By Mustafa Cint
Despite some price fluctuations in recent years, Rolex watches have lost little of their popularity. The Swiss watch brand with the crown is still a popular investment and status symbol. In this article, we take a closer look at our data and reveal the three Rolex watches that have appreciated the most over the past five years. Let’s start our list with a little experiment: Take a minute to think of three Rolex watches that you think have performed best financially in recent years. By “performed best financially” we mean the models that have increased in value the most on a percentage basis. It will be interesting to see if the models you chose are on today’s list. I was personally surprised by one of the winners.
1. Rolex Daytona: 88%
The absolute number one on this list of Rolex watches with the greatest increase in value is the legendary Rolex Daytona. The price of this sports chronograph (ref. 116515LN) with a white dial and rose gold case has increased by approximately 88% in the last five years. Is it really any surprise that the Rolex Daytona is at the top of this list? After all, this has been one of Rolex’s most popular watches since the brand with the crown led the resurgence of the Swiss watch industry in the mid-1980s. More surprising, however, is the fact that both second and third place are also occupied by Daytonas. For the sake of variety on our list, we’ve included these two references under this first-place Daytona heading. Second place here went to the Rolex Daytona ref. 116519 with a white dial and white gold case. Third place went to the Rolex Daytona ref. 116518 with a black dial and yellow gold case. If we take a closer look at the various Rolex Daytonas, we can distinguish two important product phases. First, there are the hand-wound models produced from the introduction of the Daytona in 1963 through to 1988. These watches have been coveted by collectors for decades, and prices for them have steadily increased over time, with their market value going through the roof in recent years. The Rolex Daytona “Paul Newman” in particular is borderline unaffordable. It’s not uncommon for prices for the Paul Newman to crack the $200,000 mark. Prices for a regular hand-wound stainless steel Daytona such as refs. 6262 and 6265 start at around $60,000.
2. Rolex Air-King: 73%
The second watch on our list is a genuine surprise. The Rolex Air-King would be right at home in a “Rolex models under the radar” article. Known as a classic entry-level watch, the Air-King ref. 114200 is often described as too small and too unspectacular. However, its appreciation in recent years has made this ugly duckling shine in new splendor. With a whopping 73% growth in the lastfive years, the ref. 114200 with its green dial has nothing left to hide. The history of the Rolex Air-King began in 1945 with the introduction of the reference 4925. Although it featured the familiar Oyster case, it differed in design from today’s models. The watch was a tribute to the World War II pilots of the British Royal Air Force, who preferred to wear Rolex watches. The model would continue to evolve over the next few years, with ref. 6552 marking a major turning point in the collection’s history. It was this reference that introduced the signature Rolex Caliber 1030, which would greatly improve the accuracy and reliability of the timepiece and lay the foundation for future Rolex models. Ref. 5500 remained in production for 32 years, and was equipped with a 34-mm case and the Rolex caliber 1520 or 1530. During its long run, ref. 5500 became the epitome of the Air-King name thanks to its classic design and timeless appeal. The modernized ref. 14000 brought with it significant innovations, including a sapphire crystal and the Rolex caliber 3000, as well as a new, smoother bezel design that replaced the previous engine-turned bezel. The 114200 reference mentioned in this article subsequently replaced the 14000 until the introduction of the current ref. 116900. The Air-King is a Rolex model that has polarized watch fans in recent history. For years, it remained relatively unremarkable compared to other Rolex watches. Then, with the aforementioned ref. 116900, released in 2016, the Air-King was given a complete makeover. The effects of this are still being felt today. The configuration of the hour and minute indices on the dial has been the subject of considerable debate. In any case, even if the latest Air-King divides the community a little, it still enjoys broad popularity.
3. Rolex Oysterquartz: 71%
The third model on our list is another surprise. The Rolex Oysterquartz ref. 17000 with a white dial and steel case has appreciated by 71% over the last five years. The Oysterquartz, the only Rolex model powered by a quartz movement, is a relic from the so-called “quartz crisis” era. The case of the Oysterquartz was visually very different from classic Rolex cases, although it retained typical features like a fixed bezel, screw-down case back, and screw-down crown for optimum water-resistance. The Oyster bracelet with a folding clasp was also completely redesigned to match the more angular, heavily beveled case. The Oysterquartz Datejust is powered by the caliber 5035, while the Oysterquartz Day-Date is equipped with the caliber 5055. It is interesting to note that Rolex used the existing components of the automatic caliber 3035 for the construction of the caliber 5035. This technology was used in many other models, including the Submariner and Datejust. For the 5035 movement, these components were combined with electronics and a stepper motor, making the Oysterquartz caliber particularly durable and easy to maintain.
