Diving Deep Into Submariner Prices
Watch & Bullion
12 January 2018 | 5 min read
A range which falls into the iconic Rolex styling, the Submariner is truly a heavyweight when it comes to luxury Swiss watchmaking. Dating back to 1953, the Submariner was designed with the diving market in mind, being one of the first watches to incorporate water and dust resistance.
Over the last 65 years, the Submariner has undergone many changes and technical improvements to cement itself as a legend within the market. Many different models can be picked up preowned with a whole host of different features and design varieties causing a range of pricing options.
Although a watch which has stood the test of time guarantees it’s stature, it’s often hard to know exactly which model to go for. We’re going to take a look at the current Submariner range, comparing the different specs to identify the bargains to be had in both the new and preowned market. Ready? Lets dive in….
Rolex Submariner ‘No Date’ #114060
The entry level Submariner piece stays right in tune with the original 1950’s design. The 21st century model comes armed with the classic stainless Steel Oyster bracelet, black dial and 3130 movement. The uni-rotational bezel gives any diver the ability to track their time underwater, whilst rocking a stylish black, scratch-proof finish.
Coming in at a cool £5,450 new, the #114060 still requires a fair investment to become the proud owner of a Submariner. At this model level a pre-owned piece can be picked up for a slight discount at around £4,600 or try going back to a previous generation for around a £2000 saving.
Key Feature – Classic Submariner Design
Rolex Submariner Date #116610LN
Moving up the Submariner ladder, as expected with the name, the ‘Date’ range incorporates a calendar date indicator found at the 3 o’clock position. A lot of the specs for the Date match those of the standard Submariner #114060. A slightly improved movement incorporates the date indicator whilst maintaining the Submariners 40mm diameter.
It’s when we reach the Date range that Rolex starts to offer levels of customisation. The #116610LN ships with the classic stainless Steel we have seen with the ‘No Date’ entry level piece.
With the addition of the date indicator the new price rises to around £6,250. Pre-owned deals are fairly commonly found on the online market with the lucky buyer expecting to shave around £1000 of the new price at £5,300.
Key Feature – Date Indicator
Rolex Submariner Date – Green Dial Edition #116610LV
The Submariner Date range has a number of different customisation options and perhaps the most common is the #116610LV. The reason? It’s green dial and bezel earned it the nickname of the ‘Hulk.’ Like the Hulk, this model is a serious piece of kit!
Although it maintains the 300m water resistance depth, the piece maintains its dominance on dry land by maintaining the classic stainless Steel Submariner look and feel.
Due to the Hulk’s unique design style it remains a popular choice within the Submariner range, with prices starting around £6,600. Unfortunately pre-owned prices don’t leave too much to be desired, with a saving of around £300 found rarely online.
Key Feature – The Green ‘Hulk’ Dial
Rolex Submariner Date Two Tone #116613LN & #116613LB
We have grouped the #116613 LN & LB models together as they share so many similar traits. As we climb the ladder further on to these two models, we move away from the classic Steel Oyster bracelet for the first time to incorporate a Steel and Yellow Gold hybrid.
Rolex combine the strength and reliability of Steel and the lustre and nobility of the Yellow Gold to create a very classy bracelet option. At this model level a choice of black and blue dial’s are available, both offering fantastic styling alongside a Yellow Gold trim.
If you’re budget sits around 10k the LN & LB models will ensure you have some change at £10,900 brand new. Although if you have slightly less to drop on a new Rolex, pre-owned deals are there to be had on both varieties at around £7,500. One thing’s for sure – whether you prefer black or blue you will look great with this Rolex on your wrist!
Key Feature – Steel & Gold Hybrid
Rolex Submariner Date Yellow Gold #116618LN & #116618LB
You may begin to see some patterns forming in this Submariner guide, our next two models move away from Steel completely to offer us a pure Yellow Gold bracelet alternative.
With high quality 18CT Yellow Gold assured, these models look awesome with the black and blue dial options. Although the internals and specs don’t change here, the addition of full gold exterior take us into a new price bracket.
Brand new, either dial colour is going to set you back around £28,000 brand new. Whilst some huge reductions can be found on pre-owned models, typically bargains can be found at around £18,000.
Key Feature – Full Yellow Gold Bracelet
Rolex Submariner Date White Gold #116619LB
The last model in the Submariner range, gives us one last customisation option for the Date modelling, offering up a White Gold/Blue Dial option.
As with the #116618 varieties, this model comes with Rolex’s own high quality 18CT White Gold which complements the blue dial nicely to create a understated, premium feel.
The price creeps up slightly for the White Gold with a brand new #116619LB coming in at £29,950. Despite the hike in new prices, the pre-owned price sits equally at around £18,000 giving the buyer the option of Yellow or White Gold at the same price point.
Key Feature – Premium White Gold Feel
Time to Resurface…
The Submariner is a truly amazing piece of Swiss engineering; it’s classic styling means that no matter which model you choose, you will be the envy of those around you. The downside of a watch with roots this deep is that fakes can be found just as commonly as the real thing. So what should you look out for?
- As we have seen, Submariners are only made with the highest quality Steel and Gold – if it feels light, it probably isn’t the real deal!
- Many parts of a Rolex watch are hand finished – Take a look at the finer details and ensure it is what you would expect, anything sloppy means you probably have a fake on your hands.
- Rolex have pioneered watch movements during their 110 year history and as such pride themselves on smooth operations. If you hear a clicking sound or see jerky dial movements, steer well clear.
Still unsure on the classic signs of a knock off? Check out our guide to spotting a fake Rolex here.