Rolex makes durable, reliable watches. Whether it’s a Submariner or a Day-Date, a Rolex watch is meant to be a dependable timekeeper that can be worn all day, every day – even if it’s coated in gems and jewels. Yes, Rolex determined decades ago that there was a market for bejeweled versions of its legendary sport watch designs, but they wouldn’t commit to it unless they could confirm their approach to gem-setting could handle the bumps and bruises of daily life.

Surprise, surprise – Rolex figured it out. The Geneva-based watchmaking monolith is now considered amongst the very best in the world in the craft of gem-setting, and the uncontested market leader in secure setting.

The first gem-set Daytona chronographs appeared in the 1980s, with the ref. 6269 and ref. 6270, and things have only escalated since. The current generation of gem-set Daytonas is led by the “Rainbow,” a six-digit reference that first appeared in 2012 in 18k white or yellow gold featuring a ring of bright, multi-colored genuine sapphires on the bezel. Production was highly restricted on those first “Rainbow” examples due to the difficulty in sourcing the appropriate quality stones, and the original “Rainbow” was discontinued in 2017.

Finally, at Baselworld 2018, the “Rainbow” returned. Rolex called on its proprietary pink gold alloy, Everose, to create one of its most breathtaking Daytonas ever. It featured 36 multi-color baguette-cut sapphires set on the bezel in a rainbow gradation, and the lugs and crown guards were set with 56 brilliant-cut diamonds. Each sapphire is IF-quality (Internally Flawless) and is perfectly cut to fit the bezel without prongs. The sapphires themselves are only selected if they have the right color to serve as a transition to each stone on the adjacent sides, so that rather than appearing like there are 36 individual stones, they all blend in with one another. The dial itself is coated in vibrant black lacquer with sub-dials made of literal pink gold crystals. Of course, it goes without saying that the hands themselves are also solid pink gold.

The pink-gold “Rainbow” has been a complete sensation since it was released five years ago. It has appeared on the wrists of professional athletes, Wall Street executives, dyed-in-the-wool watch collectors, fashion gurus, musicians, and many others. Well, not too many others. Production of the "Rainbow” is once again extremely limited due to the difficulty in both sourcing the stones and in setting them. Nearly impossible to acquire through a traditional retail outlet, even for longstanding Rolex customers, the present “Rainbow” Rolex Daytona is virtually unworn with a production date of 2022. There are even factory stickers still present on the underside of the lugs.