If there ever was a watch that has become a living legend, it has to be the Rolex Daytona watches . It is so revered and coveted that collectors around the world are willing to wait years and pay exorbitant black market prices for the privilege of wearing this universally acclaimed timepiece around their wrists.
What is really surprising when you see the frenzy surrounding this sought-after object of desire, is that upon its introduction in 1960 the watch, known at the time as the Cosmograph -- a revamped version of the chronograph model launched by Rolex in 1937 -- was not very popular at all.
Actually, the early Rolex Daytona watches were not even powered by Rolex's own movement but by another manufacturer's. It was only in 2000 that Rolex installed its own chronograph movement in the Daytona, and made a few technical improvements as well, such as downshifting the ticking from 36,000 beats per hour to 28,800.
