Thoughts about Submariner purchase

kristal · May 31, 2020

Hello everyone,

I am in a specific situation and I would highly appreciate once more your opinion. I have decided to make myself a present for my 30th Birthday a Submariner. I have put myself on the wishlist for the 114060 in one of the ADs from whom I recently bought a DJ. I love the look of the clean dial of the 114060 but unfortunately I am not able to try any since nobody has anything available (also the ADs with pre-owned ones).
In parallel, I have been offered from a local shop a 16610 from 2008 NOS (stickers were on) but the price was around 13.5k$! Also from what I have my eyes on a 14060m also NOS (stickers on) the price is almost the same. It seems that the pre-ceramic is more well suited to my wrist size (~6.75'') but the pricing of unworn or mint examples is really high and the fact that I cannot even try one 114060 on my wrist does not make the situation any easier.
Would you consider paying that price for a NOS example for a 14060m with rehaut engraving at all? Should I wait for the 114060 even if it takes several months?

Davidt · May 31, 2020

$13.5k for a 5 digit Sub is crackers.

How about a gently used one for 5k less?

kristal · May 31, 2020

Davidt
$13.5k for a 5 digit Sub is crackers.

How about a gently used one for 5k less?

I know it's crazy. The fact that is totally unworn excites me a lot to be honest but as you say the prices are totally irrational.
Also a general question: Is there any way to know that they are indeed completely unworn? The one that I saw in the local shop was scratchless indeed with the stickers on, but is it enough to be sure that it is indeed NOS?

Togri v. 2.0 · May 31, 2020

Those prices are crazy. I know dealers ask silly prices for unworn watches.

I have a 7.3 inch wrist and have both the 14060M and a 116610. I like the ceramic Sub a lot but I like the 5-digit ones more. The 114060 and 116610 wear large in my opinion and doesn’t wear as well as the 14060M. I would buy a very good condition 14060M for half the asking price of the NOS.

killer67 · May 31, 2020

NOS would have the caseback sticker intact and not a single swirl or scratch on the case or bracelet (even upon low magnification). Bracelet should remain unsized. Very few watches are seen in this condition but many are erroneously given this label. If you’re going to wear it I don’t see the point of paying the extravagant price that equals that of a new daytona (well, if you can find it). If it’s going in the safe for years then that’s a different story and a personal decision. I vote to purchase two worn watches for that prices

Dan S · May 31, 2020

kristal
The fact that is totally unworn excites me a lot to be honest ...

Maybe you should try to get over this. Wear it for a month and you'll have some scratches and dings. You can get a very nice five-digit sub for $7k-$8k these days. These are just tool watches for daily wear, don't make them so precious.

OmeGez · May 31, 2020

Buying a NOS sounds utter madness, if your going to wear it.

Buy a used one that’s recently been serviced by Rolex and wear the heck out of it.

I bought an immaculate 16570 and to be honest, didn’t enjoy wearing it too much the first couple of months. Now the watch has daily scratches on it, I’m finding I LOVE wearing it now, as the worry has disappeared.

I wear it for any occasion.

wsfarrell · May 31, 2020

kristal
The fact that is totally unworn excites me a lot

Same here. People point out that it'll get scratched up soon, but that's not the point. The point is it's only new once, I'm the one who gets to take off the stickers, and only my DNA (wrist cheese) will be on it.

Eric304 · May 31, 2020

13k for a new sub is just too crazy. You can find a lightly used one full set for 8k. Paying a Daytona price but only getting a sub is not worth it IMO.

kristal · Jun 1, 2020

Thanks a lot for the nice advises guys. For sure I plan to wear all the watches that I will buy and I want every one of them to mark a special event or a period of my life (this one would be related to my birthday as I said). My brain now says that no matter how I like to be the one that does the scratches as @wsfarrell states, paying a premium of +60% of the watch's value for that (especially in that price range) is not the way to go. Especially given the fact that almost with that price I can have a new 114060 + a very good pre-ceramic one with full set.
Do you think I should patiently wait until the 114060 arrives in order to have a full picture regarding the pre-ceramic vs maxi-case dilemma ?
I have tried the Hulk on my wrist and I didn't like it that much but I am not sure if it was because I don't like Hulk (too fancy for me) or because of the maxi-case. So far I have the feeling that Hulk and 114060 wear totally different. Is that indeed the case?

killer67 · Jun 1, 2020

kristal
Thanks a lot for the nice advises guys. For sure I plan to wear all the watches that I will buy and I want every one of them to mark a special event or a period of my life (this one would be related to my birthday as I said). My brain now says that no matter how I like to be the one that does the scratches as @wsfarrell states, paying a premium of +60% of the watch's value for that (especially in that price range) is not the way to go. Especially given the fact that almost with that price I can have a new 114060 + a very good pre-ceramic one with full set.
Do you think I should patiently wait until the 114060 arrives in order to have a full picture regarding the pre-ceramic vs maxi-case dilemma ?
I have tried the Hulk on my wrist and I didn't like it that much but I am not sure if it was because I don't like Hulk (too fancy for me) or because of the maxi-case. So far I have the feeling that Hulk and 114060 wear totally different. Is that indeed the case?

both maxi cases feel and look the exact same but the 114060 is less "loud"
The 16610 or 14060 are even less "loud" than the 114060 because the case design is more subtle. I encourage you to ask a friend or go to a gtg and try them on to compare before dropping this kind of money because they wear quite differently

kristal · Jun 1, 2020

K killer67
both maxi cases feel and look the exact same but the 114060 is less "loud"
The 16610 or 14060 are even less "loud" than the 114060 because the case design is more subtle. I encourage you to ask a friend or go to a gtg and try them on to compare before dropping this kind of money because they wear quite differently

I am unlucky in the sense that none of my friends share the same passion about watches.. Was not aware that watch gtg are hapenning in general!

airansun · Jun 1, 2020

For $13.5k, you could get a really decent vintage 5513. For example, after careful search, I paid substantially less than that for this one:

Ok, ok. It was $11.6k with a newer 93150 bracelet on it, and a two year guarantee. I wear it all the time.

Once you’re not wedded to NOS, there are a lot of interesting possibilities.

nkhandekar · Jun 1, 2020

Its not a sub, but in the same family. I got a new sea dweller, SD43, from an AD, absolutely brand new. It was worth the 3 month wait and it was exactly the watch I wanted. My advice is to get the watch YOU want, especially if its for a special occasion. And once you have chosen the watch, proceed with all prudence.

stevec14 · Jun 1, 2020

As soon as you wear it it becomes non NOS and that premium evaporates - I wouldn’t bother personally.

I like the 5’s over the 6’s in general too but at the same price I would go 6 digit for the upgrades personally. One of the charms of the 5 digits was their lesser price. Other way round I’ll take the newer.....

Pepe Lucas · Jun 1, 2020

I got a Hulk a few years ago because I love the color. That was my very first Submariner but after wearing I felt it was kind of uncomfortable to wear on a daily basis. I have an small wrist so the maxi case was making the crown and crown guards rub against my hand,leaving a mark on the back. If it had been a regular black Sub I would have sold it a while back but I kept it because it’s a Hulk. At the beginning of the year I decided to get a 14060m because the smaller case design. I looked at different price ranges and finally decided on a 08 four linner and love it. I wear it often and fits better. So if you have a small wrist and plan on wearing it daily, I would recommend you to get a pre-owned five digit Sub.

The Father · Jun 1, 2020

Whenever you get the sub, you had better post a picture.

kristal · Jun 2, 2020

Pepe Lucas
I got a Hulk a few years ago because I love the color. That was my very first Submariner but after wearing I felt it was kind of uncomfortable to wear on a daily basis. I have an small wrist so the maxi case was making the crown and crown guards rub against my hand,leaving a mark on the back. If it had been a regular black Sub I would have sold it a while back but I kept it because it’s a Hulk. At the beginning of the year I decided to get a 14060m because the smaller case design. I looked at different price ranges and finally decided on a 08 four linner and love it. I wear it often and fits better. So if you have a small wrist and plan on wearing it daily, I would recommend you to get a pre-owned five digit Sub.

You bought the one with the rehaut engraving correct? Could you tell me what is your wrist size out of curiocity?

kristal · Jun 2, 2020

The Father
Whenever you get the sub, you had better post a picture.

This is the least I can do and it goes without saying!

Pepe Lucas · Jun 2, 2020

kristal
You bought the one with the rehaut engraving correct? Could you tell me what is your wrist size out of curiocity?

Yes, it has the rehaut and doing my research I saw that the four linners had a dial variation with the a long F on feet and decided to get it. I looked for one for a little bit until I found this one full set and recently serviced. I have a wrist size of 6 1/2 inches so it feels more comfortable. I think part of it is that it is a little lighter. It also feels more vintage because of the bracelet.

Thoughts about Submariner purchase

kristal

Davidt

kristal

Togri v. 2.0

killer67

Dan S

OmeGez

wsfarrell

Eric304

kristal

killer67

kristal

airansun

nkhandekar

stevec14

Pepe Lucas

The Father

kristal

kristal

Pepe Lucas

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