Believe it or not, truly great luxury watches are rarely owned by just one person, and many Rolex watches have had multiple owners during their lifetime. Whether they are passed down to descendants of the same family or sold on the open market, most high-end watches are likely to pass through many hands during their journey.
The longevity and timeless look of a watch allow it to hold its value well and in many cases appreciate in value. This is what makes the vintage and pre-owned industry so strong, with Rolex’s share of the pie estimated to be around $100 billion.
This is good news for buyers and sellers alike, a vibrant market is waiting and willing to pay top dollar for watches whose owners want to sell or upgrade. Many of our customers are trading in their existing watches in order to purchase newer versions or possibly older versions if they collect vintage replica Rolex watches.
The Rolex Submariner is a prime example of a watch that has undergone numerous tweaks and updates, both major and face-lifting, during its nearly 70-year career as the world’s most popular dive watch. A key update occurred in 2010 when the number 116610 received an updated case design. 116610 received an updated case design and a bezel made of Rolex’s proprietary ceramic bezel called Cerachrom. in addition, in 2020, Rolex increased the size of the Submariner from 40 mm to 41 mm with a new generation of internal movement for renewal.
Many older models from the 1990s and early 21st century, namely the stainless steel ref. 16610, decided to sell their copy watches or trade them in for a more modern version with a ceramic bezel. Given the strength of the Rolex pre-owned market, this makes upgrading your watch a very cost-effective way to go.
The difference between the trade-in cost of the older model and the cost of the new version is far less than the price of buying another watch. As a result, customers are able to wear the latest Cerachrom Submariner at a fraction of the cost of a normal purchase.