If you are looking to acquire a new Rolex watch for yourself or for the man in your life, this article is going to focus on the 5 Best New Rolex Watches that you can obtain today. It is common for men that have “made it” to aspire to the height of accomplishment with everything they do and acquire. And one of the first brands men turn to is Rolex.
Rolex is the number 1 brand in the world for a reason. They lead by example. They sponsor sporting events like yachting championships, tennis finals, and some of the top golf tournaments in the world. Their Daytona timepiece is synonymous with one of the top races held every single year. They have created achievements in the watchmaking world which rival the top watch companies year after year, and consumers have honored Rolex with their patronage.
Top 5 Best New Rolex Watches For Men to Buy
There are many Rolex watches that might come to mind when trying to pick the single “must have” timepiece to add to your daily wear, or as the ultimate gem in your collection. However if we have to pick just five, some exquisite timepieces must fall by the wayside. This is a difficult decision. For this article I am looking at both features, functionality, beauty of design, and the strength of the market for each of these timepieces.
Although this article is focused on men’s watches, I should note that women also love wearing these timepieces. The trend in watch buying has been more and more towards larger timepieces. And though, women might have a slimmer wrist and a smaller 28-35mm timepiece might be designed for them, women love the 40 to 44mm timepieces and are seen wearing them everywhere – at work and at play.
In addition, we are going to focus on the 5 best NEW Rolexes to buy. That means we are not looking at vintage models or pre-owned models that you might be able to acquire in an after market situation. We know that Rolex tweaks their designs slightly but significantly over time – improving every aspect of the timepiece from the bands to the calibers inside. This doesn’t make the older watches obsolete, but rather builds upon the pedestal of their triumphant history and legacy.
#5 The Rolex Explorer II
When ranking the top 5 Best New Rolex Watches, the first 4 were easy. In fact, they are so ingrained in any watch collector’s brain that the only decision left was to consider where to rank them. However, the 5th one of the 5 Best New Rolex Watches had so much competition that it was hard to really come up with this decision. However, at the end of the day, the Rolex Explorer II had a clear leg up on the others.
First of all, the Explorer has a tremendous history. From mountain climbers, to cave divers, the Explorer has been there to make history along with the adventurers it accompanied. It provided accurate timekeeping and was able to brave the often brutal elements of cold, low visibility conditions, and physical abuse of rock climbing to survive the grueling tests.
The Explorer II has all the features to make it a prized Rolex possession. It is reliable and is made for both everyday wear and is perfect for sports and other activities. However, the timepiece has the timeless look of a Rolex with an Oyster case that is distinctively “Rolex” and exemplifies the timeless nature of this timepiece.
The new Rolex Explorer II is even more visible, with a 42 mm case and larger hands and hour markers. More than this, it has a 24 hour hand in bright orange which can provide 24 hour GMT function and 2 timezones with the 24 hour time scale represented around the bezel.
It comes in two colors (Black dial, and a white dial) and is made from sturdy Oystersteel. The twinlock double waterproofness system gives it water resistance up to 330 feet. So, it is perfect for the ocean and pool as well as for regular athletics. It is powered by the new 3285 caliber which provides an amazing 70 hours of power reserve.
It also uses high performance Paraflex shock absorbers and a Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring oscillator in order to protect it from shock or magnetic interference. With a list price of only $8,550, it is also one of the most cost effective Rolex timepieces. It is unlikely you would be able to get a new reference 226570 for the list price today, as it tends to average between $14,000 and $16,000 on the currently red-hot Rolex market.
#4 The Rolex Submariner
The Rolex Submariner is a classic timepiece. It is the Rolex that most often appeared on the wrist of famed character James Bond in the early movies of the series, sometimes with lasers or spinning blades or other extreme gadgetry added to it. Yes, believe it or not, the spinning blade Submariner timepiece actually worked!!
The Submariner is a pure diver’s watch which is still faithful to the original model launched in 1953 and is one of the most imitated Rolex timepiece around. It has a rotatable bezel that rotates in one direction, providing up to 60 minutes of dive time calculation and decompression stops.
The highly luminescent hands and hour markers turn from white to blue in the darkness, which is perfect for divers that are many feet beneath the waves and the light above. It is waterproof to at least 1000 feet and there are two other models – the Sea Dweller and the Deep Sea which offer greater dive depth should you need it. The triplock waterproofness system protects the screw down crown from leaking seawater into the timepiece.
The new Submariner has been fully reworked. It has a slightly larger case with a 41mm case, up from 40 mm. It has a new caliber 3230 with a 70 hour power reserve. It also contains the Superlative Chronometer marking it as “Officially Certified” on the dial itself. It comes in 8 different styles today, using either solely or in combination, yellow gold, Oystersteel, and white gold. The Bezel and Dials combine the use of either black, blue or green coloring.
The classic Submariner is the Black Dial, Black Bezel model with Oystersteel and no date. It is listed for a mere $8,100 and would be a total bargain because it would be difficult to find a new Rolex Submariner for less than $14,000 today.
#3 The Rolex GMT Master II
The Rolex GMT Master II has become one of the most beloved timepieces in Rolex history primarily due to its popular dual color bezel indicating the day and night time hours and its 2nd time zone function. It has become the instrument that pilots, actors, businessmen and other performers use to both stay grounded to their home base timezone while being able to quickly adjust to fit the new timezone.
Launched in 1955, the GMT quickly became known as Rolex’s Pilot’s Watch. However, Rolex redesigned the GMT and launched the GMT-Master II in 1982. Today the most widely recognized GMT Master II is the reference 126710BLRO with the red and blue “Pepsi” bezel and a black dial.
It rises to the 3rd position of the Top 5 Best New Rolex Watches because it is so iconic and highly sought after today. It is available in 8 different flavors using a brown and black bezel (Root Beer), blue and black (Batman), and red and blue (Pepsi). It is also made with Oystersteel, Everose Gold, or a mix with Oystersteel and Everose Gold.
The GMT-Master II is powered by a caliber 3285 and has a power reserve of 70 hours. It has an independent rapid-setting hour hand which makes changing time upon arrival to a new timezone a breeze. It comes with a 40 mm case and can interchange an Oyster band with a Jubilee bracelet. With a list price of $9,700 it would actually seem reasonable, but it is very difficult to get a new GMT Master II today for less than $20,000
#2 The Rolex Presidential Day Date
The Rolex Presidential Day Date might seem to some collectors as an odd Rolex to put at the number 2 spot on our list of the 5 Best New Rolex Watches, but it is well deserved to hit this near top spot. In fact, I would honestly say, it would deserve the top honors if it were only dependent on the exquisite look, design and luxury.
The Rolex Presidential Day Date gets part of its name from the US Presidents that actually wore this timepiece. Many dignitaries and rich and famous have adorned themselves with this prestigious timepiece. Released in 1956, it was the first timepiece to both have the day of the week and the date appearing on the same watch.
Today’s Presidential Day Date contains 14 patents, and tremendous output in precision, power reserve, and resistance to shocks and magnetism. This is the same watch that Jack Nicklaus, arguably the greatest golfer to ever pick up a club, wore on all of his championships.
It is powered by a new movement, the caliber 3255 which provides 70 hours of power reserve. It has a standard 40mm case. Most people would opt for the Yellow Gold model of this timepiece with either a white dial or Champaign dial. It is listed at $36,550 for the gold model, and this would be a bargain since most new models will go for over $50,000 today.
#1 The Rolex Daytona
The Rolex Daytona is the clear winner of all Rolex timepieces today as it takes our number one spot in the 5 Best New Rolex Watches. If you did this same analysis 30 years ago, the Daytona would likely not even appear in the top 5. However, the market has exploded with collectors clamoring for this exquisite timepiece. To say that this market today is hot, would be a complete understatement. Many collectors could be waiting over a year to acquire this timepiece.
Released over 50 years ago in the mid 1960’s, this timepiece was born to race. It has a tachymetric scale which allows you to gauge the lap times up to either 400 miles or 400 Kilometers. Early Daytona’s were not automatic timepieces and had to be wound every day. They also only measured up to 200 miles/km per hour.
The presence of Paul Newman helped make the Rolex Chronograph popular. However, it took some time for collectors to gravitate to one of Rolex’s most complex timepieces. It has 2 pushers on the right above and below the winding crown. These pushers manage the 3 dials at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions which give you the ability to give you exact interval times for your laps so you know if you are on pace or falling behind.
The new Rolex Daytona is powered by the caliber 4130 which has an amazing 72 hours of power reserve. Just like all new Rolex models it contains a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring oscillator. It also contains a center hour, minute and second hand and a small seconds at 6 o’clock.
The 30 minute counter is at 3 o’clcok and a 12 hour counter is at the 9 o’clock position. Listed at $13,150, it has the highest price of all the steel models, but this timepiece is actually going for over $38,000 in today’s market – nearly 3 times the Rolex MSRP. If you are lucky enough to have a Daytona, this model’s short supply and insane demand is likely going to drive up the price for years to come.
Honorable Mentions
It is hard to put aside some of these other Rolex timepieces when deciding between the 5 Best New Rolex Watches. First of all, the Datejust is a staple which is sold widely and is just as recognizable as any other Rolex. The Sky-Dweller, and Yacht-Master have exceptional functionality and are beautiful timepieces that any man or woman would be proud to wear. The Yacht-Master is a very niche product, but its new additions to the Yacht-Master family have a more standard Rolex look to them. The Sky Dweller has a GMT function that could make it compare well against the GMT Master II, and has also been seen on the wrist of top basketball living legend Lebron James.
The Milgauss is a unique timepiece, which would really fall down on the rankings, but paired with a gorgeous matching orange band from Rubber B, this timepiece pops and is a total head turner. Its green tint on the sapphire glass also adds unique interest as if you were wearing a piece of kryptonite with this scientific masterpiece.
Rubber B has an extensive amount of bands for the Rolex lineup of watches. Rubber B supports the deployment clasp with some of its units and offers a tang or Velcro buckles on some other models. For all the options, visit our Rolex page here.
