Rolex Daytona vs. Ferrari Daytona: Which Race-Inspired Collector’s Item Is Worth Your Money?
The hard sands of Daytona Beach have been integral to car racing since the opening of the Daytona Beach and Road Course in 1902. It’s where, in 1927, Sir Henry Segrave became the first person to travel over 200 mph, where NASCAR was formed in 1948 and where the prestigious Daytona 500 race started in 1959. With that kind of history, it’s no surprise that the motorhead mecca has inspired the names of two products of exceptional design: the highly coveted Rolex Cosmograph Daytona and the 2023 Ferrari Daytona SP3, the third entry in the carmaker’s limited-edition Icona series. Which one is worth bringing down the checkered flag upon? Let’s help you decide.
WHAT’S IN A NAME? More from Robb Report
Released by Rolex in 1963 to commemorate its role as official timekeeper of the Daytona International Speedway. | WHAT’S IN A NAME? Named in honor of Ferrari capturing first, second and third places at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona—revenge on Ford for shutting out Ferrari at Le Mans the year before. Take that, Detroit. |
WHAT IT DOES BEST Measures elapsed time and helps calculate average speed around the track. Also tells people you have strong taste in watches. | WHAT IT DOES BEST Rockets you to 100 mph in 5.4 seconds—though, since half the fun is being seen in it, you may want to slow down. |
STARTING LINE COSTS $15,750 For the stainless-steel base model, if you can get one, which you can’t. On the secondary market? Try double that price, at least. | STARTING LINE COSTS $2,300,000 Plain base model? Non capito. |
AFTERMATH OPTIONS Rolex offers costlier white-gold and platinum editions, some of which feature tastefully set gems, though third-party customizations—everything from encrusting the watch in diamonds to having your name etched and illuminated with LEDs, à la Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the late president of the United Arab Emirates—can zoom the price into the millions.  Oli Scarff | AFTERMATH OPTIONS A choice of body color, leather or suede interior and three options for seat size and seatback angles. (Yes, the chair is fixed to the chassis.) Third-party customizations are possible but not recommended—unless you want to make Ferrari very, very angry.  Courtesy of Ferrari |
UNDER THE HOOD The Caliber 4130 was developed in 2000 and features a self-winding mechanical movement and a vertical clutch, instead of the more typical lateral version, to allow for an instantaneous start when engaging the chronograph’s timer. | UNDER THE HOOD The most powerful internal-combustion engine ever built by Ferrari: a 6.5-liter V-12 motor capable of 829 hp and a redline that tops out at 9,500 rpm. |
CAN IT GO UNDERWATER? Safe to a depth of up to 100 meters. | CAN IT GO UNDERWATER? No, Mr. Bond. That’s your other car.  Oli Scarff |
IF I HAVE ONE, DO I NEED THE OTHER? Technically you don’t need a Ferrari to get from A to B, but if you’re the type to drop the equivalent of a Mazda Miata on a little wrist-mounted machine that tells time less accurately than your phone does, you’re probably more of a want guy, no?  Victor Decolongon | IF I HAVE ONE, DO I NEED THE OTHER? The Ferrari dashboard also tells time. |
ODDS OF CROSSING THE FINISH LINE Wait time of one to three years if you have an impeccable relationship with the brand or an authorized retailer—meaning you’ve already spent a mint on other Rolex models.
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ODDS OF CROSSING THE FINISH LINE
If you’re reading this and haven’t already secured one . . . zero. Only 599 will be made, and they’re all spoken for. |
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