Vintage Rolex’s?

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 8, 2026

Hello,

I have not been on the forum for a tonne of years but I have been here long enough to notice that in the private sales thread there is seldom vintage Rolex’s for sale anyone have any idea why?

I know it’s an Omega forum but there are lots of other brands that sell and are listed on the private sales thread.

Do people just hold on to them? Is the price point of vintage Rolex’s just to much money that people don’t list them on a thread like that?

Just curious on your thoughts.

Thx

 

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NGO1

·Sep 8, 2026

It's more a community than marketplace. If you are giving away your modern Rolex, this is the right forum. You won't find much vintage Rolex on Omega forums.

 

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 9, 2026

Ok thanks just curious.

 

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noelekal

·Sep 9, 2026·Home For Wayward Watches

There are frequent posts in WRUW of our regulars featuring their vintage Rolex watches. They aren't offering those for sale though.

It may be only my opinion and I may be incorrect about this assertion, but it would seem that Rolex fans have less regard for the vintage Rolex than we Omega fans have for the vintage Omega. Having acquired a vintage Rolex I have been poking around a bit on Rolex Forums, looking for information and education about vintage Rolex watches and lore. It is available there, but is more diluted by the here and now. Rolex Forums has a distinct slant toward the "new and improved."

I love the balance provided here. Up to date Omega watch narrative with a proper reverence for where Omega came from.

 

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 9, 2026

Thanks makes sense and I think your right I have been poking around on a Rolex forum,
Rolex forums.com and and you're right it seems that the people that own Rolex's are more into new shiny watches then the older vintage stuff. Very interesting, I like that this forum has a lot of both.

 

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Dan S

·Sep 9, 2026

I have sold some vintage Rolex here but mostly they don’t sell and I end up selling them elsewhere.

 

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 9, 2026

So you find that listing them elsewhere is way easier to move them and there is just less interest on this forum? Can I ask where you list them that you have better success? Thx

 

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elephantcage

·Sep 9, 2026

There are a lot of modern Rolex tool watches for sale at any given time, which strikes me as odd when people are still on waiting lists for ss Subs, GMTs, Daytonas while I can find you dozens of listings for watches from the last 10 yrs. Now, the old ones can be tougher to find and can be quite pricey. Oh look, there's my most recent cosmograph.

 

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 9, 2026

Yah new greenmarket Rolex's are easy to find as they are demanding a premium these days given the supply issues. But your right vintage stuff is not as common.

 

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Larry S

·Sep 10, 2026·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

Bought my two vintage from a EU seller I met here on OF. I do think there is a gap between modern and vintage buyers. I also think that the proliferation of Frankenstein and fakes has made vintage Rolex a minefield. Then there are the prices which are still very high. Those of us lucky enough to own good watches are not anxious to part with them. Or “ all the good stuff is in collections” which still applies.

 

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 10, 2026

Do you think the Rolex vintage has more Frankenstein then the Omega vintage?

 

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Davidt

·Sep 10, 2026

It’s easier to spot issues with vintage Omega as on the whole, the money involved is in a different league. As a result there much more motivation for certain sellers/counterfeiters to franken up genuine watches with non genuine or incorrect parts, to increase their profit.

 

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 11, 2026

Ah that makes total sense more motivation cause the there is more profit. Thanks so much for explaining.

 

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Larry S

·Sep 11, 2026·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

Davidt

It’s easier to spot issues with vintage Omega as on the whole, the money involved is in a different league. As a result there much more motivation for certain sellers/counterfeiters to franken up genuine watches with non genuine or incorrect parts, to increase their profit.

Indeed. The guy I bought from specializes in vintage Rolex although I bought some killer UG and Longines from him as well. He told me he rejects a significant % of the watches offered to him because they have been messed with in some way. All these brands in vintage are the deep end of the pool. You have to trust the seller.

 

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 11, 2026

That’s the nice thing about this forum there is a lot of respectable vintage on here with honourable guys selling them, as well as guys with huge knowledge to point out issues.

 

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ibis888

·Sep 11, 2026

Larry S

Indeed. The guy I bought from specializes in vintage Rolex although I bought some killer UG and Longines from him as well. He told me he rejects a significant % of the watches offered to him because they have been messed with in some way. All these brands in vintage are the deep end of the pool. You have to trust the seller.

This is partly why I love vintage watches. It takes a lot of study and understanding just to even know what you are getting... it makes me appreciate the watch more as opposed to some of the more modern watches which are just commodities at this point.

It's not easy.. I purchased my 1960s 5513 Submariner from a very trusted seller but still spent many months researching the nuances of the watch before being comfortable buying one.

I own both modern and vintage watches but much prefer vintage.

Almost no one notices my 5513 when I wear it, to most people I think it just looks like an old beat up dive watch. I much prefer this to a flashy modern Rolex with ceramic bezel, big case and flashy sparkle that screams "look at me."

 

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 11, 2026

Yah it's funny how vintage can go unnoticed and yet still be amazing pieces some of them worth a lot of money...

 

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gbesq

·Sep 11, 2026

I seem to remember that Rolex has a policy that it will not repair a watch beyond a certain age, but I don’t know whether that is true and, if so, how old is too old for Rolex to service it. IF that is true, and given that Rolex is known to be very tightly controlled with who gets parts, perhaps these contribute to fewer vintage Rolex watches? Just a thought, and I may be wrong.

 

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CaliberKingPin

·Sep 12, 2026

That makes total sense. Yes Wrist Watch Rival guy has mentioned it several times that they will not touch anything if they think there will be an issue with an OEM part so he fixes a lot of them and just uses say one part like a stem or something just to get the watch working again.