The Hennessey Venom F5 is the world’s fastest production automobile, capable of 300mph. Wait. Sorry. The Venom F5 will be the world’s fastest production car. Don’t get me wrong. The Texas modder will eventually git ‘er done. Meanwhile, I have a hard time believing that anyone in their right mind would buy Hennessey’s Venom F5 Concept limited-edition chronograph . . .
For one thing, Hennessey’s peek-a-boo Rollie isn’t the world’s first skeletonized Rolex Daytona (ref. 4130). I refer you to our post back in December 2019. That’s when we met Artisans de Genève see-through Daytona, The Juan Pablo Montoya Project (above).
It wasn’t a one-off either; jamesedition.com is selling an Artisans’ skeletonized Rolex (for $118k). Nor is it Venom F5 chronograph-maker Skeleton Concept‘s first rodeo.
Check out the see-through Rollie with a green translucent bezel (above), built for rapper French Montana (no relation to the Colombian race car driver).
The second reason Hennessey’s Chrono is insane: it doesn’t say Rolex on the crystal. (No surprise there. Rolex guards its trademark better than Cerberus protected Hades.) Oh, and the F5 Concept costs $200k, plus taxes and a $3m car.
I’m not saying the Concept chrono is easy to make. And I’m sure that finding a spare $200k is easy for people who can afford to buy, store, insure and maintain the Hennessey Venom F5. But really, what makes this skeletonized, de-badged/re-badged Rolex so special?
In the hopes of a Venom F5 test drive, carbuzz.com regurgitates the answer in Hennessy’s press release. Here’s the official line on what separates this skeletonized Rolex Daytona from other Skeletonized Rolex Daytonas.
Now, this isn’t just a watch collaboration that was phoned in, not that we would expect it to be. No, Hennessey wanted something that was engineered to exact precision with the highest quality materials.
It starts with the Sapphire case that is created out of aluminum oxide heated to over 3,092°F. They then cool that crystal down, inspect it meticulously, and then machine it 24 hours a day for 30 days. Once it’s deemed finished, it is then taken and polished, ready to house the $200,000 chronograph.
carbuzz.com
Sorry, but the days when a watch with a sapphire crystal case was a big freakin’ deal – and expensive AF – are over. The $5k “supercar on your wrist” Aventi A11 put paid to that one.
OK, sure, Skeleton Concepts is only building a maximum of 24 Hennessey Venom F5 Concept Chronographs, available exclusively to Venom F5 owners. In the same way only Porsche GT3 buyers can purchase a Porsche Chronograph 911 GT3 (above). Hmmm.
Would I rather have a $250k GT3 and a $10k GT3 chronograph than a $3m Venom F5 and a $200k Venom F5 Concept watch? Yes! That said, Venom buyers probably already have the Porsche and bunch of other cars and watches besides. So there is that.
Anyway, skeleton schmeleton. The whole point of a Rolex Daytona: it’s got an authentic road racing vibe the way it is. The Daytona is the Panda-faced timepiece Paul Newman wore. Wheeling-up in a Venom F5 rocking a genuine Newman-era Rolex Daytona Ref. 6263 would be so much cooler than making the scene with a skeletonized Rolex not-so-ingeniously-branded “Skeleton.”
Good news Venom buyers! chrono24.com has a selection of 6263’s for sale from around $100k to $180k. If you’re down to your last $200k, Bob’s Watches would be happy to sell you a modern Rolex Daytona for around $30k, leaving you plenty of money to rent something onlookers would really admire (i.e., arm candy).
While the luxury watch market is busy depreciating, even at full whack a Daytona old or new would be a far better “watch investment” than a 200-large Venom F5 Concept chronograph. And like I said, way cooler.
A Venom buyer doesn’t have to by a Venom F5 Concept chronograph. Skeleton Concepts can’t sell one to a non-Venom buyer. And just like the car, the watches are built to order . . . eventually. Playing Marvelous Marvin (an irredeemable haggler), I bet a Venom buyer could beat them down on price. Now how much would you pay?