Why are these Daytona's not popular?

[Bybybmw]

Having never seen one in person, these are my thoughts based purely on pictures.
In the majority of pics it seems to be to be hard to read the time.
Also, no date function.

[EEpro]

Too much flash. Scratches if you look at it. Beautiful though. I've had 2 TT, a GMT and a DJ41 and both of them made me self conscious and got too much attention. Literally talking to strangers on a plane about the GMT. Steel and WG watches for me from now on.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by DonRickles

Are you not happy with this 4130 movement and if so why?

The cal 4130 is in the top 5 of all chronograph movements ever made, a very fine movement, but myself not a fan of the modern day Daytona.Now if they did produce a Daytona like my 6263 with a simple aluminium black insert, then I might be interested.

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by Greg 59

Finally. Someone has submitted a proper and dare I say, very comprehensive response to an OP's question without making some sarcastic or patronising statement. Thank you Sir!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[johnorpheus]

When done right, TT is perfect. Thinking specifically of the 116613LB and 26711CHNR. Otherwise, I'll admit some can look dated to me - not a huge fan of some TT DJ references. For Daytona, I like the current TT model with the Black dial - looks very sleek.

But largely I think the conversation and condescension about TT on TRF is a product of groupthink, to the point where you get people who won't get the watch they like the most because some cohort from the Church of SS Watches on an internet forum has convinced them it is too flashy, when in real life I've never heard this opinion expressed. Luckily there are also many open minded members on here who appreciate a variety of references.

Anyway, I appreciate people who like what they like because it speaks to them, not because they've been told what's appropriate or have some had bad and dated connotations ingrained in them by others.

My list of favorite references is varied and includes TT, SS, and PM. I think there's some awesome watches to be had in every category.

[DonRickles]

Originally Posted by padi56

The cal 4130 is in the top 5 of all chronograph movements ever made, a very fine movement, but myself not a fan of the modern day Daytona.Now if they did produce a Daytona like my 6263 with a simple aluminium black insert, then I might be interested.

Peter, thank you. That clarifies your opinion a little better for me. I’d say it’s safe to say that it’s the available dial options that you don’t particularly care for, not the Daytona completely?

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by mml4

The anti TT Mafia at work!

Yup that’s what it is!

[johnorpheus]

Originally Posted by inadeje

Hi OP, tendencies and fashion changes. When I bought my TT Daytona new in the mid 90s the TT variant and the YG variant were all the rage. The extravagant naughties are well documented and flashy gold was in its hay day. Since then, things have changed, stealth wealth and less extravagance has ruled since the 2000s until the present day. Also, watch brands adapted to this new reality by restricting the production of the “cheaper” SS variants which, when combined with consumer trends, made ss more desirable but, there were less of them. Back in the 90s and even more so in the 80s (4 digit daytona), Rolex couldn’t shift SS variants (Causing lower production) which, conversely, has made their lack of availability in the used market generate a higher price. On the flip side, tons of TTs were sold when they were popular, so the secondary market has a glut of these 90s pieces = common/less desirable. The secondary market affects the new market, meaning that TTs are easy to obtain which when then compounded with the change in consumer buying habits (wanting less flashy items in general), makes the TT undesirable on forums where hardened aficionados like us glean most of our opinions and consensus.

Previous posters allude to a scenario where SS were always (4 and 5 digit) really tough to obtain and thus always sought after. This synopsis is a fictional supposition where those not old enough to remember provide views of the past based upon what they see today. I was a real buyer in the 90s and I really bought a zenith Daytona. I really went to multiple ADs in Spain, US, France and UK and I really saw SS sitting there and I could have bought 10 or more of them on a heartbeat with zero issues. I bought the TT because that was what people wanted and, I would have probably bought the all YG had I not been in my 20s at the time and I didn’t have the money. I would not (back then) have bought the SS. Hindsight is a beautiful thing eh? But, how could anyone have known that 20 or 30 years later YG would be deemed too flashy?

Anyhow, here are my two Daytona’s. A TT zenith bought new when they were hip and, the latest sought after piece due to today’s consumer preferences

Appreciate the insightful perspective, and very nice Daytonas.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by inadeje

Hi OP, tendencies and fashion changes. When I bought my TT Daytona new in the mid 90s the TT variant and the YG variant were all the rage. The extravagant naughties are well documented and flashy gold was in its hay day. Since then, things have changed, stealth wealth and less extravagance has ruled since the 2000s until the present day. Also, watch brands adapted to this new reality by restricting the production of the “cheaper” SS variants which, when combined with consumer trends, made ss more desirable but, there were less of them. Back in the 90s and even more so in the 80s (4 digit daytona), Rolex couldn’t shift SS variants (Causing lower production) which, conversely, has made their lack of availability in the used market generate a higher price. On the flip side, tons of TTs were sold when they were popular, so the secondary market has a glut of these 90s pieces = common/less desirable. The secondary market affects the new market, meaning that TTs are easy to obtain which when then compounded with the change in consumer buying habits (wanting less flashy items in general), makes the TT undesirable on forums where hardened aficionados like us glean most of our opinions and consensus.

Previous posters allude to a scenario where SS were always (4 and 5 digit) really tough to obtain and thus always sought after. This synopsis is a fictional supposition where those not old enough to remember provide views of the past based upon what they see today. I was a real buyer in the 90s and I really bought a zenith Daytona. I really went to multiple ADs in Spain, US, France and UK and I really saw SS sitting there and I could have bought 10 or more of them on a heartbeat with zero issues. I bought the TT because that was what people wanted and, I would have probably bought the all YG had I not been in my 20s at the time and I didn’t have the money. I would not (back then) have bought the SS. Hindsight is a beautiful thing eh? But, how could anyone have known that 20 or 30 years later YG would be deemed too flashy?

Anyhow, here are my two Daytona’s. A TT zenith bought new when they were hip and, the latest sought after piece due to today’s consumer preferences

Very well written and thought out response. I was born in 1990 but I have read that back in the 80s two tone and gold were a lot hotter than SS

Thanks for sharing your first hand experience!

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by DonRickles

Are you not happy with this 4130 movement and if so why?

Listening to Tim from watchbox talk about the 4130 apparently it's a great movement and after learning more now a point of pride for wearing my Daytona. I know that you already know it is good.

[Oxfordian]

Not a fan of the SS Daytona, in fact not a fan of the Daytona in most metals, however, this TT with the white dial is one I would accept in my collection as it is rather nice.

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by schoolboy

Very well written and thought out response. I was born in 1990 but I have read that back in the 80s two tone and gold were a lot hotter than SS

Thanks for sharing your first hand experience!

- Thanks schoolboy, now that I’m in my 50s, and having been passionate about our hobby since my late teens, it appears evident to me that, bar a few rare pieces, its the previous generations outliers that seem to be the most sought after Contemporary pieces. I say this in a purely collectible sense, not merely the value, however, value and collectibility do tend to run parallel. It isn't an accident that in the 70s/80s era of datejust and day date, that references such as the daytona, sub or any sports variant weren’t anywhere near as high sales volumes as the aforementioned, which today we refer to as dress watches, but back then were the watch to have. Fast forward a generation or two and the slow selling sports pieces of that era, due to their relative scarcity and, the fact that younger generations now prefer, we could say, more manly tool watches, thus making the few tool watches sold a generation or so ago both hip and costly in today’s market. Back then though, if you was wearing a 4 digit daytona you were an outlier, or someone who needed that watches functions for your personal pastime or job. It wasn’t a macho statement or necessarily a mens watch, just like a datejust wasn't a dress watch. The perception of watches has changed dramatically as a result. The same applies to male watch sizes, over 50 years we’ve gone from 34mm being a normal watch, to a 40mm being considered on the small side, likewise, svelte/delicate Functional cases turning into big chunks of steel that oddly hold the same size movements of the past (eg rolex maxi case). Under all this analysis its pretty easy to define what the next generations Rolex hot picks will be. Show me a slow seller a few generations back and I firmly believe that 30 years from now that this piece will be considered highly desirable. In the past 10 years of the Rolex sports lineup we have the often derided/unfashionable, and thus, low production volume: YMII, Air-King or Milgauss to name but a few. How about a future 180 degree switch back to what today are called rolex dress watches such as the datejust or day date? Just like back in the 70s nobody wanted the daytona 4 digit, if we did a poll on TRF today between any sports variant or a datejust, we’d garner a similar outcome as the 4 digit daytona got in a different era but inverted.

Due to Covid19 and lockdown I’m rambling on, sorry

[Calborn]

Had the choice between SS and TT.

In the end, left the AD with what I personally preferred.

[Phrank]

I have no problem with Two Tone anything, as long as I like it.

I picked up the 116520 black dial, but was close to pulling the trigger on the this 116523. This dial
has always been my favourite, and I think this watch is gorgeous.

This is one of my favourite watches period, let alone Daytona, one day maybe:

[richard371]

The Daytona is IMHO the best looking watch Rolex makes. I can't stand the maxi unbalanced case on most of the other current sports model.

[richard371]

For a 2 tone I do like this dial a lot. Does it come in that flavor?

Originally Posted by Phrank

I have no problem with Two Tone anything, as long as I like it.

I picked up the 116520 black dial, but was close to pulling the trigger on the this 116523. This dial
has always been my favourite, and I think this watch is gorgeous.

This is one of my favourite watches period, let alone Daytona, one day maybe:

[AJMarcus]

Nothing wrong with TT it’s just not as popular in the US presently. More popular in other countries

[Handey0465]

The SS daytona does nothing for me. Actually, no SS does anything for me. If I’m buying a Rolex, it WILL have gold....If I ever get a Daytona, it would be that one. White face two-toned.

[skyblue12]

I turned one down as l found it very hard to read the time which defeats the object for me as sexy as it looks.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[barneb10]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

Love the TT Daytona! That exact one would be the one I get or the slate dial. I don’t care about what other people think of the watch, it’s meant to impress me and no one else

this

[Santiago79]

Maybe most aren't fans of the TT. It is a very nice watch in my opinion

[locutus49]

80's was the TT decade. I owned a TT DJ back then. I don't want to return to those times (unlike millennials) so no TT for me.

Originally Posted by schoolboy

Very well written and thought out response. I was born in 1990 but I have read that back in the 80s two tone and gold were a lot hotter than SS

Thanks for sharing your first hand experience!

[logo]

I personally really like two tone, not as a halfway house between SS and gold, but in its own right. I like the blend of metals, the warm and cold, the brightness of gold with the balance of SS ruggedness. Not to mention there’s something nice about having a bit of gold on your Rolex.

Now within TT, to me the Datejust is the most iconic (and dates back much further than the 1980s, despite the fact that most associate TT with the 80s). A TT DJ is a watch that truly stands on its own as a Rolex icon, distinct enough from a daydate that to me at least I do not see the DD as the direct “upgrade” from the previous, and given the choice of only one for me it would be the DJ (photo here, just because).

Next, I would put the Daytona, reason being that the bezel prominently shows the gold like the DJ and especially with a black or white dial, that’s a slick looking watch. Need to embrace the gold bezel if one is going TT.

I like TT subs, but the small amount of visible gold on the bezel make me much prefer the full gold versions of the sub.

Not crazy about the TT CHNR, mostly because of the brown on the bezel.

Anyways, it’s all just preference, I like SS just as well. But for many they let hype dictate what they like.

[Ny325]

To ostentatious for me. Prefer SS.

[speedymoonman]

i like them!

[2001jesper]

The TT Daytona is once of the few TT that I like

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by inadeje

- Thanks schoolboy, now that I’m in my 50s, and having been passionate about our hobby since my late teens, it appears evident to me that, bar a few rare pieces, its the previous generations outliers that seem to be the most sought after Contemporary pieces. I say this in a purely collectible sense, not merely the value, however, value and collectibility do tend to run parallel. It isn't an accident that in the 70s/80s era of datejust and day date, that references such as the daytona, sub or any sports variant weren’t anywhere near as high sales volumes as the aforementioned, which today we refer to as dress watches, but back then were the watch to have. Fast forward a generation or two and the slow selling sports pieces of that era, due to their relative scarcity and, the fact that younger generations now prefer, we could say, more manly tool watches, thus making the few tool watches sold a generation or so ago both hip and costly in today’s market. Back then though, if you was wearing a 4 digit daytona you were an outlier, or someone who needed that watches functions for your personal pastime or job. It wasn’t a macho statement or necessarily a mens watch, just like a datejust wasn't a dress watch. The perception of watches has changed dramatically as a result. The same applies to male watch sizes, over 50 years we’ve gone from 34mm being a normal watch, to a 40mm being considered on the small side, likewise, svelte/delicate Functional cases turning into big chunks of steel that oddly hold the same size movements of the past (eg rolex maxi case). Under all this analysis its pretty easy to define what the next generations Rolex hot picks will be. Show me a slow seller a few generations back and I firmly believe that 30 years from now that this piece will be considered highly desirable. In the past 10 years of the Rolex sports lineup we have the often derided/unfashionable, and thus, low production volume: YMII, Air-King or Milgauss to name but a few. How about a future 180 degree switch back to what today are called rolex dress watches such as the datejust or day date? Just like back in the 70s nobody wanted the daytona 4 digit, if we did a poll on TRF today between any sports variant or a datejust, we’d garner a similar outcome as the 4 digit daytona got in a different era but inverted.

Due to Covid19 and lockdown I’m rambling on, sorry

Don’t mind the rambling!

And yes I agree with what you’re saying. Hopefully we’re both around in 30 years to see how it played out

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by locutus49

80's was the TT decade. I owned a TT DJ back then. I don't want to return to those times (unlike millennials) so no TT for me.

[LigerBelair]

Originally Posted by GADGET-MAN

Curious why TRF members think the Daytona 2-tone watches are not popular? Obviously from pricing something is up.

Posted image example I grabbed off internet.

Thank you

M

Cause two tone watches almost always imo look somehow gaudy and trashy at the same time.

[nikesupremedunk]

General rule of thumb I learned around here is that TT is the least popular out of SS and full PM. I think the Daytona line especially suffers from this, probably because all the rage is about the SS ceramic Daytona right now. I forget the msrp of the TT ($17k~?) but add tax on top and you are almost in the SS ceramic territory.

I actually got to try on a black dial TT Daytona at an AD recently and I was impressed at how nice it was. Really loved the deep gloss black dial with the gold accents. However, I would never pay close to $20k for one, I’d much rather get a bluesy sub or the chnr. A ceramic bezel and lower price would do wonders for the TT Daytona.