Most significant watches of the first decade of the 21st century: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmiograph Daytona. As the first decade of the 21st Century comes to a close, we thought it would be a good time to take a look at the most significant watches of the decade. Our first stop: the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona. 

The current model Rolex Daytona, in stainless steel (Model No.  116520), has probably been the Rolex grail watch. The Rolex Daytona is a basic chronograph watch. Priced at just over US$11K, it is a lot more affordable than Rolex's all gold watches, but supply in the market has been kept low, giving it a status of exclusivity. For the past decade, it has been sold at a premium, usually about 20% of the manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP). Even during the though current economic times, you have to still have to pay the MRSP. Most other Rolex watches are available at 5-20% discounts from the MSRP.

Picture from European Watch Co.

and is used with their permission. No republication of the same

 should be made without permission from the source.

The Rolex Daytona has it fair share of detractors. It is undoubtedly overpriced (although the recent price increases in the newer Rolex models has narrowed this gap). Many complain about the absence of a date feature. Love it or hate it, this is the modern day Rolex icon.

It has not always been this way. While vintage Rolex Cosmographs and Cosmograph Daytona's now fetch a very high price, the reason is that until the release of the current model, this was not a particularly popular watch in the Rolex line-up. The reason, was the movement. For the first 27 years of its existence, this Rolex chronograph watch was powered by a manual winding Valjoux movement. In 1988, this movement was replaced by a self-winding Zenith movement. The lack of a in-house movement, hampered the popularity of this watch. Basically, it was the one Oyster Perpetual Rolex, without a Rolex movement inside. 

This change in the year 2000 with the release of the Rolex 4130 movement.  The Rolex 4130 movement produces 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a longer than usual 72 hour power reserve. More importantly,  it meant that all their Oyster Perpetuals watches now featured in-house movements, and putting Rolex in the elite class of the manufacture d'horlogerie. Every watch, all in house.

With 2011 being the 50th year of this watch, people are expecting something special from this at Basel 2011.

Manufacture d'horlogerie. Manufacture d'horlogerie is a term reserved for  watch manufacturers that make all or most of the parts required for their movements in their own production facilities as opposed to assembling watches using parts purchased from other firms. For reasons of their in-house expertize companies classified as manufacture d'horlogerie are generally considered to be the elite of the watch making industry.

About Rolex. Rolex SA is a Swiss manufacturer of wristwatches and accessories founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis. Rolex is the largest single luxury watch brand by far, producing over 2000 watches per day. Rolex is the best known and most sought after watch brand in the world.