The Rolex Daytona: An Iconic Yet Amazingly Hard to Find Timepiece (2024)

FAQs

Why are Rolex daytonas so hard to find? ›

What makes the Rolex Daytona so hard to find? The combination of low production numbers of past and present models, the Daytona's high complications, and the watch's unique features, especially in vintage models, make it difficult to obtain.

Watching Movies See Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona In A Whole New Light In 'The Last Movie Stars'

The Rolex Daytona was inspired by racecar drivers and enthusiasts, most notably, iconic actor Paul Newman, who reportedly wore his Daytona every day after he was gifted one by his wife.

The current owner, James Cox a former boyfriend of Newman's daughter Nell, owned the watch since 1984 when Paul Newman gave it to him.

How Long is the Rolex Daytona Waitlist? To buy a Rolex Daytona, the waitlist is often suggested to be 5 or 10 years long. The harsh reality is that unless you have a large spending history with your Authorised Rolex dealer you're unlikely to ever be offered a Rolex Daytona.

The Rolex Sky-Dweller 326934 is definitely the top amongst the Rolex models that are the hardest to get. Of them all, the Sky-Dweller 326934 with blue dial is the most difficult to acquire. One of the reasons why this watch is so difficult to acquire partially has to do with the complexity of producing the movement.

Rolex Daytona Ref.

It's one of only three known Rolex 'Paul Newman' Daytonas in 18k yellow gold, making it one of the rarest editions of an uber-collectible watch. It is quite literally the rarest of the rare.

If you're Paul Newman, however, you give him the world's most valuable Rolex. The watch in question is a 1960s Cosmograph Daytona reference 6239, and it set a new record when it sold for $17,800,000 at a Phillips auction in October. Must have been some treehouse.

Paul Newman's 'Exotic' Rolex Daytona 6329 – $17.8m, 2017

Newman was pictured wearing his beloved watch at many a race, cementing its status as one of the most legendary, and of course, most expensive watches to ever exist.

Is Rolex Daytona an investment? ›

The best Rolex investment watches in 2023 include the Daytona, GMT Master, Submarine, and Explorer. Rolex watches are a good investment because they have low supply, high demand, and ununiform price increases.

Rolex Daytonas are rare because the luxury Swiss watchmaker produced a limited number each year, and demand for the watch has historically been high. In 1962, Rolex was named official timekeeper of the Daytona International Speedway, the home of American stock-car racing.

1133, owned by Steve McQueen, which sold for $2,208,000—more than 10 times its estimate, setting a world record for any Heuer. McQueen, who wore it in the famed '70s flick Le Mans, gifted it to his trusted mechanic, Haig Alltounian, after filming ended.

1. Graff Diamonds Hallucination – $55 million. The Graff Diamonds Hallucination is the most expensive watch in the world, with a price tag of $55 million. This watch is adorned with over 110 carats of rare and colorful diamonds, including pink, blue, green, yellow, and orange diamonds.

Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-01 broke the world record for the most expensive watch with a hammer price of $31.2 million, bought by a private telephone bidder.

Availability. Walk into any authorized Rolex dealer, and you're going to see a lot of Datejusts, Day-Dates, Oyster Perpetuals, perhaps a Milgaus, maybe an Air-King, and usually a fresh batch of Cellini dress watches in a wide range of sizes and colors. You'll always see a swath of women's models.

One of the best things about owning a Rolex watch is wearing it and enjoying it every day. This daily, constant wear is one of the best ways you can care for your watch. While Rolex watches are famous for their durability and robustness, your Rolex will inevitably gain scratches and dings while you wear them.

Discontinued Rolex Models in 2023 - Rolex Datejust 41 with a Meteorite Dial. Rolex announced the discontinuation of the Datejust model with a mother-of-pearl dial. Interestingly, ONLY in the 41mm line. This fact has left watch enthusiasts curious about the reasons behind this decision and its implications on the market ...

Back in the days, Tudor solely used off-the-shelf movements with Rolex parts. This gave the Tudor watches the label “poor man's Rolex”.

Patek Philippe arguably owns the top-tier of high-horology. Once, the most expensive watch ever sold was a Patek Philippe with many complications and sold for over 11 million dollars, second only to a Rolex that was worn by Paul Newman.

Which country is the easiest to get a Rolex? ›

The most commonly faked watches include the Datejust, Submariner, Yacht-Master and the Oyster Perpetual – as well as the other famed series we will look at now: the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.

Launched in 1963, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is become an icon and is linked to the famous Daytona racetrack and overall the racecar profession. According to Rolex, the Cosmograph Daytona stands out by virtue of its chronometric precision as well as its unfailing reliability.

1953: The Submariner

Whether vintage or brand new, mint or beat to hell, the Sub is arguably the most recognizable and desirable watch of all time. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual was the basis for the Submariner, offering waterproofness and automatic winding.

1. Bernard Arnault – Tiffany Patek Philippe 5740 (US$6.5 million)

In 2020 Phillips auction house sold a Rolex reference 6263 watch—nicknamed Big Red—given to Mr. Newman by his wife, carrying the inscription “Drive slowly, Joanne” on the caseback, for nearly $5.5 million.

Floyd Mayweather, an American boxing promoter and former boxer, owns the Billionaire watch from Jacob & Co., which is considered the most expensive watch ever sold. Its worth is estimated at $18 million. Jacob & Co. Billionaire is white gold, and 313 emerald-cut diamonds cover it.

Cristiano Ronaldo currently owns the most expensive Rolex watch in history, it's super rare.

David Beckham's Rolex Daytona 116500

The Rolex Daytona Ref. 116500 features a stainless steel oyster bracelet, ceramic bezel and screw down chronograph pushers. While the Daytona is offered with both a black and white dial, Beckham has been seen wearing the black dial model.

Only 3000 of the Rolex Daytona 6241 Paul Newman were made, with 2300 in stainless steel and 700 in gold. If you're hoping to find a ref. 6263 or 6265, or if you have one, only 24,000 with made with over 90% of these made in stainless steel. These are highly sought after but very rare watches.

What Rolex do Daytona winners get? ›

The Coveted Prize: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

While the Rolex 24 at Daytona is one of the most prestigious races in motorsport, the prize that awaits the winner is just as coveted. The winning team receives the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, a special wristwatch specifically designed for racing drivers.

Platinum is a rarity indeed. In fact, there were only a couple instances of Daytona timepieces made in gold in the 1970's. A white gold Rolex was such a rare timepiece that it was dubbed, “The Unicorn.” It sold for over $5 million at auction 10 years ago and would probably fetch even more if resold today.

The Daytona is another highly sought-after Rolex model, particularly among collectors. It was first introduced in 1963 and has since become synonymous with racing. Its distinctive design, high-quality craftsmanship, and association with racing legends such as Paul Newman make it a lucrative choice.

The Rolex Daytona is one of the most sought after Rolex. Pricing for a Daytona ranges between $15,100 to $75,000. Because the Rolex Daytona collection is produced in such limited quantities, these watches are worth up to 200% on the pre-owned market for the stainless steel references.

You can purchase a brand new Daytona via an authorized Rolex dealer or Rolex boutique, but often the waiting lists for a new Daytona can be many years in length.

Forget about all the haute horology pieces from Patek, Audemars, and Lange just for a moment, as this specific Daytona reference is the one that trumps them all for me. The Rolex Daytona 116500 is a watch you can wear every day in nearly any situation and dress attire.

Scarcity further cements Rolex as a truly valuable luxury watch investment, Just take a look at the Paul Newman Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, becoming the most expensive watch ever sold at $17.8 million.

Daniel Craig. Omega may be reluctant to hear this, but Bond actor Daniel Craig is another celebrity who owns Rolex watches and privately wears the luxury brand's wristwatches.

1. Rolex. Rolex is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. The company is well-known for its high-quality and precision timepieces, and its watches are considered some of the world's finest.

Is there a watch worth a million dollars? ›

Patek Philippe Yellow Gold Calibre 89 – $6 Million

Known for a while as the most complex timepiece globally, the Calibre 89 by Patek Philippe is one of four alone. Designers make the other three from platinum, pink gold, and white gold.

Everything About the Only Josh Gibson Single Signed Baseball on Earth – Amazon's Most Expensive Item! The Josh Gibson single signed baseball is a one-of-a-kind find on Amazon's sports memorabilia outlet.

Jay-Z Watch - Hublot Big Bang – $5,000,000

For his birtyday in December 2012, Beyoncé gifted him something that most of us will never see in real life: A Hublot Big Bang worth $5 million.

International Space Station: $150 Billion

The most expensive thing in the world is related to the Universe and it is the International Space Station.

The most expensive watch to ever be featured on “Antique Roadshow” is also the most expensive item in the show's history: a Swiss pocket watch from 1914 that appeared on a 2004 episode. It was appraised for $250,000 at the time. But in 2016, the watch was reappraised for $1.5 million, according to reports.

The Rolex Daytona Is Rare With Limited Production Runs

The Rolex Daytona is such a hard watch to find because it has relatively limited production runs. At first, this watch wasn't popular at all, so production numbers were naturally low.

Market demand plays a major role in the valuation of any timepiece. As the most popular luxury watch brand in the world, there is always a steady demand for Rolex watches. The rarer models, such as the Daytona and Submariner, can fetch high prices even when the overall market is declining.

Clearly, divergent supply and demand is what's driving the scarcity of Rolexes available for purchase. Demand is astronomically high, and even a supply of one million new watches per year can't meet it. It comes down to a numbers game, and there's no sign that this will be changing any time soon.

It's estimated that Rolex produces between 20,000 and 40,000 Daytonas every year, and these numbers include literally every Daytona made, whether they are the stainless steel, gold, or platinum models.

Discover two of the most sought after Rolex sport models: the Submariner 16610LV and the Daytona 116520. The Submariner offers a high water resistance while the Daytona easily times events using the chronograph.

What Rolex is the best investment? ›

In the vintage Rolex market, a well kept and rare Submariner or GMT reference is worth a tremendous amount compared to how much it was sold for at retail price. A worn in unserviced Datejust might not be as desired as a pristine vintage model from the same year in great condition.

as of currently the dodge registry there are 92 charger daytonas known to exist. only 11 are Hemis. considering that on chryslers books they claimed to have produced 505 daytonas but there is rummored that they reused vins on there books to get into nascar.

Geneva—There is no shortage of Rolex newness for 2023; the issue is simply getting one's hands on them. To celebrate 60 years of the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, Rolex updated the entire range that was launched in 1963 as a professional racing driver's tool with its tachymetric bezel.

That could be as early as around 2025 when the first temporary factories will be in operation. The good news, though, is that there are signs that peak Rolex scarcity has already passed. The highest secondhand prices have started to come down and new watches are, anecdotally, a little more available.

The scarcity of Rolex watches is also due to their high market value. Market value refers to the value assigned to a product by the investment community. The market value of Rolex watches has skyrocketed over the last several years because a limited new supply is pushing the value of secondary models higher.

Winning drivers of all classes receive a Rolex Daytona watch. The race has been known historically as a leg of the informal Triple Crown of endurance racing along with the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

With that said, one of the most important factors is that the design of the Rolex Daytona is extremely timeless. The first Daytona models are more sought-after today than ever and the modern Daytona watches look very similar to the original ones.