Rolex Submariner 16618 with Onyx Dial

The 90’ were an inventive time for watches. Watch giant Rolex taken his experience from the renowned colourful Day Date series trying to experimenting some interesting attraction on their sport lines typically the Submariner!

Rolex Began to use hard stones to make their dial on Submariner model 16618.

Take his 1991 x series 16618 Onyx Dial as a case study.

Rolex watch markers delved into the painstaking process of trimming and lapping a two kilo Rock into a 0.20 mm thick piece of Onyx to be mounted onto the copper base plate.

These dials are entirely hand made as they are brittle and not machinery friendly.

And the onyx dial production yield is as low as 20%.

Meaning out of 10 pieces of dial only 2 could pass the Rolex quality standard.

So as the cost is very high!

We don’t know how many pieces were made but this is the second piece that I have seen for the past 25 years in Hong Kong.

And I know that they will not make again on SUBMARINER!

Look at the special ultra flat surface and an added gold window frame for the date display, this is to tell this is onyx dial.

This is my new collection item.

HK Snob

Hong Kong watch fever

Market Situation and Price

1675 Pepsi Fuchsia Long E

Sea Dweller 1665 with paper, Box and Books

NOS Explorer II Polar with inhaut Engrave

1665, 5513, 16800, 16610, 168000, 16610LN

With HS Index touched the ceiling higher 30,000 last week with Chinese cash dumping into the inferno stock market of HK

People seems has more cash for spending n Luxury products.

With the higher growth demand of the Chinese on Rolex and the production reduction of Rolex

All Price is still high

If you go into any AD in HK, there is no way to buy these watches, Daytona, Submariner GMT, Sew Dweller, Sky Dweller, Explorer, Sea Dweller. Only few white gold or yellow gold Sport models.

This is the average dealer price of the Rolex for current Production

BNIB, official or parallel import.

Batman 116710BLNR HK$77,000

Single Red 126600 Sea Dweller HK$104,000

Submariner 116610LN HK$69,000

GMT Black 11671lLN HK$66,000

Daytona 116520 Black HK$150,000 (discontinued)

Hulk 116610LV HK$90,000 

USED

50^th Sub anniversary Kermit used 16610LV $90,000 

NOS

Explorer II Polar 16570 HK$60,000

Sea Dweller 116600 HK$86,000

Kermit 16610LV HK$150,000

Daytona 116520 Black HK$160,000

HK Snob


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many other available watches not listed here

Kowloon City and Sea Dweller 1665 in the 80's

Today when I picked up this Rolex Sea Dweller ref 1665 and the picture of old Kowloon City.

It seems to me time has stopped. 

I spent most of my childhood in Ngau Tau Kok which is just opposite the 城寨 “Forbidden City”.

It was great fun to go to the airport Radar station to play when I was in primary school. Now, I think the Radar station has be demolished already.

Kowloon City is the first stop and gathering place for Thai ladies after married with HKers and they ran restaurant business in 1985 with the very first one name “Thai Wah Thai Restaurant “泰華” followed with the renowned Wong Chun Chun “黃珍珍” three years later. I used to eat at Thai Wah for my Thai food.

Nowadays, basically the outlooks of Kowloon city unchanged since 30 years ago, as it seems do not have many tall buildings, and those people are still as nice as before with exception they get older.

As the buildings are mostly still there with exception there are more or less 50 Thai Restaurants. Kowloon City has transformed itself to be little Bangkok in Hong Kong.

You can also join them to pour water on anyone there in the Thai Songkran “new year” 13 April.

Back to my Rolex, the legendary Sea Dweller is as new as nice as it was shipped from Rolex S.A back in 1983.

Just there we can see how Rolex build a product

almost close to perfect with the best available material at that time.

Look at the crystal, it is basically a dome which was designed to magnify the dial under Sea. Time left for remaining oxygen is vital to the diver.

It was made with synthetic material with high toughness under water pressure at level of 2000 feet!

It is like a Yuan Po ( 元寶) and I really can see an oyster shaped dive watch....

The new Sea Dweller Single  Red ref 126660 carries

No more dome lens crystal. Watch case is enlarged to  43 mm instead of 40 mm. Buckle clasp for the bracelet which is less comfortable as the older design.

The Sea Dweller is as new as nice as it was shipped from Rolex S.A back in 1983.

But this is also a nice design movement with a lot added jewel bearings new improved main spring. friends of mine all claim that the watch has am accuracy within 2 seconds a day. Amazing!

Price the ref 1665 is approximately HK $200,000

The new 2017 Seadweller is selling in open market HK$102,000 to HK$105,000

HK Snob

Watch on sale

 

Rolex
These are NOS (new Old Stock)


1. Submariner Kermit 16610LV NOS 838 with tape intach Full Set $155,000
2. Explorer II Polar 16570 NOS with tape intach Full Set $49,500
3. Omega Speedmaster Undated $39,500




BNIB
1. Submariner Date 16610LN Black dated Sept 2017 $71,000
2. Submariner Date Hulk Date Aug 2017


Pre-owned
1. Submariner 5513, $59,000
2. Submariner 1680 $86,000
3. Submariner 16800 $59,600
4. Submariner 168000 $50,000
5 Submariner 16610 $50,000


Patek Philippe Ref 3800 Watch and Box
$155,000
6. Sea Dweller Ref 1665 With Paper $200,000




HKWF
HK Snob
Team HKWF




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Brand new and NOS watches

Daytona 116500LN White BNIB

Kermit 16610LV 2015 NOS.

Explorer II White 16570 White NOS M series 2008 last version.

BNIB Sea Dweller Single Red 126600 X2.

HK Snob



Existing Stock for sale

A NOS 16610 Kermit with tapes on.

Sea Dweller 126600 HK$130,000  BNIB (Price up $2000 this week)
Submariner Hulk 116610LV Sept 2017 888 HK watch $89,000
Submariner Black 116610LN Sep 2017 888 Watch $69,000
Submariner 16610LV NOS $130,000


Pre-owned
Submariner 16800 Patina- watch only HK$58,000
Submariner 168000 Patina Spider- watch only $56,000
GMT Master 1675 Pepsi watch only $78,000
GMT Master 16710 Coke with extra Pepsi Bezel with Paper U-series $72,000
Milgauss 16400GV with paper $49,000
Submariner 16610LV Kermit with paper M-series NOS $105,000
Submariner 16610LV Kermit Flat Four $110,000
Submariner 16613 Patina Blue watch only $51,000
Submariner 16610LN Osaka Kobe Tiger Base ball Club special $60,000
Daytona 16520 A series Black Watch only $150,000
VC222 with box in 18KT gold, Box,  manual $220,000
PP 3800 white with dia full set $155,000
PP 5035R-001 Yellow gold annual calendar Full set $155,000


Plus many other more...


All HKD


HK Snob

HK Snob new added Phone Number +85251229994

Thanks for all the previous supporter, friends from HK and from Philippines, Korea, Singapore, UK, Italy , USA and Australia, as I am happy to be a Rolex lover started blogging ten years ago by myself.
and now I have reach today  2,743,226 page views and more than 1,600,000 visitors who have been visited us.


As you may know that I am From HK, and I am always using a Philippine Number,
simply because I always travel to this beautiful Country Philippines.


Actually I have a HK phone Number, but that is not my personal Phone Number.
Lately I decided to use this number for those people in HK or other country to contact me.


Please do whstapp me first as I cannot take up so many calls during office hour.


This is my number:-


+85251229994
+639989811111
+639175854633


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Instragram HK_Rolex_fever




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HK Snob
team HK Watch Fever

Some Common Question about Rolex

1. Vintage Rolex hands and dial.

Most Frequent Question asked “Why the hands and the dial are not having same patina colour?”

From what we know the hands and dial may not be produced by same vendor, or same division of Rolex.

Rolex did not expect that the colour will change that much by time they made the dial and hands.

So even with the same watch of material with exact same ingredient, by right that should age with the same design under the same external light and temperature.

But don’t forget that the amount of Lume to be used on the dial and hands are so much difference.

So If the colour of the hands and the dial is same, most likely that the hands have been replaced.

2. Why there is no Rolex marking, logo whatever on the bottom of a Rolex Submariner?

No there isn’t any for 116610LN, 116610LV, 16610LN, 16610LV, 168000, 168000. (Steel Submariner)

116613LB, 16613LB, 16618LB (two tone gold Submariner)

Why? Because there is no such practice by Rolex.

So is there any model having such marking, Yes, Sea Dweller has a factory laser marking on the boom plate.

3.  Can we buy an OysterFlex Silicon Strap at Rolex

Yes u can, but they have to confiscate your old one.

4. Is OysterQuartz Rolex DD battery Cell free at Rolex Service Centre life time?

Yes, it was, but now HK Rolex Service Centre had changed themselves into a money making business by repair.

They still give you free battery, which in fact VARTA battery is just HK$5.00. But they will ask you to overhaul, the watch, change the seal ring, change the Crown… so totally you may have to pay HK5,000 for a battery cell.

5.  If a Rolex Watch on my wrist is gaining 2 seconds a day will not be the same if wearing by you?

Yes, Possible, as difference people had different work, degree of exercise your write where the watch is worn, so as a Driver may have a faster time on his write than a man sitting in office always.

As the watch is a mechanical system, the time will be affected by position of the watch, the motion of the watch temperature, also location of the watch. So that is not abnormal.

HK Snob

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rolex Transition model Ref 168000 Submariner

Rolex Submariner Ref 168000.

Rolex Submariner Ref 168000 is a short transition model from the transition model 16800 to mass run model 16610.

Though there was as usual no official announcement of how many units were produced and for how long it was produced by Rolex. Rolex guru had researched on this very special model, we estimated this model was made within just 9 months since 1987. (1987-1988)

The major changes was to use 904L to replace 316L stainless steel, since then, Rolex used 904L stainless steel o their watches.

Bottom plate was marked 16800, but the case is added extra zero to “168000” an Extra Zero.

Bracelet is 93150

This special model appears on R series and 9XXXXXX.

Attached one is having a S/N of 9638XXX.

This is rare and if you are collector, how could you miss this important minority from Rolex!

HK Snob

Rolex Current Price for investor.

Rolex is Ranked No. 69 by Forbes the world most valued brand.

Established in 1905, producing 900,000 watches a year with annual Sales of US$4.5B in 2016.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, but relies on 4,000 watchmakers in more than 100 countries Rolex is the leading name in luxury wristwatches. It created the world's first waterproof watch swimming across the English Channel in 1926 base on a concept of vessel water tight hatch.

 

Operating profit margins for the brand hover around 30%. Rolex has a major presence in the sports world with endorsements in golf, motor sports, tennis and yachting. Some of the world's most famous athletes pitch Rolex watches including: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Roger Federer and Lindsey Vonn.

Amongst the models of Rolex, Cellini, Date Just , Day Date, SeaDweller, Sky Dweller, Yacht master, Daytona, Submariner, GMT master and or Milgauss.

Which one should you choose!? Which one is what you heard most from your friends, from Internet from collectors?

There is a website had a on line checking on the most 100 popular watches mentioned search in Horoguides.com.HK.

These are the top 20 watches

 

Top1 and down wards

1. Seiko (2017) Prospex SPB053  $8,600
2. Rolex (2017) Sea-Dweller 126600 $89,300
3. Rolex (2013) GMT-Master II 116710BLNR-78200 $67,300
4. Glashutte Original (2017) senator 1-37-01-02-02-65 $127,500
5. Tudor (2017) Black Bay 79733N-0001 $34,500
6. Longine (2017) Flagship L4.817.4.76.2 $15,700
7. Seiko (2017) Presage SA343J1 $4,400
8. Breitling (2017) Colt X74320E/BF87/293S/X20S.1 $17,470
9. Rolex (2015) Sea-Dweller 116660-98210L-Blue $90,500
10. Panerai (2017) Luminor Due PAM00729 $86,700
11. VC (2017) QUAI DE L 4500S/000A-B364 $120,000
12. PP (2017) Aquanaut 5168G-001 $289,600
13. Seiko (2017) Prospex SRPA99K1 $5,200
14. Rolex (2017) Sky-Dweller 326934-72220 $111,500
15. Rolex (2012)GMT-Master II 116710LN-78260 $63,200
16. Rolex (2017) Cellini 50535-L $211,100
17. Rolex Daytona (2016) 116500LN-78590 $95,000
18. PP (2016) 6220G-010 POA
19. AP (2017) Royal Oak 26579CE.OO1225CE.01 $737,000
20. Rolex (2017) Date Just 126334-72610 $72,100
21. ….

The time I checked this is 13 Oct 2017 1540 as different time will have different result but the main thing we can see here is that Rolex is the No.1 most frequent item being searched: 9 out of 20 is Rolexes, others second most popular one is Seiko… this is to show how popular Rolex is being recognized and how serious people looking for.

From the data

These are top 5 Rolexes

1. Sea-Dweller 126600 is the most popular models, followed by

2. Batman GMT Master II blue black, 116710LN

3. Deep Sea Sea-Dweller D blue 116660

4. GMT Master II 116710LN Black the green pointer

5. Daytona Ceramic 116500LN

 

In view of the huge demand on these Rolexes, the market price is high,

This is the market price of the top sought after Rolex Vs the SRP:-

1. Sea-Dweller 126600 $108,000  (120% VS SRP)

2. Batman GMT Master II blue black, 116710LN $76,000  (112% VS SRP)

3. Deep Sea Sea-Dweller D blue 116660  $103,000  (108% VS SRP)

4. GMT Master II 116710LN Black the green pointer (96% VS SRP)

5. Daytona Ceramic 116500LN  $145,000  (152% VS SRP)

 

From these, we can translate into Daytona is the most Overpriced (152%) Watch as a production watch available in the market.

From Top Overprices model downwards

1 Daytona Ceramic 116500LN 152%

2 Sea-Dweller 126600  120%

3 Batman 116710BLNR 112%

4. Deep Sea Sew-Dweller 116660 Blue 108%

5  GMT Master II 116710LN 96%

The Price listed here is HKD, price of the watch is the current market price.

HK Snob

Watch Investment

There is common understanding that an expensive purchase is an Investments.

Do you think your new Handphone, a 65 Inches TV could hold the value after 5 years!

Probably no, a smart watch, no?

A gadget-fashion piece that will be outdated and lose value as time passes. People don't buy mechanical watches for high-tech features, so they're not at risk of becoming obsolete.

Like wine, art, real estate in Hong Kong or Bangkok, other hard assets like diamonds, gold, people sometimes do refer to watches as alternate “investments”.

So what watches best hold their value?

Range from $5,000 to $12,000 that is falling into the majority of the average price of a reasonably Good WATCH.

Interestingly, Rolex major stainless line, the most popular lines are within this price range.

Rolex on the other hands maintain small model line that suits most of the people’s need, GMT, Submariner, Daytona and Explorer, Milgauss….

While you shouldn’t count on a watch to produce a solid ROI, you can do a few things besides just getting a Rolex to give yourself the best chance at making a decent profit in 10 or 20 years.

Of course, not all Rolex would help to make big ROI… not Date Just, not Air King, Not Lady’s model.

These are the suggestion

New (best is you get is at SRP)

Submariner Hulk 116610LV

Daytona 116500 Ceramic White

Submariner Black 116610LN,

GMT Master Blue Black 116710BLNR

 

Buy Pre-owned to save 20% on the new watch price…

Sea Dweller 116600

Submariner 16610LN

Submariner 50^th Anniversary 16610LV

 

Vintage

Daytona 16520  Black A series, K , S series Patrizzi – Rare (170,000 roughly made between 1988-1999)

GMT Master 1675 Pepsi, 6542 Pepsi

Submariner 1680, 6536

Sea Dweller 1665


As these things are still available at a 'Reasonable' Price.

 

Please note that a GMT Master Pepsi 5642 was HK$30,000 in 1990, but now is HK$350,000

A BNIB 16610LV Submariner Kermit “flat 4” was sold in 2003 at HK$39,500… Now HK$120,000!

Of course the current high preice is basically driven by promising USA economy and Asia share market, people would put some of their money into watch investment….


See Recent Sotheby auction on Patek Philippine 3700 in gold it was sold as high as HK$625,000!

How about Paul Newman’s “Daytona-  Drive Carefully, me”?

 

My Choice, so as if you afford, go for these four number models and 16520…. They are the best in ROI.

HK Snob