Should you buy a modern Submariner or a vintage Submariner? HK Snob weighs in

 

 

Many of you may have a Rolex Submariner in your collection. Being one of the most iconic watches in the world, the Rolex Submariner is often seen on the wrists of stars and celebrities. From divers to everyday users, the Rolex Submariner has always served us well as a tool watch or simply a three hander.



The current lineup of Submariners include the 116610 (Sub date), 116610lv (the Hulk) and the 114060 (no date Sub). Among them, the 116610lv is most sought-after with its green ceramic bezel and green sunburst dial. It is a watch that retains its value best among the three. Much like its predecessor 16610lv, the green Submariner released for the 50^th anniversary of the Submariner, the Rolex Green has made it very popular among collectors. However, if you already own the Hulk or even all three of the current Submariner references, what else can you buy?

 

 

 

One of the most attractive things about a Rolex is that every watch is very iconic and a Rolex seems to retain its value in time better than anything else. Therefore, if you are looking to buy a Submariner, other than the watches in the current collection which are around 50k to 68k HKD, you may look for a second-hand or NOS 14060, 16610, or even the more vintage 5513 and 1680.

 

 

 

 

 

A basic good-condition 5513 or 1680 can be found at around HKD 48-50k. The prices are rising slowly as these watches are getting rarer and rarer. It is a good investment for you.

 

 

 

However, if you do not like their Maxi dials, you can choose the more recent 14060 which is a perfect tool watch for any occasion. One of the features of the 14060 is that all of them have lug holes which are an important feature of a tool watch. The Submariner of that generation has different case shapes than the current collection which features “super cases” with more angular shapes. The 5513, 1680 and the more recent 16610, 14060 has better curves than the current 116610 and 114060 in terms of their shapes.

 

 

 

 

 

The 16610 and the 14060 are sold at around 35-45k and these watches are already out of production. Their prices will only go up as time goes by. We will go into more details of these watches in later episodes.

If you do not have a Submariner yet, do go for the 116610lv. The classic Rolex green color makes it a very sharp watch that retains its value best among the current lineup of Submariners. If you already have the “Hulk”, think of the last generation of Submariners. There is always one for you to get.

 

HK Snob