Hands-On: The Rolex Submariner Ref. 14060M — The Pinnacle Of No-Date Dive Watches?

I am sure some of you have “the one that got away.” You know — that one watch you missed out on or simply never got around to chasing down. For me, weirdly, that is probably my favorite watch of all time, the Rolex Submariner ref. 14060M. When I was in a position to buy it, it was out of reach. Now that it is within reach, I have more pressing priorities. So when Nacho asked me to do a hands-on with one, I jumped at the opportunity. Here’s how we fared.

Why the Submariner 14060M?

You may know from my earlier musings that my love lies with the older Rolex Submariner ref. 5508. A gilt 5512/5513 comes a close second. Still, this 14060M is the one I would probably buy if push came to shove.

Why? Well, that’s because it famously bridges the gap between vintage and modern. You get the under-the-radar, pre-bling aesthetic paired with modern build quality, the rock-solid caliber 3130, a sapphire crystal, slender proportions, and a matte aluminum bezel insert. If you are going to pick a watch for worry-free, hard daily wear, this fits the bill.

Pricing plays a role too. The beloved five-digit generation is currently the most affordable. Pair that with easy and affordable servicing, and you have a watch you can wear with peace of mind. When I was in the market, they fetched around €11K–12K, which I could not afford. Today, you will find tons of them around €8K. Frankly, I think this is easily one of the best watches you can buy under €10K. The M version, specifically, had some worthwhile upgrades — namely, a full balance bridge and larger balance wheel — that make it a perfect everyday watch.

Why the Submariner 14060M is the pinnacle of dive watches

When I look at the development of dive watches, I roughly see two eras. The first is defined by an ongoing effort to perfect the dive watch, while the second is characterized by a switch to making it luxurious. This transition coincides with the mass adoption of dive computers by the end of the 20th century and, as with all genres of mechanical watches, with the industry’s response to the Quartz Crisis.

The five-digit Submariner sits right there at the crossroads. Admittedly, it already came with some luxuries, like white gold surrounds on the indexes. But, at the same time, it still feels far removed from the shiny safe queens that would follow. Granted, every new generation of Sub still evolves functionally as well, but the gains diminish as Rolex creeps up on technical perfection. This five-digit era already offered every specification and feature one could require.

Comparing Submariner generations also inevitably leads one to appreciate the impact of seemingly minor details. I am straying into the subjective here, but next to the later Maxi-everything ceramic-bezel Sub, this looks infinitely more refined and elegant. Those may not be two descriptors at the top of your list when shopping for a diving tool, but the 14060M shows that you truly can have your cake and eat it too.

A leader, not a follower

The above merely describes why I feel the Submariner 14060M sits at the top of Rolex Submariner development. That still leaves an ocean of competitors out there. Few, however, are managed as well as the Submariner. In fact, few brands manage their heroes as well as Rolex, as I described in this earlier article on Fratello.

The Submariner was part of the first wave of dive watches (as we know them today) in the early 1950s. It has been in continuous production ever since. Crucially, the model underwent slow and considerate evolution through the decades. Unlike all of its competitors, it did not stray from its core identity to follow trends. A 1980s Sub does not look like a product of that decade; it just looks like a Sub. Omega, Blancpain, and all the others failed at that one simple measure.

Additionally, Rolex found the cleanest, simplest solution to the challenges of dive-watch design. It sometimes feels as if almost every other dive watch emerged from a design brief that read, “Try not to make it look too much like a Submariner but not too much unlike a Submariner either.” This makes the Rolex Submariner a true segment leader, not a follower.

My experience with the Submariner 14060M

Okay, reading all of that back tells me I am approaching this as a political campaign for the five-digit Sub. Frankly, I don’t care whether people agree with any of the above. These are merely rationalizations for how I feel about this watch.

Getting reacquainted with the Submariner 14060M for this article was an absolute joy. This watch makes me doubt all others. It feels so at home on my wrist through its combination of perfect sports-watch proportions and its classic — even iconic — design. Indeed, this watch feels so familiar that it borders on the boring. That, however, is a good thing in my book. I like that it blends in rather than stands out. It is a Rolex I wear for myself, not to impress others. Frankly, not many modern Rolex watches are very good at that.

It feels as if I have owned and worn this watch for years, which I haven’t. Perhaps the proportional similarities to my Explorer II ref. 16570 trick my brain. It makes me doubt my prior choice of the Explorer II. That may be the more original choice, but I am afraid my love of the Sub runs a little deeper still.

Closing thoughts

Well, that did not turn out to be a highly critical review, did it? Not every review has to be. I turned my watch hobby into my profession because of my love and admiration of fine watches. When one moves me as much as the Rolex Submariner 14060M does, I don’t want to nitpick about whatever shortcomings I can find with a fine-tooth comb. Sometimes, I just want to share my excitement with the community. After all, isn’t it that very excitement that brought us here in the first place?

So, is there a Rolex Submariner 14060M in my future? It depends. With my daily watches sorted, I might still go hunting for its vintage predecessors instead. But if I had to consolidate my daily watches into one, this would be my go-to without a moment’s hesitation.

What is your “one that got away”? Do you have any watches you have always admired but never got around to acquiring? Let us know in the comments section below!