Top 10 Cheapest Rolex Watches You Can Buy Now
The Oyster Perpetual is the cheapest model in the Rolex catalog today, but it’s not easy to get from an authorized dealer without waiting. A new no-date Submariner costs less than $10,000 brand new from an authorized dealer, but it still has waitlists too. You can expect some Rolex models to be available for sale upon walking into a Rolex store, unlike in, say, 2022–but usually just Datejusts and gold models. We’ll show you ten of the cheapest (worthwhile) Rolex models that you can actually buy now, both new and used.
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Although popular modern steel Rolexes often sell secondhand for more than MSRP, in most cases, going with a pre-owned Rolex will save you money. But let’s start with one that’s easy to buy brand new.
Cheapest Good Rolex You Can Easily Get at an Authorized Dealer: Datejust 36 ref. 126200
Although solid gold Rolex watches (particularly ones with diamond-set bezels) are often readily available at authorized dealers, the easiest “cheap” new Rolex to get is a steel Datejust. Available in four sizes, the 36mm Datejust is the original classic size and looks good on men or women. Plus, I find the domed bezel of the steel Datejust 36 more appealing than the simple sloped smooth bezel of the Datejust 41.
Although authorized Rolex dealers cannot order sports models from Rolex–they get what they get–most locations are legitimately able to order a Datejust to your specifications and deliver within a few months. The very hottest dials–like mint green dials–often have a longer wait. But you should be able to get a brand new Datejust 36 ref. 126200 in most configurations for its list price of $7,450 without much trouble.
Cheapest Two-Tone Rolex Datejust for Men: ref. 16013
When the average person hears the word “Rolex,” there’s a good chance they’ll picture a two-tone Datejust with a Jubilee bracelet, fluted bezel, and champagne dial. It’s one of the most classic, ubiquitous Rolex configurations. The ref. 16013 Datejust 36, produced from 1978-1988, is probably the cheapest good two-tone Rolex watch on the secondhand market. I would say it’s one of the best luxury watches under $5,000 today.
You might be able to find an even older model (like ref. 1601) for slightly cheaper, but keep in mind that won’t have a quickset date feature. For daily wear, we recommend a 5-digit model or newer. The 16013 has an acrylic crystal, which gives it some pleasant vintage charm, but if you prefer a sapphire crystal, you can pay a bit more for a 16233 model (made from 1988-2004).
Oyster Perpetual 36 ref. 116000
Although a new Oyster Perpetual 36 ref. 126000 has a retail price of $6,100, it would be extremely unlikely to find one sitting on the shelf for sale at an authorized dealer. Turquoise and candy pink Oyster Perpetuals can go for about twice their MSRP secondhand. You can, however, readily find a previous-generation Oyster Perpetual 36 (ref. 116000) for about $6,000. The most popular dials (like the red grape one below) can sell for closer to $7,000.
The 116000 doesn’t have the Easy-Link clasp, unfortunately, but it’s one of the cheapest ways to get a modern men’s Rolex with a colorful dial.
More on Rolex:
Submariner Date ref. 16610
Ref. 16610LN, with over 600,000 produced, is by far the most common Rolex Submariner model ever made. Although it has a sapphire crystal and the still-pretty-modern 3135 movement, some collectors feel that the old-fashioned “tuna can clasp” is showing its age compared to newer Rolex clasps. The 16610 was also the last Submariner Date with an aluminum bezel insert; newer ones switched to ceramic.
Because of those traits, the 16610 is widely considered a neo-vintage watch. If you want to lean more into the vintage look, you can look for one with tritium, which was replaced with non-radioactive (and non-patina-forming) Luminova in the late 1990’s. As you can see in our Rolex 16610 Collector’s Guide, the model underwent several minor changes throughout its 22-year run (1988-2010).
Aside from the “Kermit” (ref. 16610 LV, which has a green bezel insert) you should be able to find just about any variant of the 16610 for well under $10,000. If you want a classic Rolex sports model with a budget of about $8,000, this is generally the reference I would steer you towards. It’s well-proportioned all around, and looks good on almost any wrist. It’s a great first or only Rolex.
Best Cheapest Rolex GMT Model: Explorer II ref. 16570
The very cheapest Rolex watches are usually tiny and old. You can even find a Rolex under $1,000 if you get one old and tiny enough. But in this article we’re talking about cheap Rolex watches that people actually want. And the cheapest 40mm Rolex model, aside from possibly the aforementioned 16610 or its no-date equivalent (14060), is the Explorer II ref. 16570.
GMT-Master and GMT-Master II models in good condition generally sell for over $10,000, so if you want GMT functionality on a (relatively) affordable Rolex, consider the 16570.
Although the white “Polar” version tends to get more attention, don’t overlook the black dial–it looks great and can easily be dressed up or down. You can often find them available for under $7,000–particularly pre-2000 models which have hollow endlinks–making it one of the cheapest Rolex sports models you can get. The Explorer II ref. 16570 was made from 1989 until 2011, so there are plenty of them around.
Cheapest Rolex with Easy-Link: Explorer 39 ref. 214270
Although it wasn’t really the first watch to the top of Mt. Everest (that was a total Rolex myth), the Explorer has been an iconic 36mm watch since the 1950’s. So it was a pretty big deal when the Explorer 39 ref. 214270 appeared in 2010. Featuring the now-beloved Easy-Link quick-adjust clasp, many felt the 39mm version was a welcome modernization.
About halfway through the Explorer 39’s 11-year run, in 2016, the dial and hands were updated. This “Mark 2” version addressed the common complaints about the short hands and unlumed 3-6-9 markers of the “Mark 1.” I think the hands and dial of the Mark 1 are just fine, though, and for about $7,000, it’s the cheapest way to get a Rolex watch with Easy-Link. The Explorer 39 has since been superseded by the Explorer 40, which costs $7,750 from an authorized dealer and shouldn’t have too much of a wait.
Cheapest Rolex Sports Model: Explorer 36 ref. 14270
The Explorer 36 ref. 14270, made from 1989-2001, is one of the most slept-on Rolex references of all in my opinion. It’s the very cheapest Rolex sports watch you can buy secondhand, with some decent examples available under $5,000.
Meanwhile you can expect to pay $12,000 and up for the model before it, ref. 1016, which admittedly has more overt “vintage appeal.” But 14270’s made before about 1998 have tritium lume and will inevitably develop some patina as well. If you’d prefer your lume to stay white as it ages, you can stick to the later examples and avoid ones that say “SWISS T<25” (because the “T” denotes tritium).
If you prefer drilled lugholes, you’ll need to find an example from about 1994 or earlier. Ref. 14270 was the first Rolex sports model to lose its lugholes. Its 36mm size makes it a classically sized watch for a man but it’s a worthy choice for a women’s Rolex watch as well. For those who prefer a brand new model, the Explorer 36 ref. 124270 is probably the easiest current steel Rolex sports model to acquire from an authorized dealer if its retail price of $7,250 is in your budget.
Cheapest 40mm 6-Digit Sports Rolex: Air-King ref. 116900
If you want a cheap Rolex sports model that’s just a bit less old, small and conservative than the Explorer 36 ref. 14270, consider the Air-King 116900, which debuted in 2016. The Air-King was a classic 34mm entry-level Rolex model for decades until Rolex re-imagined it as a 40mm sports watch with Mercedes hands and a cockpit-inspired dial. It’s very much a love-it-or-hate-it watch. Personally I think the yellow crown logo, combined with the green seconds hand and “Rolex” text, really pops in person.
The Air-King 116900 is essentially a re-branded Rolex Milgauss 116400 (same movement and same case–Faraday cage and all). The white gold 3-6-9 markers, which had previously been used on the Explorer 39, are another indication that this is a bit of a parts-bin special. Rolex is notorious for using up all of the parts that they make.
Some people are put off by the numerical five-minute indications and joke about how many “5’s” appear on the dial. It’s certainly a bit of an odd watch–but if you like it, you can pick up the 116900 for around $7,450. That makes it the cheapest 6-digit Rolex model that’s at least 40mm in diameter. You’ll pay that same price for its replacement, ref. 126900, brand new from an authorized dealer. The newer model drops the Faraday cage and features a slightly revised case shape, crown guards and a longer power reserve, but you’ll probably have to spend a few months on the Rolex waitlist for it (or pay about $1,000 over MSRP from a trusted grey market dealer).
Air-King ref. 5500
If you’d prefer a classic 34mm Air-King, the Air-King ref. 5500 is one of the cheapest worthwhile vintage Rolexes you can get. Some decent examples can be found for under $3,000, although you might pay more for less common variants with honeycomb dials, company logo dials etc.
Made for 32 years (1957-1989), there are plenty of 5500’s around, and the vast majority have silver dials. It’s a very comfortable watch, and if the 34mm size isn’t too small for you, it’s a great way to experience vintage Rolex ownership without breaking the bank. If you’d prefer a date complication, you can consider the Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 1500 for a similar price.
The “Long Island Rolex” ref. 7002
Ref. 7002 is widely known as the “Rolex presentation watch” or “award watch” because it was so often given as a corporate milestone award. These gold-filled cases are usually engraved on the back with the original owner’s name, along with the company name and the length of tenure (usually 25 or 30 years) that it celebrated. Equipped with a trusty Rolex 1520 or 1530 movement, the 7002 was made from about 1960 until the mid-1970’s.
I call ref. 7002 the “Long Island Rolex” because, interestingly, the cases were made in Long Island, NY by Lapwell Watch Case Company. Although the 7002 was a Rolex model mostly sold in North America, it was sold overseas at PX stores on American military bases as well. It’s one of the cleanest Rolex models ever made: The word “Rolex” appears at the top of the dial, and “Swiss” is way down at the bottom. That’s it–except on the many examples where the awarding employer’s logo appears at the bottom of the dial. I think it’s a really cool, underrated vintage Rolex model and its 35mm diameter–fairly large for its day–is wearable even today.
But there are three things keeping the 7002 affordable: it’s not an Oyster (waterproof) model, it was produced in relatively high numbers, and it has a gold-filled case. While solid gold models retain their value well, gold-filled (also known as “gold shell”) models merely have a layer of gold applied on top of steel, and collectors often avoid them. So that’s why you can find pretty nice examples for less than $3,000.
It’s worth noting that gold-filled cases have a much thicker layer of gold than ones that are simply gold-plated (using a process called electroplating) and they often look just fine even when they’re 60 years old. So, ref. 7002 is one of the best of the cheapest “gold” Rolex models on the market.
We hope this article has provided a coherent overview of the cheapest readily available Rolex watches worth getting. If we didn’t include your favorite “cheap” Rolex, let us know in the comments!
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