Those who are familiar with the cheap fake Rolex Air-King collection may have browsed many popular models.
While collectors of replica watches UK have heard many such references, it's a safe bet that few are familiar with Domino's Rolex, a moniker coined not for a specific color or style, but specifically for the pizza giant. Manufactured Rolex watch label.
The merger of these two distinct brands, one representing affluence and the other affordability, may surprise some as it's hardly the most anticipated pairing. However, Domino's Pizza has been ordering custom replica Rolex watches from the Swiss watchmaking giant for more than 40 years.
Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan revealed the origin of Domino's Rolex watches in his 1986 autobiography "Pizza Tiger". He wrote: "I started giving away watches in 1977 when I wore a Borgova watch with the Domino's logo on it. A franchisee asked how he could buy that watch from me and I told him, 'Turnover was $20,000 a week.' He did it, and over the next few years I gave away a few Seikos and then hundreds of $800 Rolexes."
The copy Rolex watch he mentioned is actually an Air-King model 5500. The Air-King 5500 is one of Rolex's most low-profile watches, featuring a stainless steel 34mm Oyster case, an Oyster bracelet, and a chronograph dial. However, the eye-catching Domino's blue and red logo on the dial of the Air-King watch, awarded to store managers with outstanding performance, makes the originally low-key Rolex stand out.
Monaghan knew the chance to win a counterfeit Rolex was a great incentive for store managers, so the pizza company created the Domino's Pizza Rolex Challenge. While the original way to win a Domino's-branded Rolex was to hit $20,000 in weekly sales, that goal became more ambitious as the pizza chain grew. Additionally, as Rolex's catalog also changed, Domino's branding appeared not only on various watches but in different forms over the years. Yes, the Domino's Pizza Rolex Challenge continues today, with a brand new Oyster Perpetual 36 ref. 12000 is the coveted prize.
It's important to stress that genuine Domino's Rolex watches are not aftermarket products custom-branded by Domino's – these luxury replica watches come directly from Rolex and come with the necessary logos, and some even have a written statement stating "Domino's Pizza" as the purchaser.
The Domino's brand has been around for over 40 years and has had several different brands on Rolex replica watches UK. For example, early models had the Domino's logo on the dial. In addition to larger logos, smaller logos, straight logos, and slanted logos, there are also examples of colored logos (blue, red, and white) and black and white logos.
Sometime in the mid-2000s, the Domino's logo moved from the dial to the bracelet. The Domino's logo, also in stainless steel, was affixed to the first (and later second) link of the steel Oyster bracelet, a more discreet approach to co-branding. Some bands have the full square Domino's logo on them, while others have a simplified version of the Domino's logo with just the Domino's logo and no pizza brand name. There are a few transitional fake watches from around 2003/2004 that have logos on the dial and bracelet.
Additionally, Domino's Rolex replica watches for men often have engravings on the case, depending on the year they were awarded. Some tickets have the Domino's logo printed on the back, some have the winner's initials printed on the back, some have the completion date and sales target (e.g. $20,000) printed on the back, and so on.
Which imitation Rolex watches have the Domino's brand?
While all Domino's clone Rolex watches are stainless steel chronographs, various models have been used over the years, including Air-King and Oyster Perpetual watches. As mentioned before, the first Domino's Pizza Rolex was the Air-King ref. 5500, one of Rolex's longest-running models.
When Rolex stopped producing the Air-King 5500 in the late 1980s, the Air-King ref. 14000 replaced it, thus becoming the watch used by Domino's as a Rolex Challenge prize. There's also the replica Rolex Air-King ref. 14010, which is similar to the ref. 14000 but uses an engine-turned bezel instead of a smooth bezel. In the 2000s, Rolex upgraded the Air-King to ref. 14000M (and ref. 14010M) and updated the movement, then launched the Air-King ref. 114200 in 2007.
In 2014, Rolex discontinued the Air-King series entirely but retained the ref. 114200 as part of the Oyster Perpetual series. In addition to the Domino's version of the Oyster Perpetual 114200 (34 mm case), there is also the Domino's Oyster Perpetual 116000 model (36mm case).
In 2024, high-end exact fake Rolex released a new generation of Oyster Perpetual watches in various sizes, and as expected there was also a new Domino Rolex, the Oyster Perpetual 36 ref. 126000, with a silver dial and gold hands and indices.
Here's a quick reference on the timeline - it can be challenging to keep up:
Domino's has also produced a number of smaller women's Rolex watches over the years, including the Oyster Perpetual Ref. 67194, 67180, 76080, and 176200.
With a stainless steel case, bracelet, and simple three-hand dial, the 1:1 Rolex Oyster Perpetual replica and the discontinued Air-King references (not the current Air-King ref. 116900) have always been some of Rolex's more affordable models. Historically, a used Domino's knockoff Rolex watch has sold for between $3,000 and $6,000, depending on the specific reference and condition, and some collectors are willing to pay for such an unusual brand. Pay a slightly higher price.
However, the current value of the latest 2020 Domino's Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 126000 on the secondary market is around $8,000, which is comparable to the value of a standard used Oyster Perpetual ref. 126000. Specifically, the official retail price of the Oyster Perpetual 126000 is $5,600. However, like many current Rolex models, these references (including the Domino's brand) sell for much more on the open market as consumer demand greatly exceeds supply.
An Important Partnership to Commemorate Achievement, But You Should Know How to Spot a Fake Rolex Watch.
While there are several replica Rolex co-branded watches, including Tiffany, Cartier, COMEX, Pan Am, and Chevrolet (to name a few), Domino's Pizza's co-branded watch stands out for a few reasons. For example, this relationship has lasted for more than 40 years and is still going on today. In contrast, many other co-branded Rolex watches were discontinued decades ago.
Additionally, these affordable fake Rolex watches are not what we traditionally think of as corporate watches, such as those that have served for decades (think Coca-Cola and Winn-Dixie). Instead, Domino's Pizza's Rolex watches are a regular prize the company gives to its top performers.
