For GQ by Justin Fenner.
(Rolex)
The geniuses at Rolex aren't strangers to crafting and selling some of the most coveted watches on the market year after year. They're probably less familiar with the overwhelming, backchannel-dealing demand that currently surrounds their latest release.
Earlier this year, the brand debuted an update to its iconic Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona timepiece. The original racing watch, introduced in the 1960s to help drivers time their laps, was given a modern overhaul that garnered reactions that started at thumbs up and ended with epic proclamations (our friends at Hodinkee called it "the most talked about watch of 2016" when it was unveiled at Baselworld). The bezel on the newer model features Cerachrom, a proprietary material that's scratch-resistant and whose deep black color won't fade--making it easy to read when you're pushing a few hundred miles per hour. Naturally, orders immediately went into overdrive.
And as anyone who took an undergraduate business 101 course can tell you, if you keep supply low, demand will get pretty high--which is exactly was has collectors across the world in such hot pursuit of the new Daytonas. Rolex is reportedly making them in such limited quantities that even guys who can afford their more than $12,400 cost have had to put themselves on waiting lists. And, because the retailers selling these coveted watches will have to be selective about who gets to buy them, The New York Times reports the wait might stretch anywhere from two to five years.
Of course, most of the guys who end up with these watches won't be using them to measure their track times. But they'll still give jealous onlookers whiplash when they breeze by.
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