Pre-Owned Spotlight: Neo-Vintage And Recent Pre-Owned Rolex Submariner Opportunities
The Rolex Submariner is one of my all-time favorite watches, and I am not alone. It is so widely loved that we almost don’t see it for what it is anymore. The Sub’s ubiquity makes it feel like an obvious, unimaginative choice. This, however, does gross injustice to its status as a benchmark and example for so many dive watches. A new or pre-owned Rolex Submariner is still one of the best everyday watches you can buy.
So today, I would like to take you shopping for a pre-owned example. We’ll look at a few neo-vintage and recent no-date Rolex Subs and cover some reasons for picking one over the other. One little disclaimer: when shopping for one, you want to do your homework on the minutiae of original and period-correct parts. We won’t be doing that today, so don’t take the watches shown here as Fratello-approved examples for blind purchasing. Do your homework!
Image: Timeless Vintage Watches
Pre-owned Rolex Submariner #1: Ref. 14060M
Let me kick off with my favorite, the 14060M. This is my favorite for the familiar reasons you have probably read many times. The five-digit Submariner bridges the divide between vintage and modern Subs. It marries the reliability of a modern one with the more elegant proportions and aesthetic of vintage subs. The 14060M wears smaller than a modern Submariner, and its aluminum bezel insert makes it significantly less shiny. These subtle details conspire to make this generation fly more under the radar than its successors. Contrary to those, the 14060M does not draw as much attention to itself. Unless you want your watch to shout that you’ve made it, that is a good thing.
Image: Timeless Vintage Watches
The 14060M is a minor update of the earlier 14060. It features an updated movement (cal. 3130 versus 3000) with a full balance bridge and a larger balance wheel with an antimagnetic hairspring.
The trade-off is primarily visible in the bracelet. This older generation (1998–2012) features hollow center links and a thin clasp made of pressed sheet metal. Don’t mistake this for a weakness, though. They are built to survive. They just don’t have that lovely bank-vault-like feeling of modern Rolex bracelets. I found this pre-owned Rolex Submariner ref. 14060M in very good condition at Timeless Vintage Watches for €8,250.
Image: Uhren2000
Pre-owned Rolex Submariner #2: Ref. 114060
Okay, what if you want that bank-vault-like feeling only modern Rolex can give you? Well, maybe you need to look at the next reference in line, the 114060, as your pre-owned Rolex Submariner. The same caliber 3130 powers it, but that is where the similarities end.
Image: Uhren2000
For starters, this generation features the so-called Super Case. The lugs stand so wide that I tend to think of it as a tapering rectangular watch with a circular bezel and dial in the middle. But everything else is turned up to eleven as well. The hour markers grew, as did the crown guards and the clasp. Last but not least, you now get a ceramic bezel insert. On the upside, it does not scratch or fade. To some, its bright shiny surface is a downside, but this is a matter of taste.
Image: Uhren2000
These younger (2012–2020) pre-owned Rolex Submariner models fetch higher prices. Still, you can find a great one under €10K in today’s market. A German dealer is offering this one for €9,690.
Image: Gioielleria Brandizzi
Pre-owned Rolex Submariner #3: Ref. 124060
Here, we enter the current generation of Rolex Submariner. Introduced in 2020, ref. 124060 had one massive, watch-world-shocking feature — an upsized 41mm case. It is not unlike the internet to overreact, but in reality, the 41mm spec results from a mere 0.3mm increase. This pushed the rounded-up diameter from 40mm to 41mm.
Image: Gioielleria Brandizzi
That’s not to say the case did not change. Rolex brought back some of the elegance of earlier generations with clever fine-tuning of proportions. While the lugs became narrower, the space between them went from 20mm to 21mm. Such small interventions lead to a more elegant stance without sacrificing the assertive presence a Sub should have.
Caliber 3130 finally made way for its replacement, caliber 3230. The new movement offers a 70-hour power reserve and consists of 90% new parts. There were some initial reliability issues, but those seem to have been resolved. I found a pre-owned Rolex Submariner ref. 124060 from an Italian dealer via Chrono24, with its box and papers for €11,600. Note that you pay a premium for direct availability versus waiting for one at retail.
Image: Timeless Vintage Watches
Closing thoughts
There you have it — the last three generations of no-date Submariners on the pre-owned market. In all honesty, you cannot go wrong with any of these generations. All are made to the highest standards for everyday watches and built to survive what the wearer will not.
Considering my tastes, my money would go towards the oldest, the 14060M. I like its imperfections and its character. When I went hands-on with the current-generation Submariner Date, I felt it was just too clean. I wrote about that experience here. For some reason, I find current Submariners too perfect and precious. Maybe I should just put a few scratches on one and see how we fare.
Which would be your pick of the pre-owned Rolex Submariner offerings above? Let us know in the comments below!
