The Daytona frequently serves as the foundation for Rolex’s ultra-luxurious creations, and the brand has produced a surprising assortment of different off-catalog Rolex Daytona watches that are all set with diamonds or other precious gemstones. While some of these off-catalog Daytona references are simply regular gold or platinum models that are fitted with lavish gem-set bezels, other off-catalog Daytona watches represent far more significant departures compared to what can be found within the standard-production range. Among the later variety of off-catalog models are what many collectors call the Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona watches, and these references represent some of the most wild and outlandish chronographs that Rolex has ever put forward.
What Is the Eye of the Tiger Rolex?
Similar to the popular “Rainbow Daytona” moniker, the “Eye of the Tiger” nickname doesn’t just apply to one off-catalog Rolex reference, but rather it pertains to three different off-catalog Daytona watches, which are all fitted with striking tiger-print dials that feature stripes made from black lacquer and diamonds. The first Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona appeared in 2019, and two follow-up models that also embraced this same jungle cat-inspired dial concept were more quietly unveiled in 2021 among Rolex’s more secretive off-catalog releases that year.
While the three Eye of the Tiger Rolex watches each have their nuances that make them unique, there are a few common themes that unite the current trio of models. The simple definition of the Eye of the Tiger Rolex is that it is a solid 18k gold version of the Daytona, which is fitted with a bezel that has 36 trapeze-cut diamonds, along with a flamboyant dial that showcases the collection’s signature tiger-print motif, which is rendered in black lacquer stripes and an additional 243 brilliant-cut diamonds. From here, the “Eye of the Tiger” definition gets a bit more murky, as both yellow gold and white gold appear among the current trio of models, along with both Oysterflex bracelets and a solid gold version of Rolex’s three-link Oyster bracelet that features additional diamonds set into its center links and clasp.
With that in mind, since all three of the Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona watches currently in existence were either released in 2019 or 2021, all of them are from the previous generation of models that was just recently discontinued this year in 2023. What this means is that all three of the Eye of the Tiger Daytona models feature 40mm cases, sapphire crystals, 100 meters of water resistance, and they all run on the in-house Rolex Caliber 4130 automatic chronograph movement, which operates with a column wheel paired with a vertical clutch, and runs at a frequency of 4Hz with a power reserve of approximately 72 hours.
As strange and unusual as the Eye of the Tiger Daytona watches may seem, they actually aren’t the first instance of Rolex creating a jungle cat-inspired chronograph. In many ways, the Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona watches can be seen as the spiritual successors to the Daytona ref. 116598SACO from 2004, which featured a leopard-print design that was even more loud and outlandish than what can be found among the Eye of the Tiger models. While the Leopard Daytona is unquestionably divisive in its aesthetics, Rolex’s Eye of the Tiger watches offer a more refined and mature design, with their tiger stripe motif appearing in a more abstract rendition that almost looks like a diamond-set rorschach test with a trio of chronograph registers.
Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona Key Features and Specs
While, the single feature that makes a Rolex Daytona one of the Eye of the Tiger models is its unique style of tiger-print diamond dial, all three of the current Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona watches are from the same generation of models and therefore share a number of core traits.
Rolex Daytona Eye of the Tiger Key Features
- Reference Numbers: 116588TBR, 116589TBR, and 116598TBR
- Year of Introduction: 2019 (116588TBR); 2021 (116589TBR and 116598TBR)
- Case Size: 40mm
- Materials: 18k yellow gold (116588TBR and 116598TBR) 18k white gold (116589TBR)
- Functionality: Time with running seconds, 12-hour chronograph
- Bezel: 36 trapeze-cut diamonds
- Dial: “Eye of the Tiger” (black lacquer with 243 brilliant-cut diamonds)
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Crown: Triplock (screw-down)
- Movement: Rolex Caliber 4130 (automatic mechanical chronograph)
- Water Resistance: 100 meters (330 feet)
- Bracelet: Oysterflex (116588TBR and 116589TBR); diamond-set Oyster (116598TBR)
A number of these key features are common among all watches from this generation of the Rolex Daytona, which enjoyed a fairly long production period and served as Rolex’s go-to chronograph from 2000 until 2023. However, the one feature that isn’t found among any other models and truly makes a Daytona one of the Eye of the Tiger Rolex watches is its unusual animal-print diamond dial.
If Rolex were to release a platinum model that featured this same style of dial or another gold reference that swapped out the diamond bezel for one set with rubies, you could virtually guarantee that it would still go by the same “Eye of the Tiger” nickname. In fact, the “Eye of the Tiger” moniker specifically comes from the appearance of these watches’ diamond-set dials, and it is ultimately this unique style of dial that defines the Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona.
Rolex Daytona Eye of the Tiger References
As of 2023, there are currently three different off-catalog Rolex Daytona watches that go by the “Eye of the Tiger” nickname. All three of these Eye of the Tiger Daytona models are crafted from 18 karat gold, although the color of gold, the quantity of diamonds, and the type of bracelet fitted to the case can differ between the three Eye of the Tiger Rolex models.
Eye of the Tiger Daytona ref. 116588TBR
The Rolex Daytona ref. 116588TBR is the original Eye of the Tiger watch from 2019 that first established this aesthetic concept, and it is based upon the Oysterflex Daytona platform with an 18k yellow gold case and a flexible black rubber Oysterflex bracelet. Fitted with a bezel set with 36 trapeze-cut diamonds, along with the Eye of the Tiger series’ signature tiger-stripe dial rendered in brilliant-cut diamonds and black lacquer, the Daytona ref. 116588TBR also features diamond-set hour markers, and it was one of the select off-catalog Rolex models that the brand chose to present to the public when it originally joined the lineup in 2019.
Eye of the Tiger Daytona ref. 116589TBR
Two years after the debut of the original Eye of the Tiger Daytona, Rolex quietly launched a duo of follow-up Eye of the Tiger models among its off-catalog releases for 2021. One of those two new Eye of the Tiger Rolex watches was the Daytona ref. 116589TBR, which is essentially the 18k white gold version of the original model that had debuted two years before. However, while the original yellow gold Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona from 2019 was one of the off-catalog models that the brand formally presented to the public, the white gold ref. 116588TBR was very much a secret addition to the catalog, and many people didn’t discover its existence until months after it had already been presented to Rolex’s VIP customers.
Eye of the Tiger Daytona ref. 116598TBR
The other Eye of the Tiger watch launched in 2021 alongside the white gold model is the Rolex Daytona ref. 116598TBR, which takes the core concept of the original yellow gold version from 2019 and makes it even more luxurious by swapping out the rubber Oysterflex strap for a solid gold Oyster bracelet that has diamond-set center links and a matching diamond-adorned clasp. Additionally, Rolex goes one step further with this model by setting an additional 56 brilliant-cut diamonds into the lugs and crown guards of its case to create a highly luxurious rendition of what was already a very opulent model. Similar to the white gold Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona, the ultra-lavish ref. 116598TBR was one of the brand’s more secretive releases, and Rolex did not publicize its launch in the same way that it did with the original yellow gold Eye of the Tiger model.
How is the Eye of the Tiger Different from a Normal Rolex Daytona?
The two Oysterflex-equipped versions of the Eye of the Tiger Rolex Daytona are heavily based upon the core blueprint of the standard Oysterflex Daytona models, with the key differences being their dials and bezels. Both the yellow gold ref. 116588TBR and the white gold ref. 116589TBR swap out the black Cerachrom tachymeter bezels of their standard-production siblings for bezels that are fully set with 36 trapeze-cut diamonds, and they both feature the same style of tiger-print dial that is crafted from either yellow gold or white gold to match their cases and adorned by stripes represented by contrasting segments of black lacquer and gold set with an additional 243 diamonds.
The other yellow gold Eye of the Tiger Daytona is based upon the solid 18k gold bracelet-equipped version of the model, and its trapeze-cut diamond bezel takes the place of the gold tachymeter bezel that can be found on the standard-production version of the watch. Additionally, unlike its core-collection counterparts and its two Oysterflex Eye of the Tiger siblings, the yellow gold Rolex Daytona ref. 116598TBR features an additional 56 diamonds set into its lugs and crown guards, along with even more diamonds adorning the center links of its solid gold Oyster bracelet. Among the three Eye of the Tiger Rolex models, the reference 116598TBR is easily the rarest and most unique, although it is also the most most expensive by a significant margin due to the additional gold and diamonds that are required to create its lavish bracelet and diamond-set case.
The Daytona collection contains some of the most bold and unusual off-catalog Rolex models that are known to exist, and even within a sea of colorful gemstones and iced-out components, the three Eye of the Tiger Daytona models stand out as some of the loudest and most unexpected watches that Rolex has ever put forward.