ROLEX DAYTONA'S ALTERNATIVE FOR ANY BUDGET.

The Rolex Daytona is the ultimate watch for speed freaks, race car drivers, and people who like to show off. It's a beautiful piece of machinery that can measure time, speed, and your ego. But it's also super expensive and hard to get, unless you have a lot of money or a lot of luck. Or both. If you're like most of us who can't afford or find a Rolex Daytona, don't worry. There are plenty of other watches that look and work just as well, or even better. And they won't cost you an arm and a leg. Or a kidney. Here are some of the best alternatives to the Rolex Daytona that you can actually buy without robbing a bank or waiting for years.

Tudor Black Bay Chrono

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Tudor is like the little brother of Rolex. They share the same parents, but Tudor is more rebellious and adventurous. The Tudor Black Bay Chrono is a great example of that. It's a watch that combines the best of both worlds: diving and racing. It has a stainless steel case and bracelet, a black and white dial with two subdials, and a chronograph function that can measure your lap times or your pizza delivery times. It also has a steel and aluminum bezel with a tachymeter scale that can measure your speed or your heart rate. And it's water resistant to 200 meters, so you can wear it while swimming or showering. The Tudor Black Bay Chrono uses a movement that is based on the Breitling B01, which is one of the best chronograph movements in the world. And it costs around $5,000, which is a fraction of what you would pay for a Rolex Daytona.

Zenith Chronomaster Sport

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Zenith is a Swiss brand that has been making watches since 1865. That's longer than some countries have existed. They are famous for their El Primero movement, which was the first automatic chronograph movement in history. It was so good that even Rolex used it for their Daytona models in the past. The Zenith Chronomaster Sport is a modern and sporty watch that pays tribute to the El Primero legacy, but also challenges the Rolex Daytona in terms of style and performance. It has a stainless steel case and bracelet, a black ceramic bezel with a tachymeter scale, and a chronograph function with three subdials. The dial comes in white or black, with contrasting subdials and red accents that make it pop. The Zenith Chronomaster Sport uses the El Primero 3600 movement, which has a high frequency of 5 Hz and a 60-hour power reserve. That means it's more accurate and lasts longer than most other chronographs. The Zenith Chronomaster Sport costs around $10,000, which is still cheaper than the Rolex Daytona but offers a similar level of quality and prestige.

Omega Speedmaster Professional

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Omega is another Swiss brand that has a strong reputation for making chronograph watches, especially the Speedmaster Professional, which was the first watch worn on the moon by NASA astronauts. That's right, this watch has been to space and back. How cool is that? The Omega Speedmaster Professional is a classic and timeless chronograph that has a loyal fan base among watch enthusiasts and collectors. It's also known as the "moonwatch" because of its lunar connection. The Omega Speedmaster Professional has a stainless steel case and bracelet, a black aluminium bezel with a tachymeter scale, and a chronograph function with three subdials. The dial is black with white hands and markers, and features the famous "moonwatch" logo. The Omega Speedmaster Professional uses the manual-winding calibre 1861 movement, which has a 48-hour power reserve. That means you have to wind it every two days or it will stop working. But hey, that's part of the charm of owning a mechanical watch. The Omega Speedmaster Professional sells for around $6,000, which is a reasonable price for such an iconic and historic watch.

Seiko Prospex PANDA Chronograph SBDL085

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Seiko is a Japanese brand that offers excellent value for money and quality in its watches. They make everything from quartz to mechanical to solar to kinetic watches. They are also very innovative and creative in their designs and features. The Seiko Prospex PANDA Chronograph SBDL085 is an affordable and stylish chronograph that resembles the Rolex Daytona in some aspects. It has a large stainless steel case and bracelet, a black bezel with a tachymeter scale, and a chronograph function with three subdials. The dial is white with black subdials and red accents, giving it a sporty and dynamic look. The Seiko Prospex PANDA Chronograph SBDL085 uses the solar calibre V192 movement, which has an accuracy of +/-15 seconds per month. That means it's more accurate than most mechanical watches, but also less fun. The Seiko Prospex PANDA Chronograph SBDL085 costs around $460, which is a bargain for such a versatile and reliable watch.

Conclusion

The Rolex Daytona is undoubtedly an amazing watch that deserves its fame and popularity. But it's also very expensive and hard to get, so don't feel bad if you can't afford or find one. There are many other watches that offer similar or different features, styles, and prices, depending on your preferences and budget. Whether you choose the Tudor Black Bay Chrono, the Zenith Chronomaster Sport, the Omega Speedmaster Professional, or the Seiko Neo Sports Chronograph SSB355, you will not be disappointed by these Rolex Daytona's alternatives for every budget. And you will still have your kidney intact.

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Reply
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I was hoping that your opening would explain that you can just sell someone else’s kidney. You would then provide an extensive list of deplorable but reliable veterinary students who are looking to work with you while paying off their student loans. Sadly, it’s just a bunch of alternatives. Oh well! 😉

Great write up - hopefully the poor souls who’ve placed their names on the waiting list will find this useful! 🍻

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Thanks for the write up.

While I appreciate that Zenith will actually allow me to buy one of their watches, I’ll still need to sell a kidney to afford it.

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Very useful informative post 👏

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Nice writeup. Which model is that white faced Omega?

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linhnghiem_chiiivn

It's Moonwatch Olympic Tokyo 2020 mate 😉

Thanks!

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The lip is under half of the Speedtimer.

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And the Orient is almost half of the Lip.

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Got to mention TH as they have serious sporting heritage and were first (with 2 partners) to put the Chrono on a wrist. So how about the new glasbox? Looks incredible in the flesh

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linhnghiem_chiiivn

sorry man but i am TH anti-fan 😂

That’s cool but they deserve a place on any list 😉

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If you are willing to go used, this is an excellent alternative. Tudor 7900 series AKA "Small Block". This was badged as a "Tiger" in the early 2000s but if youre lucky you can score a rare "pre-tiger" from the late 90s, basically the same watch but without the tiger logo. Imo the best daytona alternative.

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If you’re okay with clomages, Sugess makes an automatic Daytona homage they call the “Top Chronometer.” It uses a Valjoux 7750 clone for the movement and it’s just around $400. Movement reliability is spotty but if you’re lucky, you can snag a neat Daytona “copy.” I almost bought one but I went in a different direction.

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Just got this Pagani Design VK63 the other day.

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Every budget?

Sekonda, Accurist, Timex. Sub triple figure suggestions.

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I have the Seiko Panda and love it. Maybe one day I’ll be able to have a Daytona

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Markell

Got to mention TH as they have serious sporting heritage and were first (with 2 partners) to put the Chrono on a wrist. So how about the new glasbox? Looks incredible in the flesh

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Never been a huge fan of Tag, but that watch is hot as a 4-balled tomcat.

To me, however, the ultimate in auto-racing chronos was the Universal Geneve Compax 885103:

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Dan Henry makes a pretty decent homage (Nina Rindt not included):

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If you want something cheaper with history you could go for the first analog quartz chronograph Seiko 7A series, it was so robust they used it in the RAF. It's a steel quartz movement that can be serviced, regulated, and has 15 jewels.

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Here are a few that I own