The Five Best Buys In Vintage Rolex

“No more than eight thousand.” That’s the answer I always get when I ask a prospective vintage rolex GMT-Master replica uk buyer what their price range is. Always Eight. Five isn’t enough to work with, and ten - well that’s just so…ten. I’ve helped so many of my friends and colleagues buy watches that are within the $8,000 range that I thought I’d share some of my recommendations with you. Obviously, you’re not making a mistake if you buy that new Panerai Luminor you’ve had your eye on, but it is a mistake if you buy one and then wish you’d been turned on to the unmistakable cool of a vintage Rolex earlier. Take it from a guy with a roll of lessons he bought at the airport. Here are five vintage Rolex references under $8,000, and why I believe they’re the best buys on the market. 1. ROLEX EXPLORER I REFERENCE 1016 The Explorer, first introduced in 1953, is as classic a replica rolex Masterpiece uk as is still being made. The 1016 was in production for more than 25 years, which means that many great examples are still in circulation. Its design DNA still lives on in the newest iteration released a few years ago. It’s understated, laid back, and unlike a brand new Submariner, it’s not an obvious choice, which I always find a bonus. Add a nylon NATO strap in place of the steel bracelet for the finishing touch. 2. ROLEX DATEJUST REFERENCE 1601 IN 18K GOLD I’m certainly no great oracle of fashion (a simple google search will make that clear) but vintage gold watches are exempt from the criticism of wearing something “cheesy.”. Something about the gold mixture 30 years ago was more a subdued brassy color than the bright luster of new 18kt watches. And with the price of gold where it is, you’ve got two investments in one. Women have taken to wearing the gold Datejust in recent years, but it’s still very much a man’s watch. 3. ROLEX SUBMARINER REFERENCE 5513 The 5513 is another reference that was produced for many years, and with the introduction of the new model Submariners this year, this non-date dive watch has just gotten one revision older, making it that much more distinguishable from the all-too-standard issue modern day Sub. Shop around and find one with aged luminous markers to really stand out from the crowd. 4. ROLEX GMT MASTER REFERENCE 1675 One of the more undervalued watches in the vintage u boat replica uk sport family is the GMT Master. It hasn’t followed the same arc in value increase like the others in the lineup, but a recent overhaul of the GMT Master II 5 years ago raises this watch’s vintage profile. If you’re in the market for an Explorer II ref. 1655 and find the price too steep, both watches share the same movement, effectively making a GMT an orange-hand Explorer II with a rotating 24 hour bezel. 5. ROLEX EXPLORER II REFERENCE 16550 (BLACK DIAL) Collectors love the cream dial version of this watch, which was white when originally sold in the mid ‘80s but turned to a beautiful custard color thanks to a chemical reaction in the paint mixture. Those watches are out of the price range (13-15k) but its less famous black dial variant still sells at a very reasonable price. It’s not without its own distinguishing details, either; certain dials have “crazed” or cracked resembling a spider web due to a faulty finish on the dial (16550 just wasn’t their reference) and more often the luminous hour markers have also faded to cream.