Artisans de Genève Reworks Rolex Daytona for Alexandre Kraft

Artificial Patina and a Six-Month Stay in the Azores

The project is based on a Rolex Daytona reference 116500 fitted with a Paul Newman-style dial. Since the client requested a distinctly vintage character, the entire customisation centred around the appearance of ageing.

Particular attention was given to the dial, where Artisans de Genève recreated the kind of patina formed naturally through exposure to moisture and time. To achieve the desired effect, the dial reportedly spent six months on the Azores Islands, a region known for its highly humid climate.

The caramel-orange colour of the so-called “Rusty Dial” was inspired by the cognac-toned leather interiors of vintage Ferraris and other cars from Kraft’s personal collection.

To complement the dial, the bezel was crafted from copper, a material also known for developing visible ageing characteristics over time.

Smaller Case and a Manual-Wind Movement

One of Kraft’s requests was to bring the watch closer to the proportions associated with Daytona models from the 1960s and 1970s.

As a result, the original 40 mm case was reduced to 37 mm. Both the case and bracelet were produced in Grade 5 titanium to reduce weight, while the finishing was designed to resemble vintage steel. The chronograph pushers and bracelet rivets also follow the vintage theme of the project.

The movement received substantial modifications as well. Rolex’s calibre 4130 was converted from an automatic mechanism into a manually wound movement, while retaining its 72-hour power reserve.

According to Artisans de Genève, the total cost of the customisation work reached CHF 32,520.