Need help! 116500LN or AP 26320ST

[heatjay]

Looking to get an SS piece for my birthday.. Torn between the two watches in white dial. Price wise, I would have to pay a premium for the Daytona so that makes it not too far from the AP. Any thoughts?

[accountank2000]

I've only seen the white dial AP once and don't know anyone who has one. It's pretty, but I can imagine it could be difficult to actually tell the time at a glance due to the low contrast and busy dial.

Of course, you hear people saying that about the Daytona too, and the 'defence' is usually along the lines of, "well I have the time on my phone anyway, I didn't actually buy the watch because I needed the time or a stopwatch! I bought it as a delightful combo of art and engineering to wear as jewellery". So maybe legibility is not really an issue.

Looking at photos of the AP to remind myself, I also don't like the way they crammed the date into what is quite a busy dial. A date is one of the more useful complications to add to a watch, and makes it more 'functional' than the Daytona, but it almost looks like it's shoehorned in there as an afterthought.

The problem with the "by the time I pay a monster premium to MSRP to buy a Daytona instantly from the grey market, I am pretty close to getting something more expensive instead" is that budget creep can be a slippery slope!

I'm not enough of a fan of the AP to pay ($20-25k?) for it even if that's what the market says, and can't justify paying a 50% over MSRP for the SS Daytona at the moment for the immediate gratification of beating the Rolex ADs' waitlists, even if that's what the market says I should pay if I want to do that.

As I do like the Daytona, what I would actually do if I had already got my budget over $20k anyway is follow the slippery slope of budget creep to get a PM Daytona, which are available with much shorter wait times than the SS. Obviously that doesn't help if this next piece for your collection absolutely must be a white dial chrono on stainless steel...

FWIW I checked the 116500LN option on your vote because I prefer the style, but I guess the respective MSRPs are telling you that the AP is an objectively 'better' watch based on quality of finish or engineering or branding, which AP believed is worth pricing at a much higher point than the Rolex rival. And AP service costs will be higher than Rolex. My real choice would be 'none of the above' :-)

[Rashid.bk]

I prefer the Daytona of those two. But I'd prefer an AP 15450 over the Daytona, considering that it's a more of a dress and casual wear watch.
For everyday and anywhere fun, I'd chose the 116500LN.

[SC11]

Personally after having both colour 116500 they are one of my favourite Rolex pieces with my preference edges towards the white but they are not worth the current premium they demand!



If the question was 116500 Vs 26331ST at retail it would be a harder decision the ROC like the whole RO range has some of the best case finish work out there, the bracelet is sublime and the dial has so much more detail and depth then the 116500 but is it twice the watch that’s what makes it a tougher decision, in my opinion it would be then down to your current collection and what you overall are looking to achieve as you could get two Rolex models for the price of the 26331ST.



In your situation with the premium on the 116500 it’s a no brainer the ROC is another level and this is where the price difference comes from, don’t get me wrong I love Rolex and can list a lot of situations where I’d put them before AP but on near level pegging price wise that’s not VFM as they are by far two different watches on overall fit and finish.

[AK797]

I'd take the D500 but like Sam the new Panda is a much tougher choice. I sold my old white ROC an eventually bought a D500 so I'll stick with that.

[uniqueMR]

Daytona

[SC11]

Originally Posted by AK797

I'd take the D500 but like Sam the new Panda is a much tougher choice. I sold my old white ROC an eventually bought a D500 so I'll stick with that.

Originally Posted by uniqueMR

Daytona

Guys can I check you do realise OP is looking at the Daytona at a premium and not retail?

The Daytona is a great and iconic watch but it’s certainly not a £16/£17k watch IMHO

[niqui7ladoo]

I had the white dial ceramic Daytona. Sold it after a few months. I paid a premium and sold it for a bit more. It’s worth even more now. I sold it because I didn’t think it was worth its current market price - I did like it and would buy again at or near retail. I don’t think it’s a 18-20k Watch by any stretch of the imagination. For that kind of cash, I’d rather have the AP.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by SC11

Guys can I check you do realise OP is looking at the Daytona at a premium and not retail?

The Daytona is a great and iconic watch but it’s certainly not a £16/£17k watch IMHO

For sure, but if he can get one privately for £12k then might be worth it.

[SC11]

Originally Posted by AK797

For sure, but if he can get one privately for £12k then might be worth it.

Sorry if I miss that bit, given his wording I assumed we were talking a few K difference between the two.

Getting one around the £12k mark is the best part of £10k off the ROC here so different ball game entirely!

[heatjay]

I appreciate all of the responses. I've made up my mind and will go with the AP in the Panda dial, thanks to Sam.

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by heatjay

I appreciate all of the responses. I've made up my mind and will go with the AP in the Panda dial, thanks to Sam.

Congratulations

[NicholasNJ]

The AP panda dial is so nice! I was debating between that or the blue, I got the latter then.
Congrats! Definitely way more ‘value’ than a daytona for that price.



P.S: I’m still on a list for my 116500LN


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[AK797]

Originally Posted by heatjay

I appreciate all of the responses. I've made up my mind and will go with the AP in the Panda dial, thanks to Sam.

I just saw one in British rapper Not3s' pool video, so it's waterproof too.

[1William]

I prefer the Daytona.

[gummy]

Voted AP on this one...

But both can exist together in a collection

[SC11]

Originally Posted by AK797

I just saw one in British rapper Not3s' pool video, so it's waterproof too.

Don’t lie Neil you were there knocking back the DP!

Hope he paid for your Addison Lee home...

[V25V]

I have grown quite the distaste for chrono's in general. But if you must, I would do the AP, Daytona just does nothing for me.

[daveo5]

While I own a few chronographs, over the past few years I’ve found myself not wearing them. Perhaps getting older or changes in taste have caused this. Today I wear uncomplicated or at most a date on the watch. For me the simplicity is what’s attractive. As for the Daytona, an AP chronograph or PP no interest.

[holdtime]

Ap.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by SC11

Don’t lie Neil you were there knocking back the DP!

Hope he paid for your Addison Lee home...

Know the AL song but didn't know it was he who sang that, I hear these songs all the time but I hardly know who they are from.

[///armin]

I love AP but I have to go with Daytona on this one.

[daveo5]

See what the Rolex msrp is vs what they’re selling at. I see used Daytona’s from 11 K on up. The watch itself costs Rolex couple of grand. This herd mentality is the primary mover of the price.


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[HK Islandboy]

Originally Posted by heatjay

I appreciate all of the responses. I've made up my mind and will go with the AP in the Panda dial, thanks to Sam.

Great choice! Congratulations in advance

Have you considered the WG Daytona? I’m not a Daytona fan and, this one seriously tempted me

[NicholasNJ]

Originally Posted by HK Islandboy

Great choice! Congratulations in advance

Have you considered the WG Daytona? I’m not a Daytona fan and, this one seriously tempted me

I second this! Saw the WG Daytona and was very tempted. I think MSRP is around $28.8k.


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