And now we come to the perfect replica Rolex Daytona watches. Aside from its chronograph relation, this is a decidedly different watch from the new Omega Speedmaster. Therefore, it begs the question as to why we are having this battle. I’d say it’s simple because Rolex and Omega are typical competitors in the everyday luxury category. Also, both just so happen to produce legendary chronographs that have been around for decades. The comparisons, while more unwieldy in the modern era, are natural.

The specs

The current steel fake Rolex Daytona 116500LN models have been around since 2016. These watches are basically the third generation of automatic Daytona models. Right off the bat, we have a significant difference versus the new Omega Speedmaster. The Daytona was once a manual wind model, but this stopped around 1988. In 2016, Rolex gave us both black and white dialed stainless steel models with contrasting rings around their three sub-registers.

In addition, Rolex added black ceramic bezels to the models and made some minor changes to the indices and hands. Rolex kept the same 40mm case size as the 116520 predecessors and it possesses 100 meters of water resistance. The chronometer-certified 4130 automatic chronograph with 72 hours of power reserve also carried over from the prior models.

The launch

I can remember attending Baselworld 2016 and, as always, best replica Rolex watches lifts its curtains at the start of the show. It was always a pretty hilarious thing to watch from a distance. If you’ve seen one of those Black Friday Wal-Mart doorbuster videos on the news showing people trampling each other, then you get my drift. Once all the influencers moved, we were able to take a longer look at the Daytona and most of us were pleased. Rolex, much like Omega, made some very evolutionary changes to its legend and brought in touches of modernity like the ceramic bezel. Overall, the changes kept the momentum of strong-looking watches with fantastic build quality. For me personally, it was also a bit of a change because I liked (and still do) the white model more than the black.

The reception and the madness since

The forerunning fake Rolex Daytona was already a watch with a waiting list. The newest Daytona has only become more difficult to source since its release. Most ADs don’t even keep a waiting list or throw out a ridiculous number like five years. If one chooses to buy a stainless model on the secondary market, the prices are 70-80% higher than the €12,250 retail price. Is it ridiculous? You bet. Are there any signs that this is all slowing down? Sadly not.

My thoughts on the Rolex Daytona

I’ve always liked the modern Swiss Rolex Daytona replica watches for men, but I’ve never loved it. Not being able to find one doesn’t cause me any sleepless nights and I don’t schmooze the dealers here in Frankfurt in order to get into their good graces. Actually, those things make me not like the watch at all, but that’s not the watch’s fault, per se. I simply see it as a cool watch with a hell of a lot happening on the dial. That busyness honestly makes me long for the simplicity of the earlier manual wind models (or something like the new Omega Speedmaster).

I also don’t love the polished center links or the extending end links. Due to this, I think that Omega finally has Rolex beat on the bracelet front. Would I wear one? Sure, but it wouldn’t occupy a place in my rotation above other watches. One thing I do get is that the Daytona is a robust watch with a “set it and forget it” automatic caliber. The screw-down crown and pushers and the movement make for a fuss-free daily wearer.

On the other hand, one thing I don’t love about the Daytona is the price. I’m dating myself here, but I actually used to see the Daytona as a relative bargain before it crested the five-figure threshold. Now, even though the secondary market still disagrees and will readily swallow one, I just see it as expensive for what it is. If the Speedmaster Professional is on the comparison shopping list, a person can almost buy both new models for the price of one retail Daytona. That’s nuts! If other automatic chronographs with in-house movements are of interest, there are some really great pieces out there from Omega (again), Zenith, and Breitling to name just a few.