Haven’t you heard? The Rolex Daytona is one of the most popular watches in the world. So much so that collectors will gladly sign up and wait years for the chance to get their hands on a brand new watch. But where does all this demand come from? Partly because of the watch’s rich and storied history, a demand that is exacerbated by the relatively limited production run. 
The reason why the Rolex Daytona is so hard to find is that it was produced in relatively limited numbers. In the beginning, the watch was not popular at all, so the production numbers were naturally low. However, once the Daytona became popular, it was in Rolex’s best interest to keep the production numbers of this luxury sports watch low in order to maintain its high demand. Furthermore, because Daytona uses a more complex movement than most other watches in the brand’s catalog, Rolex had to increase production because Daytona’s movement is not shared with other watches. However, to understand this history, we have to go back a bit.
Named after the famous Florida race track to help appeal to American audiences, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was actually mostly scoffed at in its early days because its dial was defined by three contrasting sub-dials. It wasn’t until the famous actor and race car driver Paul Newman wore the watch that it was considered cool and desirable. While it is now easily one of the hottest watches in the world, the world will only accept it if a Hollywood heavyweight wears it.
Paul Newman’s endorsement has made the Daytona so much more famous than replica Rolex could have ever imagined that it is not clear what the fate of this previously unpopular watch would have been without his endorsement. Newman’s endorsement has also made this first generation of Daytona watches highly collectible today. In fact, these “exotic” or “Paul Newman” dials are among the most collectible Daytona watches in the world. However, because this Art Deco style dial was so unpopular during production, only a small number of them were initially produced and many owners even replaced these dials with standard ones, further reducing the number of survivors today. 
It is important to note that Rolex never officially announced its production numbers, but we do know that over the next two generations of Daytona watches, Rolex continued to keep these production numbers relatively low compared to other models. We also found that, in general, stainless steel Daytona reference watches were produced in higher numbers than precious metal watches, which makes these ultra-luxurious sports watches even less common today.
These relatively low production numbers are linked to the multi-year waiting list for the Rolex Daytona. Here’s how it works. When Rolex replica sends Daytona watches to retail stores and authorized dealers, those retailers don’t just put the Daytona in the window and wait for someone to walk in and buy it. Retailers usually have a long list of customers to whom they have said, “Hey, I want a Daytona. when you get one in, call me.” If you’re lucky and you have a good relationship with that retailer, it may be easier to get a priority spot on that waiting list. Otherwise, you’ll have to put your name down and wait for your dealer to get one in and offer it to you – which can take many years.
What are the reasons people are willing to sit on these long waiting lists? The Price. While you may spend years on a waiting list, if you do end up with one, it will cost you far less than what you would pay on the open market for one immediately, without the wait. For reference, the modern stainless steel and Cerachrom Rolex Daytona retails for just $13,150, but on the secondary market, it trades for about twice that price.
Another great advantage of buying a fake Rolex Daytona is that not only will this watch last you a lifetime, but it will definitely go up in price over time. Let’s take a tangible example, stainless steel and ceramic Daytona that sold for $13,000 in 2019 is now selling for over $25,000. So if you can get on the waiting list for a new Daytona, it’s one of the best Rolex investments you can make. But why are the prices so high? Well, collectors value being able to get their hands on a current production Daytona without having to wait years. This ultra-desirable watch is in such high demand that collectors will pay significantly more than the retail price to make sure they actually get one.
However, pre-owned Rolex Daytona watches are also a very valuable investment. The second generation of fake Rolex Daytona models are revered for their Zenith-based automatic movements and today hold incredible cult status among collectors. These watches were produced for only 12 years from 1988 to 2000, which means that not all of these reference models have reached “vintage” status (many consider them to be around 25-30 years old). Nonetheless, these watches have been shown to not only hold a high value but to be increasing in value, with many now worth tens of thousands of dollars. And as these watches continue to increase in age, based on the current performance of vintage models, we can expect their value to increase as well.