Rolex Watches

Rolex Watches: Ultimate Prestige & Luxury  

“A crown for every achievement,” Rolex promises in their motto. This proves true given the history and heritage of the brand. Rolex is known to everyone as the ultimate luxury watch. From the iconic Rolex Submariner to the sporty Rolex Daytona and the classic Rolex Datejust, Rolex watches are on everyone’s top watch wish-lists. 

Perhaps the most popular brand even among non-enthusiasts, Rolex is an icon of excellence in more ways than one. This Geneva-based company assembles its timepieces by hand, continues to innovate in design and technology, and produces its own gold and other materials for its watches. Not to mention, the company takes pride in its COSC-certified movements. 

How much do Rolex Watches cost?

Prices for the Rolex Submariner: A Diver's Favorite   

The Rolex Submariner watch needs no introduction. Even non-enthusiast know of this timepiece, proving it worth as one of Rolex's most popular men’s watches. Today, it’s a favourite among the professional diving community. Divers all over the world vouch for the excellence of the Submariner, not just in terms of its superior diving specs but also its versatility in design. 

This all began in 1953 when Swiss physicist and explorer Auguste Piccard took with him a Rolex dive watch at 3,131.8 meters depth. The watch became the foundation of the Rolex Submariner and was later introduced at the 1954 BaselWorld. The rest, as they say, is history. Whether you’re into diving or you simply adore its classic sporty design, this tool watch is a great choice for you. Rolex Submariner watches produced from the late 1980s to the late 1990s include a depth rating of up to 300m (985ft). The Ref. 16610 that comes with a black dial and the Ref. 14060 both feature the Calibre 3030; while the Ref. 14060M and Ref. 16610LV both feature Calibres 3130 and 3135, respectively. 

In 2010, Rolex discontinued the production of the aforementioned models to introduce a new and improved line of Submariner watches, featuring the new Calibre 3135 movement. This certified Chronometer watch comes with 31 jewels and a power reserve of 48 hours. It also beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour. Rolex then replaced the aluminium insert bezel with a Cerachrom bezel, a ceramic bezel with a luxe finish. Lastly, the brand equipped each watch with a Glidelock system that allows 2mm-increment adjustments to perfectly fit over a wet suit. 

The Rolex Submariner costs between $6,000 USD and $200,000 USD, depending on the material used as well as studs available. These prices are certainly worth it, given that it’s one of the most popular Rolex men’s watches. 

Prices for the Rolex Daytona: An Iconic Racing Watch  

The Rolex Daytona — or the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona to be exact — prides itself as one of the most popular Rolex watches for men not only for the brand but also in the entire watchmaking industry. It’s not so surprising given the brand heritage of Rolex, as well as the many advantageous and luxurious bearings of this watch. As one of the brand’s flagship models, the Rolex Daytona is easily recognizable even in the wild. One of the most popular Daytonas to ever exist is the Paul Newman Daytona that sold at an auction for a record-breaking $17.8M USD at Phillips Auction House in New York in 2017. The actor’s name alone puts this model as one of the most coveted Rolex men’s watches. 

Right off the bat, the Daytona is a very impressive timepiece that prides itself as a Chronometer watch. This chronograph got its name “Daytona” from the Daytona Speedway races, a racing event where Rolex became an official timekeeper in 1962. To strengthen the brand’s affiliation with the race, they nicknamed the Cosmograph watch the “Daytona”, one that stuck through the years even to this day. 

In 2000, Rolex launched its most recent Daytona iteration that runs on an in-house movement. The Calibre 4130 features 44 jewels and 72 hours of power reserve that is still in use on present-day Daytonas. Aside from this, the Daytona also has noticeable changes on the sub-dial, with the running seconds moved to 6 o’clock from its previous location at 9 o’clock. 

The prices of the Rolex Daytona watches vary depending on the dial, with its stainless steel Daytona costing at $12,500 USD. Perhaps the most expensive Rolex Daytona has to be the platinum Daytonas with price tags north of $100,000 USD. However, diamond-studded Cosmograph Daytonas are no stranger to the watchmaking community, which costs roughly about $150,000 USD. 

Prices for the Rolex Datejust: A Classic Dress Watch 

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust — or simply the Rolex Datejust — spans Rolex’s legacy in one elegant timepiece. Overall, this watch encapsulates the brand’s philosophy and heritage in one. However plain and simple it looks, the Rolex Datejust surely embodies the essence of accuracy and sophistication. The history of the watch spans that of the company’s legacy, such as the invention of the Oyster case. In 1945, to celebrate Rolex’s 40th founding anniversary, the brand launched the Rolex Datejust collection. This watch captures all the innovations the brand ever made throughout the past 40 years. It’s not only the perfect Rolex watch for men but also a favourite among women. 

The Rolex Datejust met with various changes over the years. Rolex also made sure that the Datejust kept up with the times as most of the Swiss watchmaking industry took a bad hit during the Quartz Crisis. The brand did this by launching the Ref. 17000, Oysterquartz Datejust, which featured the 5035 quartz movement. Originally with a 36mm case, the Datejust found its way in a bigger casing of 41mm and called it the Datejust II. With the muted success of the Datejust II, Rolex was prompted to repackage the watch and call it the Rolex Datejust 41. 

The Datejust 41 had the same overall DNA as its predecessors, albeit larger at 41mm — thus, the name. The watch comes in an Oyster case with a water-resistance of up to 100 metres or 330 feet. The Oyster case would already be improved by the Twinlock technology of Rolex that added twice the waterproof system it already had. The screwed-down winding crown ensures the reliability of the Twinlock system. The crystal, still equipped with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for the date window, is sapphire. 

The Datejust perhaps is one of the cheapest Rolex watches only because it’s not as complicated as other Rolex watches. It’s most comparable to a regular three-hand watch and may come in either precious metals or a stainless steel case. You can easily cop a Rolex Datejust for less than its retail price, which is $8,500 USD. Pre-owned or vintage Rolex Datejust watches may come as affordable as $3,000 or 10 times as expensive at $30,000. 

Prices for the Rolex Day-Date: An Elegant Chronometer Watch  

The Role Day-Date is a multi-faceted watch that’s as complicated as it is elegant. The great thing about this watch lies on the fact that it’s not your typical watch with a day and date window. It’s not just a three-hand watch either. It is legacy wrapped around your wrist. This Rolex men’s watch proves popular especially for those who seek to prove their social status through watches. 

At first glance, the Rolex Day-Date will give you a well-balanced design despite the day window having the day of the week spelt out. But it doesn’t only come in English as the watch surprises you in various other languages such as Arabic, Basque, Catalan, Chinese, Danish, Dutch Ethiopian, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Moroccan, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish. 

Just like the Datejust, the Rolex Day-Date also pulled through in adapting to the invention of quartz movements. Thus, the Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date. While a lot of people expect a modern-day iteration of this model, it’s quite a rare sight to see these days. That’s why despite it being powered by a quartz movement, it’s one of the most expensive Rolex Day-Date watches. It also met with a change in case sizes, increasing from the usual 36mm to a 41mm (Rolex Day-Date II) and a 40mm case (Rolex Day-Date 40). 

When it comes to prices, the Rolex Day-Date falls into the more pricey category — perhaps due to the fact that all Day-Date watches are made of precious metals such as gold and platinum. So how much exactly does this Rolex watch cost? It’s easy to find a Rolex Day-Date watch priced at about $18,000 USD to $20,000 USD. However, its cost can go high up as a few thousand shy of $70,000 USD. You can find vintage Rolex Day-Date watches at a far more expensive cost given its rarity and condition. 

Prices for the Rolex Explorer: A Reliable Adventure Buddy 

The Rolex Explorer is a sleeping giant in the Rolex watch catalog. This tool watch boasts years of development to make it robust and reliable. However, its cut-rate value persists as compared to other Rolex watches for men. Not to mention, it remains to be one of the cheapest Rolex watches available. However, it’s no reason to say that it is, in any way, inferior among its more expensive counterparts. It in fact possesses characteristics unparalleled to its peers. 

This timepiece comes from a daunting adventure to the peak of Mt. Everest. In 1953, Rolex equipped the British Mount Everest expedition team with a watch that can withstand low temperatures. Led by Sir John Hunt, the team that comprised Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first to summit the world’s highest mountain peak. From the feedback gathered by the team, Rolex launched the Rolex Explorer. 

The Rolex Explorer features a legible dial even in extreme conditions. It’s nothing more than a simple watch that showcased a time-only display with a date window. Rolex doesn’t put out a lot of new Explorers, but changes remain relevant to meet modern-day standards. This type of timepiece doesn’t only work for the polar explorers but also for speleologists who spend much of their time in pitch-dark caves. 

Powering the watch is the self-winding Rolex calibre 3187 movement. The movement, manufactured in-house by Rolex, features a Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers. Extreme conditions are no match with the modern-day Rolex Explorer II, proving itself as the more durable version of its series. It’s also awarded as a Superlative Chronometer with an accuracy of -2/+2 sec/day. 

So, how much is a Rolex Explorer watch exactly? The typical selling price of the Rolex Explorer II is at less than $10,000 USD. While Rolex Explorer watches are no rare items, they certainly aren’t as plenty either. After all, they’re from Rolex, a brand known to turn its back from mass production to focus on quality over quantity of its watches. 

Prices for the Rolex Cellini: A Sophisticated Dress Watch 

The Rolex Cellini is much more than just a dress watch. This timepiece is the brand’s statement to elegance and excellence. If you think you know what Rolex is all about, such as workhorse timepieces and tool watches for men, then you’ve never seen the Cellini. It’s not a premier sports watch or a utility timepiece you can take with you on a spelunking adventure. It’s a remarkably designed dress watch for men that embraces all the elegance Swiss luxury can ever give. 

Cellini watches come exclusively in gold. This is to celebrate the heritage of Benvenuto Cellino, an Italian Renaissance goldsmith and sculptor celebrated for his dedication to his craft. The Rolex Cellini is simply art around your wrist without the unnecessary details. It comes with an understated design that no one else can replicate. The watch’s 18ct white gold and Everose cases are also cast in the Rolex foundry. 

This collection comes with various models from a three-hand design to a moon phase watch. Its prices range from about $13,000 USD to $25,000 USD. Some vintage Rolex Cellinis cost more. 

Prices for the Rolex GMT-Master: A Jet Setter’s Must-Have 

It’s almost impossible not to think of the Rolex GMT Master when talking about travel watches. This timepiece, originally designed for Pan American (Pan-Am) pilots and crew members, has become one of the best travel watches in the world. It’s not only for the brand name that precedes it but also for the excellence you can expect for a travel watch. Many prominent names are seen wearing this timepiece, which therefore boosted its appeal among the public. 

The Rolex GMT Master watch came about as a response to Pan-Am’s problem with adjusting to time zones efficiently. As flight crew — from pilots down to the cabin crew — struggle to adjust to new timezones, Rolex presented a solution in the form of the GMT Master watch. This timepiece doesn’t only quickly change from one time zone to another but also tracks another time zone independently. 

Just as expected from a Rolex watch, the GMT Master comes in various designs that make it such a compelling watch for different jet setters. Its most popular iteration perhaps is the Pepsi bezel that features a half-blue, half-red bezel. Rolex popularized this design, which is now a constant among its watch collections, especially tool watches. 

Because of the watch’s popularity, this proves to be one of the most expensive Rolex watches for men in the brand’s catalogue. So how much does a Rolex GMT-Master cost? Its prices can go from around $10,000 USD to $50,000 USD, depending on the material as well as its condition. Many vintage Rolex watches are known to be at least twice as expensive as the current MSRP of its modern counterpart. 

Prices for the Rolex Sea-Dweller: A Rugged Dive Watch 

The Rolex Sea-Dweller watch is one of the most powerful Rolex men’s watches. Despite it not being a flagship watch, it remains to be a timepiece that divers prefer. While not as popular as the Rolex Submariner, the Rolex Sea-Dweller is also a line of reliable dive watches. Vintage models of this watch come with a whopping 600m or 2,000ft of water resistance rating, while the Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea can reach as deep as 3,900m or 12,800ft. 

Developed in the 1960s, this watch meets the requirements needed by professional divers who work at great depths. Rolex developed this timepiece as the brand’s first “ultra water-resistant” tool watch. 

The Rolex Sea-Dweller watches come with a helium escape valve that’s specifically meant for saturation diving. When it was first launched, the Sea-Dweller didn’t have the date magnifier or the “cyclops” that’s usually present in Rolex watches. The reason for this is because it’s impossible to attach a cyclops with Ultraviolet light-curing adhesive at the top of a watch crystal exposed to the pressure encountered at its test depth. However, in more recent models, Rolex redesigned the crystal that allows for a cyclops magnifier to be attached to it. 

As to how much a Rolex Sea-Dweller cost depends on its design and materials used. This watch’s price ranges from $12,000 USD to $20,000 USD. 

Prices for the Rolex Sky-Dweller: An Elegant Travel Watch  

Lovers of both the Rolex Day-Date and the GMT-Master find a common ground with the Rolex Sky-Dweller. Launched in 2012, the collection is an elegant take on a travel watch with a clever design and almost that of a muted grandeur. 

Where the Rolex GMT-Master excels, the Rolex Sky-Dweller picks up from by adding a dash of Day-Date elegance to the design. More than a tool watch, this is a traveller’s watch that’s perfect to transition from the plane straight to a business meeting. It’s a more relaxed version of a travel watch that is just as functional as a tool watch. 

The timepiece comes with a dual timezone that comes in an off-centre disc. This is a major difference with the GMT-Master. While it’s not a popular choice especially for people who like more muted dial design, it remains an effective means of tracking two time zones at once. 

The Rolex Sky-Dweller watch often comes in a gold case that’s why it’s not as affordable as your typical travel watch. Its price ranges from $20,000 USD to $60,000 USD, depending on the type of gold used on the watch. 

Prices for the Rolex Milgauss: A Pioneering Anti-Magnetic Watch 

The Rolex Milgauss is a powerful tool that merges science and art in one timepiece. The watch comes with a ferromagnetic shield that helps it function properly despite the presence of a powerful magnetic field. Many scientists prefer this timepiece especially since they encounter electromagnetic fields in their line of work. 

Launched in 1956, the Rolex Milgauss became a truly iconic watch that scientists and engineers used as they worked in nuclear power industries. The name of the watch comes from the world “mille”, which means 1,000 in French and “ gauss”, which is a unit of magnetic flux density. This timepiece can withstand up to a thousand units of magnetic density change while remaining accurate. 

Despite it being discontinued in 1988, Rolex was met with demands and eventually revived the collection in 2007. The Rolex Milgauss can cost from about $7,000 USD to $20,000 USD. You can also find vintage Rolex Milgauss watches that are more expensive than some new ones. 

Heritage & Innovation of Rolex Watches 

The history of Rolex started in London, England, in 1905. Alfred Davis and his brother-in-law Hans Wilsdorf founded Wilsdorf and Davis. This watch would eventually become the brand we know and love as Rolex. The company imported Hermann Aegler 's Swiss movements to England and put them in cases made by Dennison and other case manufacturers. These watches were distributed to jewelers who then branded them as their own.

Three years later, in 1908, Wilsdorf registered the trademark "Rolex". This became the new brand name for watches from the Wilsdorf and Davis company. Wilsdorf moved on to open an office in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland — the heart of the watchmaking industry. 

For the following years since the establishment of the brand that is Rolex, the company chased after precision watchmaking. This, they met by earning certifications for their precise movements that no one has ever done before. Soon after, the whole company moved to the watchmaking city of Geneva, Switzerland, where the brand remains headquartered to this day. 

If you’re wondering where the name Rolex came from, it comes from Wilsdorf’s desire to create a brand name that’s easy to pronounce and remember regardless of the language you speak. It’s also onomatopoeic of a winding watch’s sound. 

The Iconic Rolex Logo 

The Rolex Logo was personally designed by its founders, Wilsdorf and Davis themselves. When the crown logo came to life, they made sure to trademark it in 1925. If you’re familiar with the brand, you’d recognize it just about anywhere with its five-pointed crown on top of the word “ROLEX”. 

The specifics of the logo aren’t as complicated either. Using the Garamond typeface, it’s as simple as the name is. This design helps a lot in making the logo of the brand perfectly balanced when put on the dial of the watch. In all marketing efforts, the word “ROLEX” comes in green while the crown is in gold. 

The Rolex crown displays opulence with the gold colour and puts the brand on a pedestal among the Swiss luxury watch brands. After all, a Rolex watch is a reminder of prestige in any way. Firstly, the luxury brand is a leading player in the industry. A lot of people refer to it as the “King of All Watches”, which is, by far, one of the boldest titles given to a brand yet. But it’s not so surprising given the prominence that comes with its name. 

But, perhaps, the easiest, most straightforward explanation to this lies with the company slogan: “A Crown For Every Achievement”. Many people equate owning a Rolex to financial independence as well as a very well-deserved prize for attaining a specific goal. Either way, the Rolex logo remains a symbol of stature, elegance, and splendour displayed humbly right around your wrist. 

The Rolex Chronometer Certification 

The chronometer certification is a huge part of Rolex’s catalog. In fact, the brand is a pioneer in chronometer certifications. In 1914, the Kew Observatory in Great Britain granted a “Class A” chronometer certificate to a small Rolex wristwatch, the first of many to bless the brand’s selection of watches for both men and women. This began every brand’s race to earn a chronometer status for its timepieces. 

Rolex is one of the leaders in precision timekeeping that the brand completely embraced certified precision as part of its identity. By the 1950s, Rolex had already manufactured about 90% of all chronometers certified in Switzerland since the late 1920s. 

Despite the regulations changing in 1951, Rolex went further and beyond to make sure that most — if not all — of its movements obtain certifications that cite each one’s performance to have “particularly good results”. Rolex takes these certifications to the dials of its watches by adding an inscription that says “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified”. It remains common among Rolex watches to this day. 

While the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute) stopped giving special citations on certificates since 1973, Rolex keeps the inscription on its watches as a reminder of its role in the development of precision timepieces. 

Among Rolex watches that are certified chronometers include the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, Rolex Yacht-Master II, Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller, and Rolex GMT-Master II, to name a few. 

The Rolex Oyster Case

Aside from the company’s track record of producing chronometer movements and watches, the brand also proved itself an innovator in many ways. Case in point, the invention of the Oyster case. 

Hans Wilsdorf turned the company’s attention to the technical needs of its patrons and that includes keeping the watch dust- and moisture-resistant. Most movement easily gets damaged by dust and moisture by getting under the dial and crown. As a solution, Rolex developed a waterproof and dustproof wristwatch in 1926. The “Oyster” is a hermetically sealed case that protects the movement from dust and moisture. 

To address this problem, in 1926 Rolex developed and produced a waterproof and dust-proof wristwatch, giving it the name "Oyster". The watch featured a hermetically sealed case which provided optimal protection for the movement. 

Moreover, the brand continues to accompany professionals on expeditions and world-breaking events such as with the 1953 Everest Expedition, the 1960 deep-dive by James Cameron at the Mariana Trench. More recently, a Rolex watch accompanied Alain Hubert who travelled to North Greenland in 2007 to map changes on the Arctic ice. 

New Rolex 2020 Models

Despite the BaselWorld 2020 being canceled due to the pandemic, Rolex pulled through and released various new models for the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, Rolex Submariner, and Rolex Skydweller. The brand also released a new movement, the Rolex Calibre 3230. This new calibre which can be found in the new Oyster Perpetual and Submariner boasts an improved precision and magnetic field and shock resistance.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual 2020 models feature bright-coloured dials such as coral red, turquoise, and pink. Meanwhile the Rolex Submariner 2020 upped its size by 1mm from its usual 40mm case. A no-date Submariner was also launched along with the improvement of the collection's movement. On the other hand, the Rolex Sky-Dweller 2020 only improved with the availability of Oysterflex bracelets for its watches. This makes the timepiece even friendlier for travellers and jet setters.

Famous People and Rolex 

Paul Newman 

The late actor Paul Newman was just one of the many famous patrons of Rolex. As a professional race car driver and racing enthusiast himself, Newman was fond of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. In fact, he owned a racing stable himself and expressed great love for the sport. 

With the actor being seen with a Daytona watch often during his races, in the 1980s, collectors gave the nickname “Paul Newman” to the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6239. The Paul Newman Daytona includes a contrasting-coloured seconds scale on the dial’s periphery, as well as a more art deco font on the sub-dials. 

Vintage Rolex watches hold great value as seen especially on auction houses. A Paul Newman Rolex Daytona can go from $50,000 USD to $100,000 USD among auction houses and vintage dealers. These watches are different from the Paul Newman Daytona given to him by his wife, which sold at $17.8 million at Phillips. 

Steve McQueen 

It’s simply impossible to put together a list that mentions Paul Newman without having to turn the other way and see his box-office rival, Steve Mcqueen. The 1960s was the decade of glamour in Hollywood and people more often than not pit actors against each other in what seemed to be an unwinnable race. The two, despite their passing, remain rivals to this day especially when it comes to memorabilia prices. 

McQueen, like his rival Newman, was also an avid collector of timepieces. While McQueen was best known for another brand’s famous square-shaped watch, he’s also fond of a particular Rolex, the ref. 5513 Rolex Submariner from 1964. This timepiece is McQueen’s off-the-screen watch. He’s often seen lounging on the set with it.

Ian Fleming 

Many people recognize the name Ian Fleming — the author of the greatest spy in all of fictional history, 007 himself, James Bond. The author once said, “A gentleman’s choice of timepiece says as much about him as does his Saville Row suit.” As much as his creation, Agent 007, gets associated with fine luxury watches, the author himself is a fan of great timepieces himself. 

Fleming had donned many watches throughout his life, but the most popular among them would be the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer Ref. 1016. The ex-Naval Intelligence officer finds this timepiece a fitting match for his occupational history and the character he’s brought to life. Fleming received his Rolex Explorer in the early 1960s. At the time, Rolex has been building a reputation for producing top-of-the-line watches for professionals. Alongside this watch, the Rolex Milgauss and the Rolex Submariner were born during this time. 

John F. Kennedy 

John F. Kennedy was one controversial man, but he lived his life with success even becoming the President of the United States before his untimely demise. The former president was known to collect timepieces, and a lot of them come from various brands. However, the most popular timepiece he’s ever associated with comes with a bit of controversy that makes it all the most valuable among the watch-loving community. 

The watch is an 18K gold Rolex Day-Date allegedly given to him by actress Marilyn Monroe. In an auction in 2005, the watch resurfaced and sold for $120,000 USD. The timepiece had an engraved message on the caseback that reads: “JACK, With love as always, from MARILYN, May 29th 1962.” While the watch has never been worn by Kennedy, it’s a timepiece that will always be greatly associated with him. 

Prince Harry 

Prince Harry has served his time in the Army and during his service, he donned a Rolex Explorer II “Polar Explorer” timepiece on many occasions. The watch is noticeable especially from afar with its unique white dial and crisp details that make it impossible to ignore. This timepiece works perfectly for his task in the army given that he’s always on the go. 

More than this, the Prince has also been seen with his trusty Explorer II on more casual occasions, showing how versatile of a timepiece it truly is. While he hasn’t been seen with the watch for quite a while, a lot of people took notice of his love for the timepiece not only in the service but in his time as a civilian. 

Rolex Watches: Luxury and Legacy on the Wrist

Besides owning a piece of the brand’s history, wearing a Rolex watch is like having its watchmaking legacy wrapped around your wrist. Not only are Rolex watches popular among watch lovers but they also bring a certain air of luxury and achievement to the wearer. It’s no wonder everyone dreams of owning a Rolex watch.