Rolex Vintage Collection by Budget Guide

Baron - Mr Red presents a compelling guide on building a 5-watch vintage Rolex collection across three distinct budget tiers. This article offers practical advice for both new and experienced collectors, demonstrating how to acquire key Rolex references regardless of financial constraints. Readers will find valuable insights into strategic vintage collecting and specific model recommendations.

The Explorer is also an easy decision for me. The Explorer I reference 1016. No question that this is a pure vintage piece. It captures the essence and spirit of the original Explorer I and can so often be found with beautiful patination. An easy choice for the collection.

My Submariner in this range would be the 5513 no-date version. Plenty of these from the 1980s and I think they are iconic representations of the Submariner. Of course, patination will vary as will quality of dial and case, yet I believe it is entirely possible to find a superb version of this watch comfortably under budget.

The Sea-Dweller is a no-brainer for the collection and I have no doubt in selecting the Reference 16660 as my choice. Again, from the early 1980s, this 666 bridges the gap between vintage and usability. I am not sure I know of a Rolex that is more durable, usable and yet still coloured with that vintage-feel as the 16660. Again, this can come in way under budget depending on issues like box, papers and patina.

The fifth watch for the collection is the Daytona. I am going to cheat a little here. Any Daytona that I would want in my collection tends to be more pricey. Now, depending on how canny you have been with the other 4 watches will depend on room for manoeuvre on the chrono. You would need a little room for manoeuvre. My choice in this budget would be a Rolex 116520. Steel with white dial. (Thanks to Francois for keeping me on-track here!)

If i had these five watches, I would feel that I had covered a lot of the bases for vintage Rolex. A horizontal approach to collecting, for sure, but the five watches offer a variety and charm that represent the range of Rolex vintage. I would be very happy with such a collection.

The $75,000 Vintage Rolex collection

The beauty with vintage Rolex is that you can essentially build the same collection of five watches but by adding some twists and tweaks, create an entirely different feel. The $75,000 collection is essentially the same as the $30,000, but with a few tweaks! 

First, lets start with the GMT. Rather than go 16750, I just chop the 0 from the end of the reference and go for the GMT Reference 1675. Compared with the 16750, the 1675 has a different feel on the wrist. In this price bracket, one could find a top-of-the-range 1675 from the early 1960s, with gilt dial and “swiss-only” as well as box and papers. That could be done quite comfortably. I like the appeal of having as good a version of a reference as is available and that certainly shades my thinking for this collection. This is a watch that is overtly vintage with a real charm added by the gilt dial.

In Explorer territory, I am sticking with the same theme and moving to a Rolex Explorer I Reference 6610. These are not impossible to find at all. However, finding one with the correct hands and in excellent condition will take some time. The wait, however, is worth it. The 6610 is, to my mind, one of the most under-appreciated vintage Rolex around. It oozes charm and vintage appeal. When you find one with the right patination, its just impossible to not keep staring at it. 

In this range, the choice of Submariner gets wider. However, I am going to stick with a 5513, but this time from the mid-1960s with a gilt dial and metres first. Finding one in budget range is very plausible and potentially even with original papers. You won’t find many vintage Rolex collectors complaining about their gilt-dial Submariners. Overtly vintage in look and again with that gilt-appeal that is so hard to define.

A Sea-Dweller in this category is a simple choice for me - the 1665 Rail Dial. I spent a few years hunting down one of these with box and papers and the it was worth the wait for sure. I have reviewed this watch in depth in the past. The watch, with its domed plexi, thick case that sits very prominently on the wrist and overtly vintage look is a perfect compliment to the other watches in the collection.

And finally, for the Daytona my choice is clear - the Reference 16520. White dial or black dial, and easily do-able with box and papers. With the Zenith movement and available from the late 1980s for over a decade, this Daytona is a superb version of the Daytona. Transitional it may be, but it represents a very clear choice for me. There are so many variants of the 16520 that it allows a lot of room for flexibility. 

Five watches…..first with a $30,000 budget and then a $75,000 budget. On the wrist, perhaps, these five watches definitely appear almost identical. Indeed, much of the beauty of collecting vintage Rolex is that it just doesn’t have to break the bank. Clearly, as the rarity and refinement shift, so too does price. Yet, to enjoy the bulk of the pleasure just doesn’t demand having an unlimited budget…..

The $250,000 Vintage Rolex collection

….on the other hand, if you do want to put together a 5-watch collection with an essentially unlimited upside, then Rolex is also the place to go….and with essentially the same five watches. Now, each of these variants can be found at discount prices as conditions will vary, so it is difficult to be definitive on pricing in this context. It is assumed that the versions are in tip-top condition.

On the GMT, the clear choice for the reference is the 6542. This reference with its correct bakelite insert, original dial and in great condition can be expected to set you back a small King’s ransom. It is a watch that does not make itself available that frequently. It is a watch that requires a great deal of understanding and expertise in knowing what to look for. Yet, when you hear owners of such a watch talk, it is about a very special experience in owning this reference. Swiss dial, original bakelite insert from the late-1950s.

With the Explorer, it is a touch less clear in this budget. One can extend the 6610 to look for a “Red Depth” or indeed look at a mint Explorer II 1655 Mk1 version….but in either case you would still be looking at having a fair amount of change left…. but maybe thats not such a bad idea as going over-budget on the rest of the collection is an option!

With a Submariner in this budget, there are a lot of options. Now, I appreciate that one could include Big Crowns like the 6200, 5510 and 6538, but I take a view on this which may not be generally accepted. To get a Big Crown in this price range would require the condition of the watch to be below average. I would prefer, as a general approach, to get as good a quality of watch as is possible for the price range. With an average price in this bracket of $50k per watch, I just don’t believe it is possible to get a decent Big Crown. The small crowns Submariners like the 6536 and 5508 would plausibly be considered, though, in a reverse of the analysis on the Big Crowns, I would again have to think that even a really fine version of this reference would be expensive at $50k. Where I am left is with a choice between an absolutely outstanding 5508/6536 with correct red-triangle insert or a 4-line gilt dial 5512 that is, similarly, in outstanding condition. Where would i go? 5512 would be the choice for me. Several reasons why. First, the 5512 is the very first crown-guard Rolex. Second, although not common at all, there exist some astonishingly beautiful mirror-dial versions that are simply awesome to wear. Bill produced a reference article of the gilt Submariners. To get some flavour of that, I attach the link here.  rolex.watchprosite.com

The small crown Submariners are, unquestionably, beautiful watches combining charm and vintage. However, when push comes to shove, I just prefer the more iconic look of the 5512.

Moving onto Sea-Dwellers, and again the options broaden out a lot. I recognise here, and in this price range, it is a lot about what rings your bell. For me, the Double Red Sea-Dweller is an iconic Rolex. The depth of the 1665 case and how it sits on the wrist makes it a watch that I just cannot do without. In this price range, a Mk1 dial is out of reach, but a Mk2 dial is very comfortably within reach, Indeed, plausibly one could even consider adding some spice by looking for a patent pending version. 

Finally, the Daytona. Again, so many options here but given the money saved on the Explorer, it allows some extra room on the Daytona. The price on Daytonas left the station a number of years ago, and, if i am honest, I suspect I feel that other references within Rolex offer better value as part of a collection. Having said that, a vintage Daytona is a stunningly sexy watch and it adds a great deal to this 5-watch vintage Rolex theme. In this instance, I would look for a 6239 Paul Newman. It may be stretching the budget a little, but I think it would be do-able. Forget box and papers and also original bracelet.

Five watches. Three very different budgets. A very cohesive collection in each case. Many thanks to all the PuristS who provided scans. Obviously, the beauty with this type of process is that everyone will have a different idea of what composes their Top-5 for each category.