Some people choose Rolex for the hype, and some choose it for the brand’s heritage and build quality. If you’re reading an article about underrated Rolex watches, it’s safe to assume you’re in that second category. Some of these you may be familiar with, but there’s one that you’ve never heard of before. Chrono24 has more than 100,000 Rolex watches listed on the marketplace, and there are only five examples of our last watch for today. Only five. Let’s start with watch number one!
Rolex Turn-O-Graph
It’s like a Datejust, but it’s not. It’s like a Submariner, but it’s not. It’s the Rolex Turn-O-Graph. Often called the grandfather of Rolex sport watches, the Turn-O-Graph was the first commercially available Rolex with a rotating bezel, and it debuted shortly before the Submariner. For an extremely deep cut, we could talk about the very first Rolex with a rotating bezel, the Zerographe ref. 3346 from the year 1937, but these were not available for purchase, and there are only a handful of known examples floating around today.
The original Turn-O-Graph ref. 6202 looks a lot like an early Submariner, while later generations of the Turn-O-Graph share their DNA with the Datejust. As you search for the Turn-O-Graph on Chrono24, you’ll notice a few eras of this watch popping up. You have the four-digit models of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the five-digit references from the 80s and 90s, and the final generation, which ran from roughly the year 2000 through to its discontinuation in 2011. Each era has its own advantages. The vintage references have the character that only comes with age. The modern references have modern conveniences like upgraded movements, quickset dates, and longer-lasting lume. And the neo-vintage examples offer a bit of both.
Also, as you’re searching for these, be sure to open another tab and search for the Rolex “Thunderbird”. It’s the same watch, and the nickname comes from its association with the United States Air Force acrobatics squadron—essentially the US Air Force’s answer to the famed Blue Angels. Dealers and collectors will use both the Turn-O-Graph and the Thunderbird names, so it’s helpful to search for both terms. If you’re lucky, you may even find a Thunderbird with the Thunderbird logo on the dial.
This model can be a bit divisive. For some, it’s a fantastic combination of Datejust elegance with the sportiness of a rotating bezel. For others, that combination makes it feel confused, like it’s moving in two directions at once. Regardless, not a lot of people talk about this watch to begin with.
Rolex Yacht-Master
For watch number two, we’ll touch quickly on the Rolex Yacht-Master, but perhaps not the Yacht-Master you’re thinking of. Usually, the first watch that comes to mind when people mention this model is the 44mm Yacht-Master II. It’s big, it’s loud, it’s heavy, and it’s often worn by the types of people who will tell you,“It’s not a boat…it’s a yacht.” However, the Yacht-Master family has other members that are decidedly more subtle, even borderline chic. The black-bezel, precious metal versions are a sleeper hit. The term “stealth wealth” has been beaten to death in the last few years—thank you, Succession—but this watch captures that ethos really well.
The mid-sized steel options are also worth a look, with their platinum bezels and these expressive seconds hands in either red or ice blue. The 35mm is naturally going to be a bit small for a lot of people, but the 37mm has potential. It’s great for those who don’t have huge wrists or those who like the look of a dive watch but don’t want the typically formidable wrist presence that comes with divers. We should note, however, that these mid-sized options do come in 40mm cases as well.
The titanium Yacht-Master gets a lot of attention and sells for a premium, but that’s the exception to the rule. Like the Turn-O-Graph we mentioned earlier, a lot of people overlook this model family because there’s not a lot of purpose-driven history here. It’s not a watch that was made for the military, explorers, pilots, or race car drivers, for example. The Yacht-Master collection is a bit all over the place, but there are some cool, underappreciated watches lying within.
Rolex Submariner ref. 14060 & 14060M
Here’s a good general tip for finding hidden gem watches in today’s market: when in doubt, go for neo-vintage. And for Rolex, that means the five-digit references. Four-digits are vintage icons, six-digits are the latest and greatest, and that forgotten in-between ground is often where the deals are. A great example of this is the Rolex Submariner ref. 14060 and 14060M, running from roughly 1990-2010. Collectors consider these the “last of the best” when it comes to the Submariner because Rolex did a lot of modernizing in the following generation, and just like software updates on your iPhone, not everyone loved the new version.
The 14060 immediately followed the famed 5513 reference and carried a lot of that vintage charm. You have drilled lug holes for easier strap changes, an aluminum bezel that gains patina with age (unlike ceramic bezels), no date for a clean dial, tritium lume if you choose an earlier example, and a case profile that is slimmer and more compact on the wrist than today’s super case. So, if you’re a Submariner purist, there’s a lot to love here.
Prices for these start around $8,000 on Chrono24. That’s less than a ref. 5513 and considerably less than the current generation.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 1530
This next watch plays a little trick on the eye. At first glance, you might think, “That’s not a Rolex, that’s a Tissot PRX.” On second glance, you might think, “Wait, that’s a Rolex Oysterquartz.” And upon an even closer third glance, you’d see that it is not an Oysterquartz. What we have here is the ref. 1530, sporting an automatic movement inside an Oysterquartz case. As many of you know, the Oysterquartz was Rolex’s answer to the quartz crisis. As cheap and accurate battery-powered watches started dominating the industry in the 1970s, many heritage watch brands—Rolex included—decided that if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, and they launched the Oysterquartz in 1977. You have this very 1970s-style angular case shape with an integrated bracelet coupled with an equally 1970s quartz movement. It’s said that many Rolex employees of the period wore the Oysterquartz as their daily watch because it was (and is still) the most accurate movement that Rolex made. Even now, if you’re looking for something different and you’re not super snobbish about quartz movements, these watches can be fun and cool time capsules in Rolex’s history.
But if you like this design and do not want a quartz movement, or if you want something objectively rare, you can go for the ref. 1530. But it’ll cost you.
The prices for these are high, so you could argue that these are neither underrated nor undiscovered. But what’s really happened is that these have become a favorite of hardcore Rolex collectors who’ve done a lot of digging. It’s widely speculated that Rolex currently makes about 1 million watches per year. By contrast, Rolex only produced an estimated 1,500 examples of this watch between 1975 and 1977. Remember, 1977 is when the Oysterquartz debuted. So, lower supply collides with high demand, creating higher prices even if only a relatively small community knows about this watch.
These typically sell in the mid-teens, which is a bit expensive compared to your typical Datejust, but it’s quite the steal compared to other integrated bracelet watches like the 37mm Royal Oak, whose starting price is about twice that. And remember, the 1530 is much, much rarer than a Royal Oak.
Rolex “UFO” ref. 9083
It’s our last watch of the day, and it’s a weird one. We have 100,000+ Rolex watches on the site now. We only have 5 of these.
We’re sticking with the integrated bracelet theme but adding a UFO-style case. It’s the ref. 9083 from the mid-1950s. Have you ever seen a Rolex like this before? It’s a watch that looks straight out of a sci-fi film of the era, complete with a flying saucer case shape. You’ll notice the crown is even recessed a bit into the case to accentuate the look.
The 9083 was only offered in Great Britain and only for a few years. You’ll also notice that the integrated bracelet design is way ahead of its time for the 1950s. The watch measures 36mm wide by only about 9mm thick, thanks to the manual-wound caliber 1210. I’ve been lucky enough to try one of these on in person, and it’s delightfully comfortable. A lot of these are also equipped with stretch bracelets, which are again very comfortable and something I wish you’d see on modern watches. The handset is sharp and elegant, and the textured honeycomb dial can age quite beautifully. It’s a rare mid-century weirdo that you can find for well under $10k.
