timepieces
Desperately Seeking
DAYTONA What one young business exec wouldn’t do for the newest ROLEX… BY JARROD WEBER
M
y first recollection of a Rolex Daytona was this beautiful stainless steel work of art on my father’s wrist. Although I was too tied up with school, sports and dating to truly focus on watches, I couldn’t help but admire the pure beauty of this magnificent timepiece. Never since have I seen a watch I admired as much. So of course I felt tremendous joy when, upon graduating law school, my parents placed two green boxes with gold crown logos on our kitchen table. “Mom and I are so proud of you,” my dad said, somewhat choked up. “We think you’ve earned your first Rolex.” He then opened both boxes: in the first was a brand new Rolex Daytona, the other contained the Daytona I’d always admired on his wrist. He asked which I wanted. I immediately chose my father’s for its sentimental value. I can’t think of any possession I’ve ever had or will ever have that means more to me than that Daytona. I’m sure that at the right time, my son will acquire this priceless family keepsake.
But for right now, I want, I need, I crave, I simply must have the new Rolex Daytona with black dial and ceramic bezel. Ever since the extreme buzz surrounding its release at the Baselworld Watch Fair in March, I’ve been relentless in trying to figure out how to acquire this elusive prize. Most say there’s a five-year wait list... I can’t wait five weeks, let alone five years! The Daytona was the Rolex model first given out to winners at the Rolex 24 at Daytona Speedway. At some point in time, Paul Newman (himself a motorsports enthusiast and race car driver) started wearing it, and from then on, watch aficionados, collectors and guys in the know wanted nothing else. Since its launch in the 1960s, the watch has gone through a number of redesigns, all of which are now collector’s items that have appreciated significantly in value. The modern Daytona as we know it was released in the late 1980s; at that time, Rolex outsourced the movement to Zenith. In 2000, Rolex developed the capability to make the chronograph movement in house. They also made small cosmetic changes to the face of the watch (on the black dial, the sub-dials became silver rather than white; on the white dial, the sub-dials were also silver rather than black). For either dial option, purchasing a Rolex Daytona has become a dance of persuasion, persistence and finesse, convincing dealers to sell you one out of the maybe two or three watches they’ve been allotted. The release this year of the new stainless steel Daytona is the first significant design change since the ’80s. The bezel is now made of Cerachrom material that’s virtually scratch-resistant to ensure longevity. The sub-dials on the white dial are now black rather than silver, offering a bold contrast recalling Paul Newman’s iconic timepiece of yesteryear. Everyone wants one. All are told to put their names on the list. It’s an undisclosed list with obscure criteria: Are you famous? Are you quasifamous? Will you be photographed in the watch? With whom? People are determined to figure this out. I’ve been on the hunt, calling dealers throughout the Tri-State area as well as across the country. Since Rolex authorized dealers are not permitted to ship out of state, a buyer needs to purchase in person. I’ve researched the home state of my alma mater (Michigan) discovering cities I didn’t know existed (to which I’ll be traveling if they call me!). My wife is Romanian and fluent in the language; she’s phoned her home country and I believe I’m top of the list in Bucharest. Yesterday, my father and I attended a Rolex Daytona event. We tried on the watch and I’m more committed than ever to finding it. I’m on their wait list, but they were not all that encouraging. Leaving the event, I texted my wife: “Isn’t it time you visit your family in Romania?” (Editor’s note: Jarrod wrote this essay hoping it would move him up on the list. Sorry Jarrod, but you’ll have to wait in line with the rest of us!)
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