for me to pursue one. I still enjoy wearing my 4 year old black 116500 and no plans to “upgrade.”

[Amanubis]

Originally Posted by PandaLover

Damned. Anyone else sees that the 126500 Panda is basically a 16520 White with a ceramic bezel?

[rolesor2022]

How bout these 2?

[taitun4life]

Originally Posted by garyk

Looks like the outer ring on the new one will no doubt take some dings. My 116500 ceramic bezel is still flawless since 2017. Otherwise, the new one is another stellar design from Rolex….

I'd say that depends on the wearer. I have had my speedmaster and explorerII for 2yrs now without dings and submariner since 2016 with no visible blemishes there

And I don't baby my watches. I wore the Hulk for almost 2yrs straight when i first got it. So while my newly acquired 126500LN will not get the same treatment, I don't see the issues in some wear/tear....

Besides, the dings are all part of the story you want the watch to hold, right? wrong?

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by Amanubis

Damned. Anyone else sees that the 126500 Panda is basically a 16520 White with a ceramic bezel?

Yes, that's why I bought it

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by taitun4life

I'd say that depends on the wearer. I have had my speedmaster and explorerII for 2yrs now without dings and submariner since 2016 with no visible blemishes there

And I don't baby my watches. I wore the Hulk for almost 2yrs straight when i first got it. So while my newly acquired 126500LN will not get the same treatment, I don't see the issues in some wear/tear....

Besides, the dings are all part of the story you want the watch to hold, right? wrong?

Originally Posted by garyk

Looks like the outer ring on the new one will no doubt take some dings. My 116500 ceramic bezel is still flawless since 2017. Otherwise, the new one is another stellar design from Rolex….

I will be daily wearing my 126500 at the Orlando theme parks starting next week. I fully anticipate I'll get some love marks and will report back on the bezel after standing next to steel hand rails and stone walls for a week.

Ed White Omega is coming too for the Kennedy Space Center visit.

[RollingInTheDeep]

Originally Posted by fly4food84

Just my .02 cents, but the 126500 update makes the black dial look more appealing this time around and the white less appealing.

I prefer the nice hunk of ceramic as the bezel on the 116500 and larger "Panda-esq" subdials. That being said a Daytona is a Daytona I'd buy either one.

Both 126500's look nice - but I too am part of the White 11/Black 12 club.

The 126500 in white looks "busier" due to to the steel bezel ring. I believe the perceived incremental improvement to the black one is likely due to bias associated with familiarity of how the sub/gmt II appears with a black bezel with stainless lip. I say perceived because some may not like it - however; I do actually think the Black 12 is an improvement over the 11.

Going back to the panda photo (), the one thing that immediately stood out to me regarding the white 12 is a perceived imbalance between the subdials and the bezel, where the thickness of the 11's feel more balanced This is more apparent on the white due to the black/white contrast. Interestingly, this same design detail makes the black 126500 appear more refined.

That said - if I never had the 11 to compare the 12 too, would I think the 12 is amazing? Absolutely. Even compared to the 11 I still think it's amazing and simply prefer one over the other.

This discussion is analogous to preferring a 458 versus a 488. Either way, you're winning.

[illiguy]

Originally Posted by rolesor2022

How bout these 2?

Winner winner. That Le Mans!

[goldboy]

Originally Posted by ArtNouveau

Similar thoughts to me. People debate over the minutiae, all I know is the changes aren’t enough for me to pursue one. I still enjoy wearing my 4 year old black 116500 and no plans to “upgrade.”

Absolutely. I wouldn't even consider it an upgrade, but perhaps just a style shift.

[Swilder916]

Originally Posted by omar-rye

How are you going to make a thread about your new Daytona and not post a photo? Come on man; let’s see a wrist shot

You are so right.
Old vs New






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[Swilder916]

Originally Posted by rolesor2022

How bout these 2?

Le Mans......... you win sir... amazing.


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[Mr. Superlative]

Originally Posted by lcs77

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Having seen this picture of both side by side, for the Black I prefer the older 116 version. I agree re: bold hour markers and the sub dials - they both appear more pronounced on the 116.

[Calatrava r]

Originally Posted by KatGirl

I prefer the 12 series in both colors.

Kat


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Agreed.

[Brian Page]

For what ever reason I prefer the new one with the Panda dial but the old ceramic bezel on the black dial. I was lucky enough to compare side by side a couple of weeks ago in Boston. I chose a 2023 ceramic black black dial daytona dated last year so one of the last of the previous and I couldn't be happier.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

126500LN in black has become my watch.

Do you have a significant birthday or milestone that you believe justifies this purchase?

[Deppe]

Originally Posted by Amanubis

Damned. Anyone else sees that the 126500 Panda is basically a 16520 White with a ceramic bezel?

Except the placement of the subdials. It would have been great, if there were centered again, like on the 16520!

[karleone]

Here are a few comparisons and side by side pics of the 116500 vs 126500 in both colors.

I have owned the black 116500 since 2018 and I have tried many times the white 116500. After recently trying on both the black and white 126500 my favorite pair goes for black 116500 (old) and white 126500 (new) and here is why:
-white side by side the new smaller sub dials and indices look much better on the new ref and the large black sub dials from old red almost look cartoonish
-black side by side the new smaller sub dials and indices look great and more refined BUT the sub dials are in darker color on the new one which I don’t like. The Difference in width on the sub dials on the black dial is less visible vs the white dial as they blend in better on the black dial vs the white dial where the sub dials are very contrasted and more visible

As general thoughts on both black and white new 126500 the metal around the ceramic is beautiful detail and most likely my favorite detail. The case is definitely bulkier on the new ref and especially visible on the larger crownguards - i do prefer the slimmer and more refined old case

[APPRF]

Tried to like the new white 126500 Daytona, but I just can't. It looks very strange with the cheap metal ring, and crown of thorns dial.

[Big Tex Rolex]

The more I look at these comparison photos, the more I get why Rolex made the right side lugs smaller (than the left side lugs) on the 116500 …

I think “balance” is the term Rolex uses, and I would have to concur.

On paper it sounds odd that the lugs would be different sizes, but in practice, that’s a good look.

[Subguy88]

I have the 116 and while I love the design, the 126 is definitely growing on me. May look to snag a 126 panda next

[Speedsleev]

Picked up the new black and white 126500 and they are all together a different experience to the previous generation. Still love the last gen but this new version is a hitter and feels a good bit more substantial on the wrist.

[maxbelg]

Originally Posted by karleone

............After recently trying on both the black and white 126500 my favorite pair goes for black 116500 (old) and white 126500 (new)............

I agree . I prefer the black 116500LN and the white 126500LN.

However, I don't like the metal ring around the bezel: it does maybe look more refined but also more like an Omega and the same goes for the symmetrical lugs. The old asymmetrical case was something special and different and with the pushers on the right side looked very balanced.

[ratty]

Does the new version have thinner hands, like the 16520, than the old version?

I can’t make my mind up.