The Most Colorful Rolex Ever Made
The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “Rainbow” (Ref. 116595RBOW) is the most visually stunning — and most expensive — standard-catalog Rolex. Its bezel is set with 36 custom-cut baguette sapphires in a graduated rainbow spectrum (red → orange → yellow → green → blue → violet), surrounding a diamond-paved dial with sapphire hour markers. It’s a chronograph, a jewelry piece, and a $250,000 status symbol — all on one wrist.
How the Rainbow Bezel Is Made
The rainbow sapphire bezel is an extraordinary gem-setting achievement:
- Stone selection: 36 baguette-cut sapphires, each calibrated to a specific color in the rainbow spectrum. Natural sapphires come in every color (through trace element variation), but finding 36 with precisely graduated hues that transition smoothly from red to violet requires sorting through thousands of stones.
- Custom cutting: Each sapphire is individually cut to the exact trapezoidal shape required by its position on the bezel. The stones narrow toward the center and widen toward the edges — creating a seamless color ring.
- Setting: Rolex’s in-house gem-setters place each stone in a gold channel setting on the 18ct Everose gold bezel. The setting must be flush (no prongs visible) and gap-free (no visible metal between stones).
Specifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Case | 40mm, 18ct Everose gold |
| Movement | Cal. 4130 (automatic chronograph, 72h) |
| Bezel | 36 graduated rainbow baguette sapphires |
| Dial | Paved diamonds with rainbow sapphire hour markers |
| Bracelet | Oysterflex rubber with Everose gold clasp |
| Retail | ~$120,000-$150,000 (varies by year/market) |
| Secondary | $250,000-$350,000 |
Why $250,000+?
- Rarity: Rolex produces extremely few Rainbows per year (estimated 50-200). Each requires matched sapphire sets that take months to source.
- Celebrity demand: Mark Wahlberg, Post Malone, Floyd Mayweather, and dozens of rappers/athletes wear Rainbows publicly — driving demand far beyond supply.
- Crossover appeal: The Rainbow attracts both watch collectors AND jewelry collectors — expanding the buyer pool beyond traditional horology.
- No alternative: No other brand produces a graduated rainbow sapphire bezel chronograph. The Rainbow has zero competition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the sapphires natural?
Yes — Rolex uses natural sapphires selected for color, not lab-created. The natural origin is part of the value proposition and is documented in Rolex’s materials certification.
Can I buy one at retail?
Virtually impossible — the Rainbow is the most allocated Rolex in the catalog. Even long-standing clients with six-figure purchase histories struggle to obtain one. The secondary market ($250K+) is the only realistic path.
Do you carry Rainbow-style bezels?
Browse our Daytona collection and iced-out collection at DR.WATCH for rainbow-sapphire and diamond-set chronograph references. Free worldwide shipping + 1-year warranty.