Collecting Rolex can be daunting, even for experienced collectors. Getting your hands on the right Rolex can be like capturing the Iron Throne. Unless you’re one of Rolex’s most loyal customers—that means buying multiple high-priced pieces a year—you will probably have to pick your Rolexes up on the secondary market. Enter Paul Altieri, founder of the new and pre-owned timepiece e-tail portal Bob’s Watches, who is known for being a trusted Rolex dealer as well as a serious Rolex collector in his own right.
We asked Altieri for his recommendations on the best Rolex models to collect, from a beginner’s piece to the reference that will affirm your status as a collecting king. And, for the final recommendations, Robb Report‘s digital watch editor, Allen Farmelo, offers up two of his favorites. These choices lean toward affordable vintage pieces that are a good starting point for those into the older Rollies.
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Rolex Submariner Ref. 116610
Image Credit: Courtesy of Bob's Watches Now one generation old, the Submariner 116610 is perfect if you’re just dipping your toes into Rolex collecting. Here we have a classic in the Rolex roster and one that isn’t impossible to find on the pre-owned market—unlike quite a few Rolex references.
“It’s the iconic model, it’s still what Rolex is known for, even with the Daytona, the GMT and all the other models they’ve got, the Submariner is still the quintessential Rolex,” says Altieri.
Prices are varying quite wildly on Rolexes as of late, but a clearn 116610 with box and paper (always desirable) will trypically run you around $12,000 on the pre-owned market.
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Rolex Pepsi GMT-Master II Ref. 126710
Image Credit: Courtesy of Bob's Watches Arguably Rolex’s most recognizable model, the “Pepsi” GMT Master II is the modern version of a classic 1950s world-traveller’s watch. The Pepsi earned its nickname for its blue and red bezel. Developed in 1955 to help Pan Am pilots keep track of time during transatlantic flights, the fourth hand can be set with the 24-hour bezel to set the second time zone. Prior to 2018, the latest Pepsi was released in white gold on an Oyster bracelet, but when the new steel version with the Jubilee bracelet came out at a more affordable price, they sold so fast they had an instant and significant return on investment.
The watch retails for an entirely reasonable $10,900, but good luch finding one at retail without playing the waiting-list game—likely for years on end. On the secondary market, you can expect to pay over $20,000.
“There’s long waiting lists and it’s still selling for a significant premium over retail.” So how can you get your hands on one? “Here’s the thing: If you’re a loyal customer and you’ve bought a bunch of watches from a Rolex store and you have a good relationship with your local AD (authorized dealer) and you want to put your name in and you’re willing to wait for a long time, then yes, you can get one,” says Altieri.
Rolex Pepsi models, no matter the decade of production, go for well beyond their original retail price, so even if you can’t get a new one, a vintage model is still a great investment. A 1990s Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 16700 (note the five-digits, indicating aprevious generation) is only slightly more than the retail price of the brand new six-digit reference. But if you have some extra cash to throw down, then we recommend buying one from the Pepsi’s prime era—when it was a useful tool watch during the dawn of public aviation. That will require dipping back even one more generation tot he four-digit era to the 1670, which may require a bit more investigation into condition, originality, service records and all the other concerns of acquiring a vintage timepiece.
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Rolex Daytona Ref. 116500
Image Credit: Courtesy of Bob's Watches The Rolex Daytona Ref. 116500 was introduced in 2016 and discontinued in 2023. It was the first Daytona to feature a Cerachrom bezel—a patented Rolex ceramic material that is resistant to both scratches and ultraviolet rays. Prior to this Daytona release, the model had not received a major update since 2000, when Rolex began equipping it with its first in-house movement, the caliber 4130. It had previously come with a Zenith-made El Primero movement, which the watchmaker had used since 1988.
“I think they nailed it in terms of sizing, the dial, and the Cerachrom bezel,” says Altieri. “I think white is still a little bit more preferred over black currently, but that could change. It’s kind of a flashback to the 6263 model that they were making in the late ’60s and ’70s and that model has done well. So, it’s a great watch and it’s still selling for a significant premium.”
The model from the ’70s sold for around $1,100 to $2,000 and now sells for between $85,000 and $110,000. The Ref. 116500 at retail was $12,400 (the same price for the white dial or the black dial), but is commanding around $30,000 as of this pubication. As always, keep your eye on the Rolex market for fluxtuations, but Daytonas generally only go up.
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Rolex Skydweller Ref. 326934
Image Credit: Courtesy of Bob's Watches Currently Rolex’s most complicated watch, this one is a clever travel watch that follows multiple time zones while showing the month using the 12 markers around the dial. The bezel acts as a dial that allows you to select which function you’re adjusting with the crown. Unique, useful, and very cool.
“This is a fantastic watch—a lot of the real horological watch people out there were excited to see something come out from Rolex that had a complicated movement with a calendar,” says Altieri. “They made it with a blue dial and a black dial [at first], but the blue dial is more desirable. It’s a bit more difficult to get.”
Originally selling for $14,000 at retail, as of this publication you’re going to find them on the pre-owned market for around $24,000.
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Rolex Daytona Paul Newman Ref. 6263
Image Credit: Courtesy of Bob's Watches In certain circles, this Rolex is considered a grail watch. And let’s be frank, if you’re just beginning to collect you’re likely not going to start with this million dollar baby. If you’re already looking ahead to the future however, this could be one of your end-goals in Rolex collecting.
The Ref. 6241 Daytona is known as the John Player Special because of its black-and-gold coloring that looks like the livery of a 1972 Formula One car sponsored by cigarette maker John Player & Sons. The 6241 was manufactured prior to the ’70s between 1966 and 1969 and less than 300 examples of the model in 18-karat yellow gold were ever produced.
“I…was really happy to add it to my collection,” says Altieri. “Like almost all the watches in my collection, it found me. There is a local real estate developer in my area that bought this watch brand new at Bucherer in Switzerland. He wore it his whole life, but when he found out how much it was worth now he didn’t feel comfortable wearing it anymore. He read about my collection and knew I’d pay full value for it, so he came to see me and I bought it.”
If you’re fresh to the hobby of watch collecting, just be prepared that, like many watch collectors, your interest may develop into full-blown obsession that can find you hunting down rare birds worth seven figures. We have warned you!
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Rolex Two-Tone Submariner Ref. 16803
Image Credit: Bob's Watches Two-tone watches are a Rolex speciality, and while tastes seem to bring this combo of steel and gold in and out of fashion, there’s been enough time since the first two-tone Sub came out in 1984 for the 16803 (or 16813, which is identical but with a movement upgrade) to have become timeless. And they’re not crazy expensive—yet.
I own one, and it took me forever to get past the weird associations I had with two-tone from my childhood, but once I did I fell in love with it. The tritium models are special to me, because the lume turns a warm yellow, and it just complements the gold nicely. You’ll need to get one before around 1997 to get the tritium lume. Mine is from 1984, the first year of the two-tone Sub, which is cool because I can just rattle that off and give the watch its place in history.
Prices for these range a bit based on condition and whether it has box and papers or not, but one can expect to get a clean example for a little over $10,000 as of this writing. Later models will have various bracelet upgrades, including solid end links and folding clasp with gold to match the center strip of the bracelet. If you prefer blue over black, look into a “Bluesy,” which is this watch with blue dial and bezel insert. —Allen Farmelo
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Rolex DateJust Ref. 1608
Image Credit: Bob's Watches Arguably the most iconic of all Rolexes—yes, even more so than the Submariner or Daytona—the DateJust first came out in 1945 and was the first watch to switch the date “just” at midnight, or was it that the date was always “just?” Whichever fable you ascribe to, the DateJust is one of the most noticable Rolexes in the world.
The older four-digit models are the one to get, because of the very cool pie-pan dials. This refers to the downward sloping minute track on the outer edge of the dial, which is divided into sections, somewhat like a pie-pan. The downside to a four-digit is the movement—it lacks the quickset date that was introduced around 1979. So you’re going to have to spin that crown a lot to get the date aligned with reality.
The 1608 comes in stainless steel and features a white gold fluted bezel, a Rolex signature. It is understated enough to be worn with anything at all, from jeans to a tux, and the prices aren’t too crazy. You can still get them in the high $3000 range sometimes, but for a really clean example you should expect to pay around $5,000. —AF
