Vintage Rolex watches offer the same good looks and reliable performance of modern Rolex watches. For many collectors, vintage Rolexes offer something their modern counterparts can not: historical witness to the evolution of one of the greatest brands in watch history. While other watch brands introduce new models and drop older models, Rolex takes a different tack. Rolex evolves their models over the years, tweaking the movements, introducing longer lasting oil, improving bracelets and making other meaningful improvements. With this approach, each Rolex model is produced for decades, and within each model are many individual reference numbers, each of which represents a meaningful change to the watch.

The value of many vintage Rolex watches remain strong. Reference 6263 and 6265 Daytonas (especially Paul Newman dials), so-called James Bond Submariners (references 5508, 6536 and 6538) and later Submariner styles like the 1680 and 5513 have all seen major price appreciation. One of my favorite vintage Rolex models is the reference 1019 Milgauss. Watch values on the GMT 1675 climb, as that is the last of the vintage "sport" models to not appreciate wildly.

Click Here for excellent photos of a Rolex Submariner 5513

Click Here for a comparison between the modern no-date Rolex Submariner (reference 14060) and the vintage Submariner 5513

Click Here for a brief report on a vintage Rolex Explorer

Jocke's Picture Page has some excellent photos of vintage Submariners and SeaDwellers

The Timezone Vintage Rolex forum is moderated by James Dowling and is filled with knowledge and avid collectors

Double Red SeaDweller is a collector's site specializing in rare and collectable Rolex sport watches.