The Luxurious Rolex Daytona Watch Alternative That's Cheaper And Nearly Identical

Rolex watches are among the most expensive Swiss watches out there. And they're gaining value. A recent report from Bob's Watches, an online watch exchange that specializes in Rolex brands, revealed that Rolex prices increased by around 550% in the past 15 years. So, should you come across one, it could be worth a ton of money. But to truly find out if your old watch is worth anything, it is best to get it appraised.

Among these expensive watches is the 6239 Newman Daytona. Produced between 1963 and 1969, these watches became associated with Paul Newman after an Italian auction house hyped up the fact that the actor wore a Daytona with an exotic dial when he raced cars. While some of the newer Daytona models have an average order price of about $38,000, the 6239 Newman Daytona watches typically sell for a minimum of $100,000. The one that Newman personally wore sold at auction for $17.8 million in 2017. 

But for those unable, or unwilling, to spend more than six figures on a Newman Daytona Rolex, there is another option: the Baltic Tricompax. Watch review website Wrist Enthusiast described the Baltic Tricompax, with its panda or reverse-panda dial display, as a cheaper  "vintage-inspired alternative" to the Daytona. 

Rolex was founded in 1905 and has been based in Switzerland since 1919. It produces watches with hefty price tags that are prized by discerning shoppers. Baltic Watches was founded in 2016 and is based in Paris. It was named by HiConsumption as one of the 25 best watch microbrands to watch. And while Baltic is renowned for making affordable neo-vintage-style watches, its watches aren't dirt cheap. In the case of the Tricompax, their resale value can range between $1,594 and $1,907, per lux watch website Coveted.

The ways the Tricompax is similar to the Daytona include its dial, which sports three mini-dials to mark time and speed. They both have a tachymeter bezel surrounding the dial, which also helps their users track time and the speed of a car or plane. And they both have mechanical motors (movement) that require being wound by hand. 

But there are numerous differences between the two watch brands beyond one being marked "Rolex" and the other labeled "Baltic." While the Daytona 6239 is made of steel or gold, the Tricompax is primarily made of steel. The Daytona's bezel is likewise made of steel or gold. The Tricompax's bezel is made of aluminum. At 39.5 mm, the Tricompax is larger than the 36 mm Daytona 6239. And, Tricompax's Sellita SW510-M movement lasts up to 63 hours, while the Valjoux 72 movement that the Daytona 6239 uses lasts up to 48 hours. 

Paul Newman's movie star status, love of racing and tendency to wear the Rolex Daytona enhanced the watch brand's popularity with racers. So, too, was Rolex's partnership with the Daytona Speedway. But Baltic Watches created its own share of fans for its products. For example, JustBlueFish Watch Reviews gave a mostly glowing YouTube critique of Baltic's Tricompax model, saying that it "checked all the boxes" of a good chronograph watch. The Baltic Tricompax also has its own affiliation with racing, becoming the official timekeeper of the Tour Auto 2024 race in France (which led to the watch's 2024 edition.)

But will Baltic Watches go up in value?  Simply put, Baltic Watches does not have the same reputation as Rolex. Andrei, the host of the watch enthusiast YouTube channel, Brave Beaters, admitted he is generally skeptical of the Baltic Watches brand, opining they seem to be "too expensive for what they offer," especially since, unlike Rolex, they aren't made in Switzerland. 

It's nearly impossible to determine how the value of an object will change over time. Even objects that are seemingly mundane could skyrocket in value someday. For example, Depression-era jadeite dishes, bowls, and pots were practically given away at stores, but now the green vintage household item can be sold for as much as $1,000. But if your Baltic Watch does appreciate in value, whatever you do, don't put them in a safety deposit box of your local bank, unless you have them insured.