The annual output of Rolex exceeds 1 million, Daytona 120,000, and Submariner 90,000. Analysis data released

Although Rolex never discloses information about watch production and revenue, over the years, through various data analyses, we have been able to get a rough understanding of the following:

• Rolex’s production volume is estimated to be around 1.05 million watches, and it may have further increased to 1.2 million watches in 2022.
• The sales revenue amounts to 8.807 billion US dollars, which is equivalent to over 60 billion Chinese yuan.

Today, I would like to discuss with you the distribution and production volume of each individual series within the 1.05 million Rolex watches. How much is the proportion for each series, and approximately how many Daytona and Datejust watches are produced each year?

Rolex’s new generation stainless steel Daytona, reference number 126500.

Out of the annual production of 1.05 million Rolex watches, approximately 570,000 watches belong to the classic collection, while around 470,000 watches are from the professional collection.

Although Rolex does not officially disclose any information, overseas researchers have analyzed the production situation of various Rolex watch series based on information from third-party organizations and authorized dealers over the years.

Note: The data presented in this article was analyzed and published by renowned foreign watch expert Raman Kalra on several foreign watch websites. The analysis methodology includes using the total Rolex production volume and sales revenue as a basis to derive multiple sets of different data. I have compiled and selected the data that is closest to our actual situation to present to all of you.

Rolex’s new model, the Explorer II, with the reference number 336934.

Out of the total 1.05 million Rolex watches, the classic collection accounts for 54.6% and the professional collection accounts for 45.4%. Here’s a breakdown:

Classic Collection:

• Datejust
• Oyster Perpetual
• Day-Date
• Explorer
• Cellini

These models together make up 54.6% of the production volume. It’s worth noting that the Explorer is categorized under the classic collection.

Professional Collection:

• Daytona
• Submariner (also known as “Water Ghost”)
• GMT-Master II
• Yacht-Master
• Explorer II
• Sea-Dweller
• Sky-Dweller
• Milgauss

These models together constitute 45.4% of the production volume.

Rolex annual production ratio

In general, the production ratio of Rolex classic models and professional models is roughly half and half. Among the 1.05 million Rolex watches, the production of classic models is approximately 570,000, while the production of professional models is approximately 470,000. Looking at it this way, the production of Rolex sports watches also seems significant. Let’s take a closer look at the production figures for each Rolex series.

Classic models: 282,000 units for the Datejust, 113,000 units for the Oyster Perpetual, 101,000 units for the Day-Date, 72,000 units for the Explorer, and 3,600 units for the Cellini.

Production of Rolex classic models

Professional models: Daytona: 126,000 units, Submariner: 98,000 units (also known as “Hulk”), GMT-Master II: 88,000 units, Yacht-Master: 54,000 units, Explorer: 39,000 units, Sea-Dweller: 33,000 units, Sky-Dweller: 23,000 units, Milgauss: 13,000 units.

Production of Rolex professional models

Rolex has a production volume of 1.05 million, which is a significant quantity. However, when it comes to each series, the quantity is dispersed. It is evident that the highest production volume within Rolex is the Datejust, reaching 282,000 units. The Datejust is the most conventional and common watch model from Rolex. However, it further varies in size, including 41mm, 36mm, 31mm, and 28mm, as well as different aesthetics such as smooth bezel, fluted bezel, full steel, two-tone, and various dial combinations. As a result, when it comes to specific variations like the blue dial, green dial, or palm leaf dial, the quantities become relatively scarce.

Rolex New Oyster Perpetual “Bubble”

Similarly, the Rolex Daytona has a production volume of 120,000 units, of which the majority are gold-cased Daytona watches. The quantity of steel-cased Daytonas is only one-third of the gold models, with 90,000 units produced in gold and 30,000 units produced in steel.

The Rolex Submariner, also known as the “Water Ghost,” has a production volume of 98,000 units, with approximately 60,000 units in steel cases.

The Rolex GMT Master II, or the “GMT,” has a production volume of 88,000 units, with approximately 54,000 units in steel cases.

Rolex New Yacht-Master in Titanium 226627

Although these data are analyzed and speculated by researchers, we can see that they are relatively close to the actual situation. Rolex has been increasing its production in recent years. However, the increased production is mainly focused on the classic models, while the production of professional models has decreased. According to the data, the production of classic models has increased by over 200,000 units, while the production of professional models has decreased by nearly 35,000 units.

Rolex New 40mm Explorer I 224270

Below are the estimated annual sales figures for various Rolex series, based on research analysis (2021 sales data, selecting series with relatively large market share):

Classic Collection: Annual sales of $1.62 billion for the Datejust, $360 million for the Oyster Perpetual, $2.24 billion for the Day-Date, and $1.15 billion for the Explorer.

Sales revenue of Rolex classic models

Sales revenue of Rolex professional models: Daytona – $2.25 billion, Submariner – $900 million, GMT-Master – $920 million, Explorer – $680 million.

Sales revenue of Rolex professional models

These figures may not be intuitive, so let me put it in a different perspective for better clarity. According to statistics, in 2021, the entire IWC brand had an annual sales revenue of $880 million, while the entire TAG Heuer brand had an annual sales revenue of $750 million. Comparing these numbers to the annual sales revenue of Rolex series mentioned earlier, the annual sales revenue of the Daytona series, at $2.24 billion, is roughly equivalent to three times the annual sales revenue of IWC. Similarly, the annual sales revenue of the Submariner series, at $900 million, is equivalent to the entire revenue of the IWC brand.

Rolex New Perpetual 1908

Finally, all the data in this article comes from foreign watch researchers and websites, and they are speculative data. They are not official data from Rolex (Rolex does not disclose production and sales figures).