New Rolex Daytona LeMans 100

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

I made my decision…



Daytona Platinum w/ Glacier Blue Dial.

Congratulations!

Wear it in good health, Ivan.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

Beautiful watch.


Stephen - At no time did I state that Rolex has a 'monopoly' on quality.
All nice watches (as are IWC and several others). However, I'll guess that, combined, they do not spend the $$ on quality that Rolex does. But, no way to prove my 'guess', either right or wrong.

Rolex is obviously the Porsche of watches.

Hi Glenn,
Absolutely no worries.

"However, I'll guess that, combined, they do not spend the $$ on quality that Rolex does."

Hard to know without the actual data, but I would not be surprised if Grand Seiko spends as much on quality as Rolex does, if not more. GS also has technologies and core competencies they've developed that virtually no other company has as well. One example is Grand Seikos' proprietary SPRON metallurgy they use for mainsprings. Also, Rolex's finishing for their hands and indices doesn't come close to Grand Seiko's Zaratsu diamond-finishing. And GS has dials with textures, for example, that re-create "the texture of freshly fallen snow" (e.g. the Grand Seiko "Snowflake").

Here's a close-up GS Zaratsu finishing on a set of hands (top panel) compared to Patek's (below)...Patek can't do this, either.



Case-finishing on a Grand Seiko, reference SBZG009 from Grand Seiko's Micro Artist Studio. The case is hand-engraved out of platinum, and is meant to re-capitulate the texture of white birch. The hands and indices are actually 14K white-gold and executed with GS' Zaratsu finishing.





Rolex doesn't have these technologies. They also don't have Sinn's AR-Dehumidifying, DIAPAL, or Tegimentation technology, either.

Regardless, the perspective of my comment above was coming from one of my "past lives" as a DFSS MBB (Master Black Belt). I spent 10 years teaching very bright PhD-level scientists and engineers how to be...better scientists and engineers

And, as one might hypothesize, there were certain intrinsic "perspectives" I encountered as to the companies that provided the "best quality". And, it's only natural for folks to be proud of their work (and they should be). But, I also observed a fair bit of that "we're the best because we're Applied Biosystems! (or Invitrogen or Thermo-Fisher or whomever...)

A key principle I endeavored to teach them was: "Quality is the result of "HOW" things are done, not "WHERE". Functionality and Quality are driven by transfer functions, and transfer functions are mediated by Physics, and Physics works the same everywhere.

The nice thing is there are a number of wonderful watches from companies that are superbly designed and engineered that create value lasting propositions for their customers.

And, that's a good thing. Cheers.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Congratulations!

Wear it in good health, Ivan.

[Fbgbill]

Dad can I borrow the watch this weekend...!

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by Fbgbill

Dad can I borrow the watch this weekend...!

[Fbgbill]

Love the watch Ivan. I have always wanted a Platinum Rolex but the wife thinks otherwise. I looked up your model and there were quite a few on eBay so you probably got a decent deal and I am sure you have a go to dealer. Enjoy..!

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by Fbgbill

Love the watch Ivan. I have always wanted a Platinum Rolex but the wife thinks otherwise. I looked up your model and there were quite a few on eBay so you probably got a decent deal and I am sure you have a go to dealer. Enjoy..!

Bill… first, thank you! There is a story about my passion of the Platinum Daytona. A few years before Covid, I had a brand new one on my wrist at an Authorized Dealer in Las Vegas. The price was $75K the watch was amazing, and felt like no other Daytona on my wrist. At 285 grams that’s one reason why, but it was more; much more.

There are very few things I regret not buying but this was one of them. I bought a Piaget Polo 25th Anniversary (that actually cost more) at that time.

Then the World changed; and we all know what happened to Rolex prices. I kept a keen eye on Rolex since then; with the latest introduction of the new replacement for mine;

https://www.orrsjewelers.com/catalog...-m126506-0002/

I now know exactly what is going to happen. Prices are once again on the rise; there are only a handful of brand new ones left. The replacement will have the 4131 movement (mine has the 4130 movement) since it is visible through the exhibition back, and feature many new patents. The winding rotor is now 18kt yellow gold and a new skeleton shape to show off as much of the movement as possible. Many new internal parts are also 18kt yellow gold.

The first one will arrive later this year in the USA. FWIW, the Daytona is the most popular Rolex, and least produced which maximizes their demand/prices/resale.

Rolex has set the retail of the new one close to $100K and are no longer even putting folks on the wait list, since it will be longer than 8~10 years.

Just like the New LeMans on the open market, these will sell at 4-6 times retail, making ownership now a no-brainer (at least for me)

Side note; there also won’t be any estate taxes when I pass it on, a very long time from now I hope!

[Masterlu]

[Fbgbill]

I owned one of the Daytona's for a couple of years. It was a stainless and had the black ceramic bezel and white dial. Like an idiot I sold it for what I paid for it but wish I still had it.