WATCHES AND WONDERS
...Another "Unobtainium" new Rolex Daytona...
Enamel Dial
Daytona
I have to admit, this new Rolex Daytona has confused me to no end, in the sense that it's "Off Catalog", which means it will not be offered for sale in Rolex authorized dealerships, and it's essentially a stainless steel model, with a Platinum bezel and caseback, and retails for $57,800, despite the fact you won't be able to purchase one!?!! Kinda like the Le Mans Rolex Daytona...
The great news is that Benjamin Clymer from Hodinkee wrote a superb article and created an equally excellent video (below) that explains all the details of this Daytona Novelty Rolex showed off at Watches and Wonders 2026:
On the one hand, I think this is a cool looking Rolex and I love the exhibition caseback. On the other hand, I am deeply confused about why when there is such a long waiting list, meaning years, for the classic stainless steel Daytona, why Rolex doesn't focus first on that, instead of creating a $60K watch nobody can even purchase!?!!
If it were up to me, and I was running Rolex, I would add the exhibition caseback as an option for all Rolex watches, and I would focus on creating more affordable models that are available for immediate purchase.
This new model features a beautiful new lacquered dial, and an interesting new bezel insert which is extremely durable, but I think these would be a great add-on to the standard stainless Daytona.
I WANT A GOOD WATCH
not an
UNOBTAINABLE WATCH
The brochure below was published in 1961 for the Rolex Submariner [Reference 5512]. I once offered my opinion on this brochure and wrote:
"This super-cool, ultra-fascinating 1961 Rolex Submariner brochure perfectly sums up the raw core essence of Rolex and is one of my absolute favorite pieces of vintage Rolex collateral material! I would go so far as to say this quintessential timeless document is as close as Rolex has ever come to writing a constitution..."
The brochure was written was published just after Rolex's founder, Hans Wilsdorf passed away, and I think Rolex would better serve its customers by making "GOOD WATCHES" that people can afford and obtain, than making "OFF CATALOG" models that people can't aspire to as they are so expensive and unobtainable...
In other words, "I WANT A GOOD WATCH". I don't want an "UNOBTAINABLE WATCH".
