Dr. N.
Today we compare two classics of contemporary watchmaking: the Rolex Daytona "Zenith" with movement 4030 and Rolex Daytona “In-house” with movement 4130.
It is a long-standing controversy among fans of Rolex watches whether the passage, which took place at the turn of the millennium, from the movement of Zenith origin to one of Rolex manufacture is to be considered an improvement or a step backwards. Let's see together the salient points of the question and try to get an idea: assuming that the topic would be open to extensive discussion, we will try to be synthetic here.
The Rolex Daytona “Zenith” 4030
In 1988, Rolex decides to equip his with an automatic movement Daytona chronograph. Until then, in fact, all the Corona chronographs were equipped with a manual winding movement, plexi glass and a 38 mm diameter case.
The Crown House decides to deeply innovate its own Rolex Daytona chronograph with two very modern features at the time: the automatic movement and the sapphire crystal. For the movement is aimed at Zenith, who had made the first automatic chronograph in the world - El Primero precisely - in 1969.
Rolex however, he does not just mount a movement in his watches Zenith. In fact, he deeply revises the caliber, so much so that he assigns it a code Rolex: 4030. The interventions are numerous, from the adoption of a Breguet spiral to the increase in the size of the balance wheel, from the strengthening of the oscillating mass to the refinement of numerous wheel mechanisms. The best known and most significant difference is the lowering of the number of oscillations per hour of the balance wheel, brought to 28'800 vibrations / hour, from the 36'000 of the Primero. This choice allows the components to last longer over time, reducing their wear, but it is likely to cause a loss of precision: fortunately, the other measures already listed, in particular those relating to the balance wheel, allow the Rolex Daytona 4030 to maintain a running precision comparable to that of the caliber Zenith El Primero from which it derives, while guaranteeing greater strength and durability over time.
We can therefore say that the Rolex 4030 is an overall improvement of the original Zenith El Primero. This is not just a fact, as the latter is considered one of the best chronograph calibers ever ...
The Rolex Daytona 4130
The caliber Rolex 4130, introduced with the Rolex Daytona reference 116520 in 2000, he requested a Rolex five years of development. Rolex She didn't just plug a chronograph module onto her existing automatic movement: she chose instead to use her experience in terms of automatic movements to create a chronograph that brilliantly solves various technical issues.
It is a revolutionary movement, thanks to the presence of the vertical friction chronograph. This device avoids amplitude losses in the oscillation of the balance wheel when the chronograph ball is operated, which involves, in addition to greater precision, also greater efficiency. The power reserve with the chronograph function in place is in fact unchanged with respect to the ordinary operating condition: the considerable autonomy of 72 hours is therefore guaranteed, in the Rolex Daytona 116520, regardless of how long you decide to run the chronograph.
Perhaps the best known aspect of the movement Rolex 4130 is its modular construction. However, this term, which is widely used, can be misleading in our opinion. Because it suggests a traditional automatic movement to which a chronograph module has been added, and certainly not the case with the Rolex Daytona 4130. This Rolex was instead conceived from scratch, as a chronograph caliber, from the very beginning of its design. That's why we prefer to talk about the Rolex 4130 as of a sector-based movement. Sectoral, because it is possible to access the barrel spring without having to disassemble the chronograph and gearing.
The usefulness of this construction is evident in the maintenance phase. The Rolex Daytona 116520, once opened, it presents the possibility of intervening on the barrel without opening all the other components of the movement. The rules of Swiss watchmaking require you to remove the components, wash them and lubricate them again every time you touch the movement, because even just placing a wheel in place slightly displaces the lubricating oil. The sectoral construction of the movement Rolex 4130 it allows the watch to be disassembled and reassembled by accessing the barrel being able to wash and lubricate only at the end of the work: this allows the watchmaker to more easily check for any problems, proceeding precisely "by sectors" in its control.
Also in the construction of the case the new Rolex Daytona has some differences. The screws of the chronograph pushers are more massive than in the previous version, all to the advantage of resistance to deformations resulting from shocks and therefore of maintaining water tightness. Further differences are visible in the clock face, with the sub-counters repositioned for constructive reasons, in addition to the choice - this time of an aesthetic nature - to make the hands thicker and shorter and mark more indices and writings. One last - for now - aesthetic reinterpretation has taken place with the Cerachrom bezel of the reference 116500, presented by Rolex in 2016.
Which Rolex Daytona to Choose?
If you prefer the charm of the classic, with a movement that has made the history of watchmaking and still enjoys the highest consideration by enthusiasts and experts in watchmaking, the Rolex Daytona 16520 with Zenith-derived 4030 movement is the watch for you.
If you prefer your Rolex to be equipped with an in-house movement, are you interested in the sectoral architecture of the 4130 movement or you simply like a Rolex chronograph with the robustness that models like the Rolex Submariner or the Rolex GMT have accustomed us to. new Rolex Daytona 116520 with 4130 movement by Rolex is the watch you are looking for.
And you, which Rolex Daytona do you prefer among the Rolex Daytona 16520 "Zenith" and new Rolex Daytona 116520? Tell us in the comments!
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Some images used in this article are taken from the official Rolex website.
