I remember when I saw it for the first time. I was in Asia visiting family and some salesmen goaded me into coming into the store at the mall.
Even though I insisted I couldn’t afford to buy anything, he let me in. Well, the first watch he let me try on was the iconic Rolex Daytona.
When I first put that bad boy on, I felt like a new man! It was an incredible watch.
It’s a beautiful piece of art. If you’re a big fan of chronographs, the Rolex Daytona HAS to be in your collection.
However, it was out of my price range. Not everyone can afford $15,000+ to get a new Rolex! That’s why I decided to research similar watches.
I was surprised that their are A TON of great watches that look similar to the Rolex Daytona for a FRACTION of the cost! Here are the 13 best Rolex Daytona homage watches.
Unfortunately, not all of us can shell out $10,000+ for a Rolex Daytona (even a pre-owned one). However, that doesn’t mean we can’t own something close!
There are A TON of really good Rolex Daytona homage watches and alternatives on the market. Hopefully you enjoy something on this list and it holds you over until you can afford to get the real thing!
Under $100
Here are the best Rolex Daytona Alternatives under $100
1. Invicta Speedway
Click here to get the Invicta Speedway and upgrade your wardrobe!
Invicta has several different homages and alternatives for the more expensive Rolex watches. In fact, they have a really good “Speedway” series, which is their interpretation of the Rolex Daytona.
The Invicta Speedway comes in several different classic Daytona colors such as gold, black, and silver. And at less than $100, the price is hard to beat to look great at any event!
Pros:
*These watches are under $100, which is hard to beat considering the quality you are getting!
*The watches are a near equivalent to the Daytona and can be worn at casual and more formal settings.
*In addition to steel bracelets, they also have leather straps for more formal events.
Cons:
*Leather strap option is more expensive and doesn’t have as many color options.
*The chronograph start and stop buttons have to be pressed hard to go.
Under $150
Here are the best Rolex Daytona Homages under $150
2. Henry Jay Specialty Aquamaster
Click here to get the Henry Jay Specialty Aquamaster!
Henry Jay is a VERY underfollowed watch brand. They basically have two lines of aquamaster watches.
One line is a homage of the classic Rolex Submariner and the other is a very good homage of the Rolex Daytona.
The Henry Jay Specialty Aquamaster is basically a Rolex Daytona all the way down to the smallest features. It features the iconic three dials on the face.
My biggest complaint is the watch is on the larger side (44 mm). As a result, this watch is a little to big for my wrist. However, if you’re a bigger guy, I would highly recommend snapping up this watch ASAP.
Right now the Henry Jay is actually on Amazon for less than $150. Don’t wait though. I’ve seen the price fluctuate around over the months and have seen it as high as $160!
Pros:
*Beautiful design and is a near replica of the Rolex Daytona. In fact, I’ve had several people confuse this for the Daytona from afar.
*Great watch for the price point. It looks WAY more expensive than it actually is.
*Good weight to the watch so it doesn’t feel “cheap”.
Cons:
*This is a bigger watch (44 mm).
*It only comes in one color.
3. Loreo Automatic Daytona Replica
Click here to get the Loreo Automatic Daytona Replica!
Loreo has outdone themselves with their automatic Daytona replica.
This beauty is a near lookalike to the classic Rolex watch. Lots of people will mistake this watch with its more expensive counterpart.
The good thing about the Loreo is that it comes in several different colors so you can mix and match with your wardrobe.
Pros:
*This is an automatic watch, which is hard to find at this price point.
* The watch is exactly the same size as the Daytona (40 mm). For guys with a smaller wrist (like me), this is a MUST HAVE in your collection!
*Comes in several different dial colors like blue and silver.
Cons:
*Only 200m water resistant rating.
*Date feature is a little hard to see
4. Seiko SSB027 Chronograph
Click here to get the Seiko SSB027!
This is a great homage to the Daytona. One of the more noticeable features is the green dial markers.
They look VERY cool and actually glow in the dark (not too much, but enough to be noticed).
Pros:
*The green dial marks glow and provide a great contrast to the black dial.
*40 mm watch – which is the same as the Daytona.
Cons:
*Only water resistant up to 100 meters.
* A bit more expensive than other Daytona lookalikes.
5. Fossil Goodwin Chronograph
Click Here to get the Fossil Goodwin Chronograph!
Typically, I’m not a big fan of Fossil watches. I find their watches to be bulky and overly complex.
However, the Fossil Goodwin Chronograph won me over with its amazingly similar design to the Rolex Daytona.
The rectangle and triangle dial marks complement each other perfectly. And the silver bracelet and black dial are a great classic (like peanut butter and jelly).
This watch is perfect for the gym or if you want to impress a hot date.
Pros:
*Beautiful black dial and classy silver bracelet.
*Chronograph function includes seconds, minutes, and hours.
*Very inexpensive Daytona alternative.
Cons:
*This is a larger watch (44 mm) – so only get it if you have a larger wrist.
*Water resistant to only 50 meters (which is basically nothing).
6. Stuhrling Chronograph
Click Here to get the Stuhrling Chronograph!
This is a great homage to the Rolex Daytona. The watch comes in several different colors.
One of the unique features of the watch is the use of numbers instead of the usual rectangular dials of most other similar watches.
*Uses numbers for minutes/hours
*Available in multiple colors, including blue, black, and black/silver.
Cons:
*There’s a lot going on in the watch and it can look clustered at times.
*Only 100 meter water resistance.
Under $300
Here are the best alternatives under $300
7. Seiko Recraft Chronograph SSC569
Many people think of Seiko as a manufacturer of cheap watches. However, in my experience, their watches are pretty good!
In fact, some of their watches give brands in the $1,000 price range a run for their money for a fraction of the price!
And the Seiko has outdone themselves with this amazing Rolex Daytona homage. This thing is an absolute beauty with the silver and blue dial. Plus, the minute and hour hands are very elegantly designed and look VERY classy.
The cool thing about the Seiko Recraft is it comes with a leather strap, which means it can be worn in more formal settings.
Pros:
*Beautiful silver and blue dial.
*Great alternative to the Rolex Daytona and looks way more expensive than it actually is.
*This is a solar powered watch, which means no more pesky battery changes!
*Very accurate at keeping time.
Cons:
*This is a larger watch (43.5 mm). If you have small wrists like me, this isn’t the watch for you. If you have larger wrists, this is perfect for you!
*Only water resistant for 100 meters
*The date window is very small
8. Bulova Marine Star Chronograph
Click here to get the Bulova Marine Star!
For guys that have bigger wrists, I would highly recommend getting the Bulova Marine Star.
This incredible line of watches come in several different colors, including black and blue.
One of my favorite things about the watch is the beautifully crafted minute and hour hands. They look like medieval swords. Plus, the outer dial marks are beautiful and look like tiny arrows.
The watch is a masterpiece and the chronograph feature works amazing!
Pros:
*Comes in several different colors, including black and blue.
*Minute and hour hands are absolutely beautiful.
*Very sporty and can be worn to the gym.
Cons:
*This is a larger watch (between 43mm and 45mm).
*Water resistant to only 100 meters.
*Watches are a bit more expensive than other Rolex equivalents.
9. Orient NEO 70’s PANDA WV0041TX
Click Here to get the Orient Neo 70’s Panda Watch!
This Orient chronograph does a really great job of replicating the iconic features of the Rolex Daytona.
I LOVE the black and silver dials contrast. Plus, the minute and hour hands just look perfect. This is a great watch for both the active guy and the guy that needs to attent formal events.
One of my favorite things about this watch is the outer dials.
Pros:
*Beautiful black and silver dial that will get you a ton of compliments.
*Chronograph feature for seconds, minutes, and hours.
*Solar powered – no more batteries!
Cons:
*Mid-range case diameter (42 mm).
*Only water resistant for 100 meters.
10. Rotary Legacy Chronograph Display GB90169/02
Click Here to get the Rotary Legacy Chronograph!
WOW!!
Is this a good looking watch or what? It makes great use of the silver and black contrast of the dial. And best of all, I’m a BIG fan of the minute and hour hands. They match perfectly with the outer dials.
This is one chronograph you need in your collection if you want to look like a million bucks.
Pros:
*Beautiful colors and excellent design of the dials and hands.
*Great for the gym or a sexy date or a wedding – this thing is really versatile.
Cons:
*This is a larger watch (43 mm).
*The watch is a little expensive.
11. Tissot V8 T106.417.11.051.00
Click Here to get the Tissot V8!
For guys that love black dial watches, the Tissot V8 is the perfect watch for you.
My favorite part of the watch are the minute and hour hands. They look like beautiful small swords swinging around. You’ll look like a real stud wearing this around the clubs or at the office.
Pros:
*Beautiful dial and hands.
*Chronograph function for seconds, minutes, and hours.
Cons:
*Only water resistant to 100 meters.
*A bit more expensive than other Daytona alternatives.
12. Tissot T17151632 T-Sport PRC200
This is a very classy watch that will pair well for formal events. I’m typically not a big fan of white dial watches, but this one is truly a thing of beauty.
As soon as you put this bad boy on you’ll instantly feel more powerful and important. There’s a lot going on in the watch, but it is also surprisingly simplistic and elegant.
Pros:
*High class brown crocodile leather band.
*Water resistant to 200 meters.
*Looks very elegant and will pair with most casual and formal outfits.
Cons:
*Date function is a bit hard to see.
*A bit smaller than most watches at 38 mm.
13. Victorinox Swiss Army Classic 241654
Click Here to get the Victorinox Swiss Army Classic Chronograph!
This is a beautiful Daytona homage. The watch is made with beautiful silver stainless steel. I’m a big fan of the white dial as it complements the silver very nicely.
Note: this is 44 mm watch, so if you have small wrists don’t get this watch. However, if you’re a bigger guy, I would highly recommend this bad boy!
Pros:
*Scratch resistant sapphire dial case.
*Beautiful white dial with numbered marks.
Cons:
*Watch is pretty heavy (16 ounces or 1 pound).
*This is a 44 mm watch.