I am a newbie!! daytona question

[pepemaui]

OK, I am sure this has been addressed in the previous 628,000 postings... I recently purchased my first rolex and really do not know much about the history and in particular the demand of the Daytona. Can everyone please tell me the reasons why it is in such demand and which versions of the watch are coveted or not? Was it a production thing? Change in materials? Really I have no idea, but I know this is the place to get an accurate answer!!! Thanks for your time and replies.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Welcome to TRF!

What Rolex watch did you get? Any pics would be welcomed! We love pics around these here parts.

Anyway, the SS version of the Daytona is the "cheapest" way to go, if you want a chronograph from Rolex. Therefore the demand is higher on the SS than on the TT and YG/WG models. Furthermore, Rolex and the AD's earn less money on selling the SS than on selling the TT and YG/WG models, so Rolex makes fewer of them for that reason.

Also remember that many people put themselves on SEVERAL waiting lists for the SS Daytona, thereby creating longer than factual lists.

The average AD gets two SS Daytonas per year (some have writtten about the theory that the AD get a LOT more than just two a year and sell the rest off to grey market dealers. Might be true, might not be true), but if the two a year rate is true, it is only natural that it is hard to get.

You must also consider that Rolex is interested in having at least ONE really hyped up Rolex watch in its line.

Reason: Rolex get a LOT of customers running into the AD shops to ask for the SS Daytona, and they would get the usual reply:

"No, we have NO SS Daytonas, and we don't even bother to put customers on the list anymore! It makes no sense doing that! But look at this lovely Explorer II, white face, we just got in!....(blah blah blah!)"

I bet many customers tend to get what the CAN get in that situation.

[pepemaui]

Thanks Bo, but what happened that this watch became so popular, as opposed to all of the others you can buy daily?

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Well, it's funny since the Daytona was not really popular, at all, at the time it was still manually wound (Pre 1998). In fact, the only Rolex models that kept sitting in the window displays and often were sold with a nice discount were the manually wound Daytonas (ETA movts., btw.).

Then Paul Newman was seen on the title page of a magazine, sporting a manually wound Daytona. And BANG! The Daytona craze started.

In 1988, Rolex chose the Zenith "El Primero" calibre for their now automatic Daytonas. The Zenith EP movt. was modified to a great extend, among the modifications being a tuning down of the EP 36,000 a/H to the Rolex-typical 28,000 a/H (said to be better in terms of servicing intervals due to stress on the movt.). The introduction of the automatic Daytona (as stated in 1988) resulted in a new craze, especially in Italy and Asia.

In year 2000, the new in-house Daytona caliber came, still automatic of course. The Daytonas are still very, very sought-after, especially the SS version for the reasons I mentioned in my previous post.

A good article on the Daytonas: "The Daytona Saga".

There is also a review of the current SS Daytona in the reviews section.

[pepemaui]

Excellent response, and very helpful. I will check out the article as soon as I am done typing. Do the gold models appreciate at the same level as stainless? Are they easier to obtain, or is the stainless the "rare one"?

I just purchased a TT MOP yachtmaster, and I am looking forward to the 41mm presidential later this year.(although very$$$, probably to $$ to buy)

[jhelms]

Bo, what do you see as the recent avg price difference between an M series NIB/BNIB and a worn-once-or-twice but LNIB SS?

I guess the main difference would be the plastic covers/tabs being removed, but otherwise identical, no scratches or anything to denote wear, etc.