Looks-wise, the watch that comes the closest to an all-steel model is now the ref. 116509, which is cast in solid 18k white gold and has the price tag to prove it.That means a delve into the archives is the only avenue still open should you want one, and it is the previous generation that is proving the most affordable. The ‘Zenith’ Daytona ref. 16520, powered by the fabled El Primero, is still the gateway into steel Cosmograph Daytona ownership.Of course, the word ‘affordable’ is all relative. Prices start at around the $20,000 mark, which is a hefty slice of anyone’s money. Yet beyond being one of the most handsome and capable models ever made, any Rolex Daytona represents perhaps the surest investments watch collecting has to offer.It’s a tough call, but the starkly austere Explorer might well be the watch that has changed the least (visually) over its 70-year run. That is even for a manufacture that updates aesthetics at the glacial pace that Rolex does. Every reference, from the prototype Pre-Explorer ref. 6150 from 1952 up to the last of the ref. 114270s in 2010, have been simple three handers, with the beautifully legible white on black 3/6/9 dials, housed in a 36mm case.Then along came the ref. 214270, identical in the detailing but the first example to grow beyond the dimensions in 58-years, measuring 39mm. It increased in size for the same reason as the Datejust – fashions demanded it – but unlike that watch, it became the only option available.That is no bad thing. The Explorer is perhaps the last of the true tool watches in the Rolex catalog. There is nothing about any iteration of the watch that is designed to look flashy or draw attention to itself, and a few extra millimeters doesn’t change that. The new Explorer is basically the old Explorer, and whichever you choose will come down to whether your wrist size suits one or the other.Its strength has always been in its simplicity, and it remains one of the best value for money prospects on the pre-owned Rolex market. $5,000-$6,000 is the buy-in point for a well set up example of the ref. 114270 or, if you fancy going the real vintage route, the celebrated ref. 1016 (personal timepiece of James Bond author Ian Fleming) starts at a little over twice that. Tough, elegant and perfectly built, the Explorer has always stayed true to Rolex’s roots.
Rolex has graduated from a watch brand into a seismic force to which the regular rules do not apply. While it is far (far) from guaranteed that any Rolex watch you buy will appreciate from the day you bought it, time is showing us that these models, both old and new, endure the fluctuations of the watch market very well indeed.And, in fact, buying a pre-owned model might well be the very best thing you can do in the case of Rolex. Many of the new professional models are simply unattainable without waiting an inordinate amount of time – or without paying an exorbitant grey market mark-up to skip the queue. Older professional models are available for prices below those of a new model, and present the chance to pick-up a potential classic while also expanding your knowledge of the crown.Part of the joy of the watchmaking game is getting to know the tiny ticker on your wrist. Buying modern watches because they are in vogue is all well and good, but it can sometimes be a bit of a rushed exercise (thanks to all that competition). A far nicer, and (in my opinion) rewarding way to pursue this hobby is to consciously decouple oneself from the pursuit of luxury, or status, or the latest trend, and instead put stock in the long road. Read about old models. Pore over their nuances. Allow yourself to appreciate how certain models and certain designs can somehow, almost inexplicably to a modern mind, encapsulate an era so perfectly. These wordless time capsules are worth seeking, as they can, in a single glance, remind us of a simpler time when things didn’t move so fast.My first Rolex was a Rolesor Datejust from 1985. I bought it pre-loved after finally managing to get over my thirst for Pepsi, and having hit the history books in search of inspiration. It cost me around $4,000 and it looked brand new but so satisfyingly anachronistic. Vintage is not for everyone, but before you dismiss it as an option, remember that whatever you like right now will be old someday soon. And it is only with the passing of time that we’re really able to understand what has managed to stand its test.
Since 1969, the gold Submariner has become a staple in Rolex’s catalog and has since been joined by two-tone steel and gold Submariner references in addition to 18k white gold Submariner models and even lavish gem-set Submariner examples. It’s clear that there’s no need to choose between a functional dive watch and a luxurious gold dive watch when you can have the best of both worlds in one striking gold Rolex Submariner.Instead of the flat lume plots found on stainless steel Submariners of the era, the yellow gold Submariner 1680 had dials with raised gold hour markers with tritium luminous centers – which eventually picked up their “nipple dial” nickname. Of course, since the Submariner 1680 had a date window, Rolex furnished the acrylic crystal protecting the dial with the customary Cyclops date magnification lens. However, by the late 1960s, the Submariner case had already grown from its original 37mm diameter to the now-standard 40mm (the Submariner ref. 5512 was the first to sport this case size, circa 1959). So, not only did that leave some extra room on the dial for a date window, but since Rolex certainly wanted to grow Sub sales outside of just the dive crowd, fitting a Submariner with a date indication would indeed be a practical addition to a daily sports watch. By the end of the 1960s, the first Submariner Date surfaced as the Reference 1680. Evey one loves Rolex, yes, I love it more than you guys, especially the Daytona, which is a classic Rolex that combines precious metal and practical function. Daytona is suitable for both men and women, sometimes it looks more elegant on women’s wrist, the rainbow Daytona is exactly a Rolex specially created for lady. I also saw some leopard Daytona before, but I never came across a high end replica one. Rolex is the best-selling watch in the world, also loved by you guys who like to buy replicas, so, I will give reviews on more replica Rolex in the future. Today, the watch is a super replica from famous Noob factory, the white steel is the most popular tone among all Daytona models. Those red elements on the dial make the watch perfectly meet its theme – bleeding red race passion.Replica Rolex Daytona 116509-78599 The watch is a 100% 1:1 replica of original Daytona 116509-78599. It is the latest and best version from Noob, other factories like J12 and BP also made this replica, but the best one is from Noob. Maybe the casing and bracelet finishing are better on J12 version, but I have to admit this replica 116509 from Noob factory has the lowest repair rate.Replica Rolex 116509-78599 Daytona Chronograph The black dial is the biggest spot of this replica. Main black background perfectly matches red color. Those printings like “ROLEX” and numeral markers on subdials are all in white color, the white and red colors form a sharp contrast and strong visual storm on the black dial. All hour markers are silver Arabic numbers except three luminous bars at 3, 6 and 9. The centre of the hour and minute hands is also applied white luminescence. Three small hands on the subdials and the big central second hand are in red, which echoes with the red minute scales.About its function, like genuine, small second hand is running on the 60-second subdial at 6, subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock are for minutes and hour chronograph separately. If you want to activate the chronograph function, you just need to push the button at 2, but firstly you need to loose the screw on that button, when you push the 2:00 again, the central red hand will stop. If you want the red hand back to 12:00, just push the button at 4 o’clock. So, the replica Daytona works 100% the same as genuine. To adjust the time and wind the watch, just operate the crown.
Sticking with undersea operations, the Oris ProDiver collection is an interesting one, given that Oris is one of the few watch companies that remains actively engaged in dealings with commercial divers. More specifically, Roman Frischknecht is a commercial diver that has been an Oris ambassador for some time, and rather than simply being an ambassador in name, Roman has played a crucial role in the development of the ProDiver collection ahead of its launch in 2009.It was his insight that led to the creation of the brand’s bezel locking system, known as a Rotation Safety System. Given the level of safety and security protocols involved in his line of work, Roman knew that if he was to be using a conventional dive watch in a modern dive environment, there could be absolutely no room for error, thus a locking mechanism (as seen in other divers like the Omega Ploprof, among others) would be mandatory.Although the roots of the Yacht-Master II relate to activities on the water’s surface rather than deep below, its unique functionality is perfectly suited to this category. After all, the Rolex Yacht-Master II is what is often referred to as yachting timer – a countdown chronograph that can be used to properly measure the start time of a regatta, also known as a sailing race.Arguably the most complex watch in the present Rolex collection, the Yacht-Master II uses an interesting combination of bezel position, crown position, and pusher action in order to set its countdown duration between 1 and 10 minutes, with the chronograph capable of flyback (or fly-forward) functionality to the pre-set time with a single activation of its lower pusher. While many Yacht-Master II wearers are unlikely to ever use this highly specific function for its actual intended purpose. being able to run a countdown like this isn’t shy on practical daily-life applications… grilling timer, anyone?
