Daytona's have a great history within Rolex and will always increase in value. Everybody and their mothers have a sub. I only got my first sub a couple of years ago on a whim. The ceramic Daytona I want next year has an 8yr waiting list so I will be paying over the odds for it but it will be another investment as it will increase in value just like my SS 09 model.
Im happy to get them done yearly at the factory knowing they will go on and on for many many years to come. Even if not worn I often which the SS one is not it still gets its yearly treatment. Worse case scenario it will be polished to much and I'll need a new bracelet for it but the watch itself will be impeccably maintained which will be appreciated in those years to come, this I have no doubt.
Im just thankful Im in the position Im in to be able to afford such items. Never take anything for granted
The graph I posted from the article is the same for daytona's - here's the daytona breakdown:-
The point of the graph is to show the
increase in new purchase price as charged by the manufacturer not its increase in second hand value. The black line is the price set by Rolex. The red line is what that would be in adjusted terms based on the initial price at the time of the models release and increases for inflation & materials R&D.
So in adjusted terms the average US worker could afford 11 Rolexes per year back in the 50's, in today's money the same guy can only afford 6.
The price of second hand Rolexes, the most highly sort after ones at least, is fairly stable at just below the grey market new value which is usually around 20%-40% below the RRP
Its been that way for the last 3-4 years So a second hand Sub is in the $6-7k eange and the new ones is over $10k. Not sure about Daytonas lately, as its not a model I'm chasing after.
Very, very occasionally a historical model will appreciate in value - like the one that Paul Newman made famous, but at the time of its release it was considered ugly and was discontinued. Now its worth a fortune
The concept of getting rich by investing in watches and which models to buy is a very frequent question posed on various watch discussion forums by new members. There's been some great analyses, but basically, while you willhave a saleable asset that will last decades, even generations, it is pretty rare that you'll make money on the deal.
My crystal ball seems to be on the blink, so I'm not sure what the not models will be in the coming decade or two.
And just to be clear, a mechanical watch need only be service in the range of 4-20 years depending upon the brand and the type and frequency of wear. If it is a brand that is supported by skilled independent watch makers, then this fee will be in the order of $200-$500 dollars. If factory it will be more
To judge the value of used AW long term ,just look at the value of used phones, pads and macs from years gone by. The service possibilities? Much like the cheap or mall end of the market - its probably financial sensible to replace it. With a mechanical in the sub $1k range its possible to do service and repairs if you want to keep it for sentimental reasons.
Folks are still repiring and refurbishing antique watches of 50-100-200 years ago.
Longevity and functionality aside, the Luxury aspect of a nice watch and its heritage, craftsmanship and hand-finished dealing is not something that is evident in AW
Its just competing in a totally different market space.