Feature: You’ve NEVER Seen A Rolex Daytona Like This!

If this watch looks strange yet familiar then that’s because it’s one of the most prominent Rolex models out there, denuded of its dial to reveal that superb 4130 chronograph movement in all its naked glory.

In fact, so stripped down to its bare bones is this Rolex Daytona, heavily customised by the Geneva-based company Label Noir, that it doesn’t even bear the name Rolex. Just that iconic crown at the 12 o’clock position and the legendary name ‘Daytona’ in the regular spot.

Geneva-based customisation brand Label Noir have stripped this Rolex Daytona down to its bare essentials

Of course, Rolex had nothing whatsoever to do with the skeletonization of this reference 116520. Notoriously conservative, they’d rather start giving away ‘I Love Rolex’ keyrings free inside breakfast cereal boxes than make such a bold aesthetic move as this.

But there’s nothing Label Noir like more than taking an innocent, virgin Rolex and turning it into the horological equivalent of Lady Gaga—lest we forget, one of their crazier projects was putting a tourbillon inside a Milgauss!

The 4130 On Show

For us, this is a far more palatable modification than that creation, and it’s worked out rather nicely, with the usually concealed 4130 calibre given a rare chance to show off its ravishing good looks. Label Noir hasn’t just taken away the dial and left it at that, though. Hell no! They’ve made the movement unique, with shiny components given a matt effect and matt components rendered shiny – what they call an “inversion of polished and satin finishes”.

This bespoke watch is a unique piece modified according to an individual's requirements

This has to be done without affecting the finely balanced precision of the movement—even harder in something as complex as a chronograph. Peeking out through those three skeletonised subdials, which remain reasonably legible, the effect is very cool indeed.

A Rare Caseback

If Rolex was a dad, it would be the strict Puritan kind, refusing to let his daughter leave the house with her bare ankles on show. So glimpses of Rolex movements are a rare and precious thing, with display casebacks being restricted to the now-discontinued rectangular Cellini Prince.

These Princes, however, were manual-wind, and so this is quite possibly the only Rolex ever to display—albeit unofficially—an automatic movement through the open case back.

And Label Noir have done a sterling job with this, too, swapping the steel rotor for a pricier platinum one and hollowing it out with asymmetrical shapes. They could have gone for some full-blown engraving in the manner of A. Lange & Söhne but the restrained approach better suits a no-frills, robust tool watch like the Rolex Daytona.

Horological surgery

Before you go hunting on the Watchfinder site, or any other pre-owned luxury watches site, for one of these watches, be aware that this piece was made following a special request from a customer, just like Label Noir’s Milgauss tourbillon model.

The regular steel rotor of the movement has been replaced with a platinum one

So if you want one for yourself, you’re going to have to buy your own watch then send it off to Label Noir for some major bespoke horological surgery.

Just like getting a middle-aged mohawk or a facial tattoo, some friends will think you’ve lost the plot, while some will no-doubt applaud your iconoclastic and very personal approach to watch-wearing…

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