You’d be lying if you said you’ve never fantasized about stumbling upon a rare Rolex. We’ve all had that fantasy – the fantasy of unearthing one from a jewelry box at a yard sale or buying one at auction. But before you can dream of getting your hands on one of these precious pieces, you have to know what you’re looking for. Here, we will show you some things that can significantly increase the value of a vintage Rolex watch. That way, if the situation arises, you’ll know if you’ve really found something. 
In many cases, the value of a vintage Rolex watch is in the dial. Rare dials on vintage watches can add significantly to the value and earn you big bucks, so this is always the first place you should look. Pay attention to what’s on the dial – do you see something that isn’t usually there? For example, some replica Rolex watches were commissioned by other companies such as Tiffany & Co. This simple addition can add serious value to what might be a plain vintage Rolex watch.
This natural fading from black to brown is known as a “tropical” dial and is very popular among vintage Rolex collectors.
The way dial is aged with paint or luminescence may appear old or dirty at first glance; however, in many cases, this aging process can greatly increase the value of a fake Rolex watch. There are, of course, the extremely collectible “tropical” dials; yet another famous example of this desirable aging process comes from a short-lived reference number of the “Polar” Explorer II, which ran from 1985 to 1989.
In Ref. 16550, Rolex actually had a flaw in their paint mixture that turned these once-clear white dials into a rich cream color. Today, these bronze-colored dials are very rare and very collectible, so next time you see a dirty-looking dial, take a second look。
You don’t need to know all the years or reference numbers, you just need to know the good ones. For example, if you’re buying a submarine, you’ll want to know the ref. 1680. During its production, the Submariner ref. 1680 went through a series of dial changes – from the Mark I to the Mark VIII.
Knowing which dials were used in each year of production can help you determine the value of one ref. 1680 over another. For this model of Submariner, you’ll also want to know which years to watch out for the ever-worthy “Red Submariner” – although you should start getting excited as soon as you see the red text on the dial ……
Watches are a lot like works of art because you want to be able to trace their origin. If you can grab a watch that still has the original box and documentation, this will help add authenticity and ownership, and (generally) increase value. That said, these documents are not considered legal documents and are not required when selling a watch, so it’s not a given that the watch you purchase will have them.
But keep in mind that if you can get the original box and papers for a really old vintage watch, it can mean big bucks. A lot of times these things get lost over the years, so if they are included, it may add some real value – especially if it is a very collectible vintage replica Rolex model.
Finding unpolished vintage Rolexes is becoming increasingly difficult – look for the clear bevels on the lugs (pictured).
Just as not all brown dials are tropical dials, there is a big difference between a dial that has developed a patina and one that has aged from moisture. Rolex that has never been polished over the years also have a higher value – although, this can be hard to find because many times polishing is done during repairs or routine service.
A watch in good condition – showing minimal tearing after years of wear – will be worth much more than the same watch with more signs of wear and damage. So, when trying to understand the value of a watch, always go back to the condition.
