Buyers new to Rolex face mountains of information, both current and historical. Hell, even ardent fans have trouble keeping up. As of 2024, Rolex makes hundreds of individual references, divided into over a dozen different collections:
- Rolex Submariner
- Rolex GMT-Master II
- Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
- Rolex Sea-Dweller
- Rolex Deepsea
- Rolex Explorer
- Rolex Explorer II
- Rolex Air-King
- Rolex Yacht-Master
- Rolex Oyster Perpetual
- Rolex Datejust
- Rolex Day-Date
- Rolex Sky-Dweller
- Rolex 1908
Editor’s Note: The above taxonomy is Rolex’s own. For our purposes, we’ve separated the Explorer and Explorer II, as they’re two very different watches and occupy unique positions in Rolex’s overall lineup.
Classic vs. Professional: What’s the Difference?
If those collections weren’t enough to keep track of, each one falls into one of two major categories: Classic and Professional.
In the simplest of terms, think of Rolex’s Classic watches — which include the Day-Date, Datejust, Oyster Perpetual, Sky-Dweller and 1908 — as dressier timepieces designed for everyday wear. They weren’t developed for a specific professional pursuit, such as diving.
The Professional watches — which include the Submariner, Air-King, GMT-Master II, Yacht-Master, Cosmograph Daytona, Sea-Dweller, Deepsea and Explorer — were developed for a specific purpose, be it SCUBA diving, driving, spelunking, etc.
It’s important to note that while a certain number of the Professional watches do include specific functionality and increased water resistance, the Classic watches are no less well-built. After all, you’ll find the Sky-Dweller, currently Rolex’s most complicated watch, housed within the Classic collection.
So for readers ready to make the leap, here’s everything you need to know about each current Rolex men’s watch, including its history and features.
Rolex Submariner
RolexRolex, Blancpain and Zodiac were neck and neck in releasing the first dive watches with rotating bezels. However, when in 1953 Rolex put an external diving bezel on a more robust version of its already famously water-resistant Oyster Perpetual, kept the automatic winding in place, and added a sturdy adjustable bracelet, the most iconic and important dive watch in history was born. (Rolex, however, was prevented from implementing a unidirectional dive bezel for years due to possible patent infringement.)
It wasn’t really until the 1980s, however, that the Sub became the fashionable item it is now, largely due to preppy folks sporting them as an assertion of an active lifestyle that, more likely, revolved around cocktails at the yacht club. Alas, tool watches became fashion items during this decade, and the rest is horological history.
Rolex understood that its Submariner had ascended from tool to jewel, and so gold, two-tone, and even diamond-encrusted versions cropped up during the decade of materialism. Today, however, it’s the plain steel models that are impossible to come by at retail and which sell for as much as 25 percent above retail among enthusiasts, while gold models are much less sought after. It’s a strange phenomenon, but people around the world are clamoring for steel Subs.
Rolex GMT-Master II
RolexWhen Pan American Airlines ruled the trans-Atlantic skies in the 1950s, Rolex designed the original GMT-Master for their pilots, who needed to track multiple time zones simultaneously. In 1982, the Crown upgraded to the GMT-Master II — a new movement and an independently adjustable local hour hand turned out to be big hits as steel and gold models asserted a pitch-perfect jet-setting attitude.
Plenty of folks knew to rock a Rolex Submariner for maximum panache but rocking a GMT-Master II was a slyly stylish move that demonstrated the owner’s uniqueness. To this day, the GMT-Master II emits a reserved eccentricity.
In 2007, Rolex put out an improved GMT-Master II with a ceramic Cerachrom bezel and a new movement that hosted a suite of modern updates. Since then, it’s been all about metal and color combos, which are judiciously and painfully released at a rate of about one a year.
In 2023, however, Rolex delivered something different: Yellow-gold and two-tone versions of the GMT-Master II, with material-matching jubilee bracelets and black-and-gray bezels. The brand followed that up in 2024 with an Oystersteel version featuring the same black-and-gray bezel (minus the gold accents), available on either a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet at launch.
We doubt the release will do anything to dampen the popularity of the older steel varieties — namely, the “Batman” (blue and black) and “Pepsi” (blue and red). However, getting your hands on a coveted steel GMT-Master II at retail is extremely difficult, if not entirely impossible.
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
Before the 1960s, Rolex housed third-party chronograph movements in Oyster cases. Then the company upped the case size, redesigned the dial and put out the space-age-sounding “Cosmograph.” Shortly thereafter, when the Crown sponsored races at Florida’s famous beach-side track and put its name on the dial, the legend of the Rolex Daytona was born — though not to much fanfare. That would come later.
Paul Newman’s wife bought him one with a creamy Bauhaus-inspired exotic dial — now called the “Newman” dial — and the famed actor casually gave it to his son-in-law (sometime in the 1980s), who auctioned it off for more than $17 million in 2017. That made this once humble and unpopular Daytona variant one of the most expensive wristwatches ever sold.
The auction transformed what was already becoming an increasingly coveted watch into a crazed run on all Daytonas, old and new. Now you can hardly get one at retail, especially in all stainless steel, and the used market for Daytonas of any era in any style or metal with any dial has gone completely berserk. Like so many steel Professional models, the Daytona remains in demand and sells far above retail on the secondary market — a remarkable result for what was initially an unremarkable watch.
Since 2023, the Daytona has carried a new movement, 4131, which succeeded the 4130 that debuted in 2000 when Rolex first brought its movements in-house. To see it in all its glory, look no further than the platinum version of the watch (reference 126506), which has a unique (for Rolex) exhibition caseback.
Also launched in 2023 was the Daytona “Le Mans” ref. 126529LN. Created for the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the watch was executed in white gold with a red “100” on the bezel, an exhibition caseback and a custom movement that tracked 24 hours of the chronograph instead of 12. Most remarkable of all, its reverse panda dial featured the unexpected return of the “Paul Newman” style with its unique subdials. The watch quickly became the most hyped modern Rolex before being unceremoniously discontinued in 2024, just ten months after its initial release. An off-catalog yellow gold version has taken its place, though Rolex isn’t exactly advertising that fact.
Rolex Sea-Dweller
RolexAs SCUBA matured beyond surface-level military and recreational uses, commercial, research, and exploratory techniques were developed to go deeper for longer. The Sea-Dweller was Rolex’s answer to the demands for watches capable of withstanding the pressure of these deeper dives. In 1967 upon its initial release, the Sea-Dweller was rated to a depth of 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) and was the first watch to incorporate a helium escape valve, a nifty feature for saturation dives that allows helium to escape the watch without damaging it.
The Sea-Dweller is essentially a beefed-up Submariner, but that beefing up shouldn’t be taken lightly: Rolex had to entirely re-engineer the case, the crystal, the case back and more to get this kind of water resistance, so while the Sea-Dweller resembles the Submariner on the outside, the guts are a different animal. Waterproofness in nano-scale wristwatches has turned out to provide useful tech that can be ported over to small submarines, cameras and other scientific tools that are plumbing the depths of our largely unexplored oceans. Rolex often backs those scientific expeditions, linking the watch and the brand to the essence of professional SCUBA diving.
Rolex Deepsea
RolexIntroduced in 2007, the Deepsea is Rolex’s most extreme dive watch with a mind-boggling depth rating of 3,900m. For most of its life it was categorized as part of the Sea-Dweller family until 2024, when it was spun off as its own independent line. Marking that transition in 2024 is the yellow-gold reference 136668LB, an absolutely absurd watch that clocks in at over half a pound and is likely the heaviest watch Rolex makes. It’s the only Rolex to feature a mix of gold, ceramic (for the bezel) and titanium (utilized for the caseback and helium escape valve because gold would fail at the pressures the watch is rated to withstand).
The Deepsea line is small, consisting only of two steel versions and the aforementioned gold. There’s also the Deepsea Challenge, which still maintains Sea-Dweller branding but is classified as a Deepsea. More experiment than everyday watch, it’s based on the prototype that accompanied James Cameron to the bottom of the Mariana Trench and is water resistant to 11,000m, the depth of the trench and a record among commercially available watches. The watch measures a whopping 50mm across and 23mm thick, but its RLX titanium construction — it was Rolex’s first-ever titanium watch — helps keep its weight down.
Rolex Explorer
RolexContrary to popular belief, Sir Edmund Hillary was in fact not wearing a Rolex Explorer when he conquered Everest in 1953. It was allegedly a watch from British brand Smiths that he wore at the summit, while an experimental Oyster Perpetual provided by Rolex is said to have been stashed away in his gear.
Nevertheless, the feat ushered in a new Oyster Perpetual model called the Explorer with a larger case size (36mm as opposed to 34mm or smaller), which Rolex sold to a new wave of mid-century mountaineering enthusiasts. The Explorer went on to become an “entry-level” Rolex sports model due only to price, and it remains in that position to this day.
Like all Rolex models, the Explorer has gone through many permutations, including more modern iterations like the 14270 (1989-2001), now popular among vintage collectors because its tritium luminescence has finally turned beige.
As of 2023, the watch is the biggest it’s ever been, measuring 40mm in diameter and bringing it even closer to next watch on our list, the Explorer II. If you prefer to keep things historically accurate, however, a 36mm version of the Explorer, reintroduced in 2021, is also available.
Rolex Explorer II
RolexA spelunking watch? That’s right. The boldly luminescent 24-hour GMT hand was included to help those living in caves keep track of day and night. While spelunking isn’t exactly a popular sport, the Explorer II became a rather popular watch among those who love a cool design and GMT functionality.
Offered today with either a black or white (“polar”) dial, the Explorer II came out in 1971 in order to “perpetuate the privileged relationship Rolex shares with exploration,” according to current marketing materials. However, the spelunking history is largely forgotten as the watch increasingly serves as a tool for adventurers of all kinds. (The more recent editions — unlike the original — feature fully functional true GMT movements, so the watches can be used for tracking second time zones.)
Though the Explorer II went from a tasty 40mm case up to a 42mm Super case in 2011, the reference 216570 was intended to celebrate the original design of 1971, which amounts to an orange GMT hand in the “correct” arrow shape. Those two extra millimeters don’t feel significant on the wrist, however, and only seem noticeable when compared directly with a 40mm model.
Rolex Air-King
RolexLike The Explorer, the Air-King had existed as the Oyster Perpetual for a long while before Rolex printed “Air-King” on the dial and began marketing it to a new set of post-WWII jet setters — men who adored and imitated the former war pilots now flying jumbo jets across the Atlantic. Released in 1945, Rolex’s new model caught that wave of enthusiasm for the future, and nothing at that moment said “future” like beautiful commercial jets that turned a weekend jaunt across the ocean to Paris, Rome or London into a reality.
Today’s model is 40mm across and carries one of the most divisive dials in Rolex’s catalog. Admittedly, the intermittent hour and minute markers on the modern Air-King — which are inspired by dashboard instruments — are visually unique (for some, jarring), as are the touches of green and yellow. It’s the only Rolex watch to feature the colored logo style on its dial. For 2022, the Air-King got a thorough refresh with the latest movement, design tweaks and, most notably, a new Oyster case featuring crown guards — giving the new Air-King a unique feature set among the brand’s collections.
For today’s Rolex enthusiasts, the Air-King is positioned at the periphery of the Professional series watches. However, you can (theoretically) get an Air-King at retail relatively easily, and that’s almost impossible to say of any other all steel model on the Professional side of the catalog. A bird in hand beats two in the bush.
Rolex Yacht-Master
RolexBy the 1980s, the Rolex Submariner had come out in gold, and preppy folks around the world were rocking them as status symbols. Rolex kind of punched the preppy class on the nose with the all-gold Yacht Master of 1992. Interestingly, the Yacht Master’s evolution has been one of increased sportiness and reduced bling since its release — not the common direction for Rolex’s evolution. The toning down of glamor and upping of ruggedness has made the Yacht-Master a bit of a sleeper model in the Rolex catalog, but it is every bit as capable as the Submariner, which it resembles.
In 1999, Rolex offered the Yacht-Master in platinum and steel “Rolesium” (reference 16622), and from there it’s been an endless riffing on precious metal combinations. Though we’ve yet to see an all-stainless steel variant (and likely never will), rumors of a titanium Yacht-Master finally came to fruition in 2023 with the release of reference 226627.
Today’s Yacht-Master is available in 37mm, 40mm and 42mm sizes, making it the most diverse of the brand’s Professional lineup, and the watch carries all the latest Rolex technology inside and out. Distinguishing features include the “relief” bezel in ceramic or precious metal, depending on the model, and the optional Oysterflex rubber strap, which is surprisingly luxurious and durable on the wrist.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual
RolexIn many ways, this is the watch that launched Rolex as the king of industrial watchmaking. The “OP” was, upon its release in 1950, both highly water-resistant and automatically wound, a first-time combo. “Perpetual” refers not to it being always wound but to its rotor swinging 360 degrees around a central axis — so, perpetually winding (despite it only winding in one direction). But none of that matters much to end users, who adore these waterproof watches for their durability and midcentury, function-forward appearance.
The Oyster Perpetual has perpetually (no pun intended) been in production since then, and this model formed the basis for most other Rolex models, including the famous Submariner, the Explorer, the Air-King, the Datejust and the Day-Date. Today’s Oyster Perpetual comes in many sizes and colors and was generally one of the few Rolex models readily available at retail. (That is, such was the case until the release of a crop of brightly colored dials in 2020 — now some OPs, like the Turquoise version, can be as tough to track down as a Sub or a GMT-Master II.)
With no date, no cyclops, no complications, no fluted gold bezel, and a sleek polished and brushed case and matching bracelet, the “OP” is a pure expression of the Rolex brand, one that’s instantly recognizable despite it lacking some key iconic visual cues.
Rolex Datejust
RolexRolex took their Oyster models (first released in the 1920s) and in 1945 added the first date complication that changed “just before” midnight, rather than taking hours to turn over. (Or was “just,” as in “accurate,” depending on your interpretation.) Sounds like a simple thing, but in the 1940s, and even now, that feature was unique and convenient. The “cyclops” date magnifier was also a first on the Datejust of 1945.
The most iconic modern Rolex Datejust retains the fluted bezel of the early Oyster models, though it serves no function now. (Originally that bezel was the receiving end of a tool that unscrewed the bezel ring to release the crystal from the mid-case. Today, that bezel is integrated into the mid-case, and the fluting is purely decorative.) Combined with the cyclops, these visual cues say “Rolex” more loudly than any other features on any other model, including the Submariner and the Daytona.
Neither too sporty nor too dressy, the Datejust is the perfect solution for the person seeking one watch to do it all. Robust, ready for water and shocks and all kinds of abuse, but dressy enough to go to a wedding or funeral, the Datejust is a midcentury classic that remains the centerpiece of Rolex’s catalog. Essential, iconic and perpetually in vogue, a Datejust might be the only watch you’ll ever require.
Rolex Day-Date
RolexIn 1956, Rolex released a new model with both the date at 3 o’clock and the day of the week boldly displayed in an arced aperture at the top of the dial. It also came on a newly designed three-link bracelet that glimmered in the lowest of lighting.
Few would have expected this more complicated version of the Datejust to have become the chosen watch of multiple US presidents — LBJ, JFK and Reagan among them — but that’s what happened. It certainly didn’t hurt that the watch has only ever been available in all-precious metal cases — a signifier of wealth and power if ever there was one. Its day display is also available in no fewer than 26 different languages, making it a favorite watch the world over.
Now nicknamed “The President” — though, technically, this is the official name of the watch’s unique bracelet, not the watch itself — the Day-Date is the other most recognizable Rolex after the Datejust, and no dressy 1908 or any other model seems capable of outshining it, literally and figuratively. As such, the Day-Date is always on offer in a wide array of sizes and dial colors, with enough precious metals and diamonds to cross that thin line into gaudiness — there’s even a version with a colorful puzzle dial and emojis on the date wheel. Though a stock, unadorned Day-Date remains one of the classiest watches on the market, a sign of sophistication and good taste.
Rolex Sky-Dweller
RolexThe year 2012 saw Rolex release the Sky-Dweller to a very mixed response. Some hate how it looks quite vehemently, which makes it a bit of a rebel choice, while others applauded the mechanical accomplishment.
What distinguishes the Sky-Dweller is, indeed, the brilliant movement inside. This is a full-on annual calendar (displaying months, but not years), and it uses a truly clever mechanism and display: The months are indicated by a tiny aperture that turns red at each of the 12 markers around the dial, while the date is in the traditional position at 3-o’clock. A 24-hour GMT indicator is located on the ring above 6 o’clock, which is the most divisive visual feature of the Sky-Dweller.
But what truly distinguishes this movement is that the “Ring Command” bezel works as a selector for whatever function you’re looking to set via the crown: One rotates the bezel to any of seven positions and uses the crown to adjust the affiliated function. It sounds tricky, but after one try, it’s entirely intuitive.
The Sky-Dweller is 42mm across, which is on the larger side for a Rolex, and it’s available on either an Oyster, an Oysterflex or a full-gold Jubilee bracelet — making it the only model in Rolex’s catalog that’s available on all three bracelet styles.
Rolex 1908
RolexThe youngest watch in Rolex’s lineup is a callback to the year Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf, trademarked the brand name and is “a clear tribute to the first Oyster Perpetual watches.”
The 1908 measures 39mm across and comes equipped with a brand-new caliber 7140 movement you can observe through a sapphire caseback, a rarity for the brand. It’s easily the brand’s dressiest watch and stands apart from other Rolex collections not only for its exhibition caseback, but also its seconds subdial, its leather strap, and for being the only watch that doesn’t use the brand’s signature Oyster case.
First launched in 2023 in yellow and white gold with a clean black or white dial, the 1908 didn’t make much of a splash initially. But in 2024, Rolex launched a platinum version with an ice-blue guilloche dial. As the only guilloche dial in the brand’s lineup (another feature to further set the 1908 apart), the platinum version has quickly become a fan-favorite.
It should be mentioned: the 1908’s release in 2023 was not without loss. The 1908 effectively replaced and formally marked the end of the longstanding Cellini collection, which Rolex largely and unceremoniously started discontinuing in 2022.
Rolex Pricing and Availability
Rolex watches range from roughly $5,000 for a basic ladies’ Oyster Perpetual to hundreds of thousands of dollars for an “iced-out” Daytona with diamonds. This is one of the wonderful things about Rolex: Though it is one of the most well-known luxury brands in the world, the price of entry isn’t prohibitive in the same way that a watch from, say, Patek Philippe is.
Unfortunately, pricing can be a bit of a moot point for much of Rolex’s catalog, since many of the watches aren’t readily available at retail. We’re not just talking about Subs and Daytonas, either. Watches that were recently plentiful, such as the Oyster Perpetual, are even scarce now. For example, a new 36mm Oyster Perpetual in the Tiffany-like blue color will currently cost you in the ballpark of $30,000 on the secondhand market. And this is for a watch that should retail for $6,100!
The bottom line for serious buyers: Do not expect to pay below retail for any current-catalog Rolex model, full stop. Expect to pay more. In some cases, way more.
Pricing on vintage models is much more forgiving. Because so much focus is placed on sports models such as Subs, Daytonas, GMTs, etc., if you’re willing to look smaller or older, you can get yourself a fantastic watch for under $5,000. There are a few important points to be made here, however.
Do not expect to pay below retail for any current-catalog Rolex model, full stop
One is that Rolex has restricted the sale of parts to independent watchmakers, meaning that it’s only becoming harder to source correct parts and service vintage Rolex watches. It is expensive to do so.
Secondly, there are countless “frankenwatches” — watches made of parts from different models — and outright fakes out there. That’s why we recommend buying vintage watches from reputable dealers, especially those that belong to Rolex’s Certified Pre-Owned program, since their watches are guaranteed authentic by The Crown itself.
Lastly, here’s some good news: Most Rolexes are not rare. The brand makes over one million watches per year and accounts for nearly a third of the entire Swiss watch market. If money is no object, you can find the watch you’re looking for on the secondary market. You’re just gonna have to pay for it. While it’s been this way for years, there’s hope that Rolex models will soon become increasingly accessible with Rolex’s 2023 announcement that it’s expanding production. If and when that happens, the secondary market should cool down considerably.