In this episode of Inside Watches, we’re going to take a closer look at the engines driving the Cosmograph Daytona. Shop pre-owned Rolex: [ Ссылка ]
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01:04 Zenith Movement: Cal. 4030
01:32 In-House Movement: Cal. 4130
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You’ve heard of the iconic Rolex Cosmograph Daytona chronograph, with its innovative stopwatch function and Tachymeter bezel. But did you know that the watch has had three generations of movements?
The first was the manual-wind movement from the Valjoux series. It remained Rolex’s go-to Daytona engine for decades before it was finally replaced with an automatic movement via cal. 4030.
The first Daytona to use this movement was the ref. 16520.
Rolex had never made a chronograph movement before, so they initially outsourced the cal. 4030 to Zenith and their popular El Primero movement.
However, they modified it to remove the date mechanism and alter its frequency from 36,000 bph to 28,800. In doing so, over 200 components were removed from the original El Primero movement to meet Rolex’s strict standards for performance.
Calibre 4030 was the only movement in the brand’s catalog that was not produced entirely by Rolex. Ultimately, Rolex got to work developing their own movement to bring the production of the Daytona entirely in-house.
From 1988 until 2000, the cal. 4030 remained the Daytona’s go-to movement.
At the turn of the new millennium, the Daytona 116520 hit the market furnished with a shiny new movement - cal. 4130.
Just like its predecessor, it operates on self-winding technology. However, quite a few upgrades were made to its design, setting it apart from cal. 4030.
Calibre 4130 is made from fewer parts than cal. 4030, 20% fewer to be exact. It is the definition of efficiency and precision and is considered by many luxury watch enthusiasts as one of the greatest modern chronograph movements ever made.
The in-house movement also boasts a longer power reserve. Cal. 4130 offers 72 hours, while cal. 4030 provides 50 hours. If you are prone to setting your Daytona down for a few days in between wearing it, the upgraded power reserve might be important to you.
Additionally, the minute and hour chronograph functions have been combined into one unit, creating more space for a larger mainspring. This innovative design allows the cal. 4130 to offer a longer power reserve.
Another notable difference between the two movements is how the self-winding mechanism operates. On cal. 4130, it uses ball bearings, making it 68% more efficient.
The newer movement is also outfitted with Rolex’s brand new Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring, which is highly resistant to temperature changes and shocks. The result is a movement that is smoother and more precise than ever before, both on and off the racetrack.
One of the most important upgrades made when Rolex switched from the El Primero movement to their in-house cal. 4130 was the way that the clutch was designed.
The newer movement operates on a vertical clutch instead of horizontal like cal. 4030. Its design ultimately eradicates any jumps or backlash that one might typically see on the chronograph hands when starting and stopping the stopwatch mechanism. It’s absolutely seamless.
This also means that the wearer can use the stopwatch function for an extended time without disturbing the watch’s overall timekeeping ability.
There is a lot to consider when choosing between the El Primero and in-house movements. However, we’ve found that collectors in many different circles are divided, and there seems to be a significant following for both editions of the Daytona.
Which movement is your favorite and why? Let us know in the comment section below!
That’s it for this edition of Inside Watches. Make sure to like this video and subscribe to the Bob’s Watches YouTube channel to receive notifications for future watch videos just like this one!
