Rolex Daytona alternatives
A 40 mm automatic chronograph with three subdials and a tachymeter bezel, among the hardest watches to buy at retail. Alternatives here are chronographs of a similar size.
These 14 watches come from other brands, sit within 3 mm of a Rolex Daytona reference in case size, and cost less than its $16,900 starting price. They're grouped by price, closest in size first, with one watch per brand in each group.
The Rolex Daytona
| Reference | Case | Lug-to-lug | Water | List price | eBay median ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 40 mm | 47.8 mm | 100 m | $16,900 | $37,206 |
| Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN | 40 mm | 46.5 mm | 100 m | — | $31,500 |
Under $500
| Watch | Case | Lug-to-lug | Thick | Water | Movement | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citizen Promaster Navihawk 40mmvs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 40 mm (same) | — | — | 200 m | Solar | $476 |
| Dan Henry 1962 Racing ChronographMicrobrandvs the Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN | 39 mm (−1) | 45.9 mm (−0.6) | 13.5 mm | 50 m | Quartz | $290 |
| Swatch Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonvs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 42 mm (+2) | 47.3 mm (−0.5) | 13.3 mm | 30 m | — | $300 |
$500 to $1,500
| Watch | Case | Lug-to-lug | Thick | Water | Movement | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tissot PR516 Chronograph 40mm (quartz)vs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 40 mm (same) | — | 12.2 mm | 100 m | — | $575 |
| Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph 39mmvs the Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN | 39 mm (−1) | 45.5 mm (−1) | 13.3 mm | 100 m | Solar | $750 |
| Furlan Marri CastagnaMicrobrandvs the Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN | 38 mm (−2) | 46 mm (−0.5) | 12 mm | 50 m | Quartz | $713 |
| Citizen World Chronograph A-Tvs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 43 mm (+3) | — | 12 mm | 200 m | Solar | $795 |
$1,500 to $5,000
| Watch | Case | Lug-to-lug | Thick | Water | Movement | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph 40mmvs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 40 mm (same) | 48 mm (+0.2) | 15.4 mm | 100 m | Automatic | $4,700 |
| Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chrono 40mmvs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 40 mm (same) | 49.2 mm (+1.4) | 14.4 mm | 100 m | Automatic | $2,595 |
| Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph 42mmvs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 42 mm (+2) | 53 mm (+5.2) | 14.5 mm | 100 m | Automatic | $2,150 |
$5,000 and up
| Watch | Case | Lug-to-lug | Thick | Water | Movement | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IWC Portugieser Chronographvs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 41 mm (+1) | 48 mm (+0.2) | 13.1 mm | 30 m | Automatic | $9,200 |
| Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 41vs the Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN | 41 mm (+1) | 47 mm (+0.5) | 13.6 mm | 30 m | Automatic | $10,700 |
| Omega Speedmaster '57vs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 40.5 mm (+0.5) | 49.6 mm (+1.8) | 13 mm | 50 m | Manual | $10,700 |
| Tudor Black Bay Chronovs the Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN | 41 mm (+1) | 49.9 mm (+2.1) | 14.4 mm | 200 m | Automatic | $6,875 |
List prices are manufacturer prices in US dollars where published. Differences in brackets are against the closest Rolex Daytona reference by size. Check lug-to-lug against your wrist with the fit finder.
Questions
- What is the best affordable alternative to the Rolex Daytona?
- By size, the closest under $1,500 in our catalog is the Citizen Promaster Navihawk 40mm CA4664-60X at $476: 40 mm across against 40 mm for the 126500LN.
- Is there a Rolex Daytona alternative under $500?
- Yes. The Citizen Promaster Navihawk 40mm CA4664-60X lists at $476 and is 40 mm across, water-resistant to 200 m. 3 of the watches on this page cost under $500.
- How much does the Rolex Daytona cost?
- In our catalog, Rolex Daytona references start at $16,900 list price. On eBay, the 126500LN has a median asking price of $37,206 across 182 live listings.