Rolex Submariner Date
+191 % above RRP
📱 Track this reference's market value on the go with the watch value app — daily median, price alerts and a watchlist.
ℹ️ 1-month trend
Price change over the past 30 days. Shows the short-term market movement — relevant if you want to buy or sell soon.
ℹ️ 4-month trend
The central metric behind the momentum score. It filters out short-term swings and shows the true, medium-term market trend of this reference.
ℹ️ Volatility
Annualised price fluctuation. Below 10 % = very stable, 10–20 % = normal, above 20 % = volatile. With high volatility the price can change quickly — in both directions. Be cautious about buying without checking the current price.
ℹ️ Momentum score
ChronoCheck's own indicator from 0 to 100, calculated from the 4-month trend, volatility and market direction.
- Above 60 — Upward trend. Good time to sell, prices are rising.
- 40 – 60 — Neutral. Stable price level, no pressure to act.
- Below 40 — Downward trend. Wait or enter at a good price.
ℹ️ Investment Grade A/B/C/D
ChronoCheck's own rating for each reference. A 0–100 point scale, made up of four weighted components:
- Momentum (40 pts) — trend strength from the momentum score.
- Liquidity (25 pts) — number of active live listings.
- Stability (20 pts) — inverse volatility — the calmer, the better.
- Source robustness (15 pts) — number of independent market sources.
- A · 75+ Trend is right, liquidity good, data broad.
- B · 55–74 Solid, but one component weaker.
- C · 35–54 Average, volatility or market breadth weigh on it.
- D · below 35 Downward or too little data — a collector's piece.
Not investment advice. Pure data analysis from aggregated market sources.
The current market value of the Rolex Submariner Date (Ref. 16800) is $12,138. The trend points down (-7.3% over four months). Last sold at auction: $11,188 (Sotheby's, 03/2026).
What if you had bought back then …
What would a purchase at the median market price back then have become — at today's level of $12,138. A pure return calculation, excluding insurance, servicing and transaction costs.
Data from an aggregated median time series (watch_market_daily). CAGR = Compound Annual Growth Rate, normalized to 365 days. Not an investment recommendation.
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Technical data
Lift angle 52° — important for timing-machine diagnosis: with this value a watchmaker can correctly measure rate deviation, amplitude and beat error. ChronoCheck verifies such technical details directly from the manufacturers' factory specifications.
Rolex replaces the Ref. 1680 with the 16800, and the changes go well beyond cosmetics. Plexiglass gives way to sapphire crystal, water resistance climbs from 200 to 300 meters, and the previously bidirectional bezel is swapped for a unidirectional ratcheting bezel. Inside ticks the new Caliber 3035, the first Submariner movement with quickset date — a technical leap that still shapes the Submariner line today. Collectors settled on the name Transitional Submariner for this reference, or simply Transitional Sub.
## COMEX: 300 Pieces for the Deep Sea
Starting in 1982, Rolex supplies special pieces to the French diving company COMEX, delivering roughly 300 watches through 1986. They're identified by the COMEX lettering on the matte dial and the engraved COMEX number on the caseback. In auction catalogs, this reference almost always appears under the shorthand COMEX 16800, rarely under the plain reference number.
## The Spider Dial Coincidence
Around 1984, roughly between serial numbers 8.4 and 8.5 million, Rolex switches from the matte dial with painted tritium to the glossy dial with applied white gold tritium surrounds. The transition is blurry, with overlapping examples of both versions existing side by side. On a portion of the gloss dials, the lacquer coating on the hour markers deteriorates — collectors call the result a Spider Dial or Ghost Bezel Sub, depending on which detail is affected. From then on, Rolex service centers routinely swapped damaged matte dials for gloss versions.
## 1988: A Change Almost No One Noticed
After eight years, production of the 16800 in 316L steel ends; its successor, the Ref. 168000, runs for only about nine months in 904L steel while staying visually identical. Many warranty papers from this transitional period still list the old 16800 reference.
Brand profile: Rolex
Rolex is the most counterfeited watch brand in the world. Super-clones (VSF, ARF, Clean — the latter inactive since a 07/2025 raid, only old stock remains) reach 95%+ similarity. Authenticity is almost always only identifiable through micro-details and caliber behavior.
- Case back: ALWAYS solid and closed — any viewing window means definitely fake (exception: vintage Ref. 6085 only)
- Minute hand length: genuine Rolex minute hands end EXACTLY at the minute chapter ring. 1 mm too long = fake. The strongest VSF tell.
- Seconds hand: smooth sweep without any hesitation — the slightest tick-tock means fake
- Cyclops lens (on Date models): must magnify exactly 2.5×, the date should nearly fill the entire window
Serial number format: Since 2010, a random alphanumeric combination (e.g. 'G3M9K721'). 2000-2010: a letter plus 6-7 digits. Serial number engraved on the rehaut at 6 o'clock (from ~2005 on). Older models: between the lug holes at 6 o'clock on the case.
Further sources
Buying guide: Rolex Submariner Date
Market situation and price range
At $12,138 the Submariner Date sits in a segment where first owners sell regularly — clean pieces with box and papers are not uncommon. The jump from "good" to "very good" usually costs 1,000 to 2,000 euros more at purchase. You get that premium back on resale if the condition is preserved.
Where the price stands
The price has fallen by -7.3% over the past four months. No crash, but a clear downward trend. Buyers currently have room to negotiate; sellers are better off waiting for the market to bottom out — unless they have to sell.
Watch out for swings: This reference has an above-average volatility of 102.4 percent. In concrete terms: the price can move by several hundred euros within a few weeks. Check the current value before buying or selling — old listings or auction results from two months ago are of little help.
What to look out for when buying?
- Authenticity: The serial number and reference on the case must match the papers. A professional authenticity check of the Rolex Submariner Date reliably rules out counterfeits.
- Condition: Check scratches on the case and bezel — professional refurbishment can leave traces.
- Service history: A documented service by the manufacturer or a certified watchmaker increases the value.
- Scope of delivery: Box, papers and warranty card make a noticeable price difference on the Submariner Date.
- Independent certification: The CPS-52 standard covers 52 checkpoints — from the serial number and the timing machine to water resistance. The result is secured on the blockchain and can be verified at any time.
Check the market value live now
Interactive price analysis with momentum indicator and buy/sell signal.
Go to the market value tool →Auction results Rolex Submariner Date 16800
Recent hammer prices for this reference from international auction houses:
| Price | House | Date |
|---|---|---|
| $11,188 | Sotheby's | 03/2026 |
| $14,030 | Loupe This | 11/2025 |
| $11,250 | Sotheby's | 06/2025 |
| $6,789 | Sotheby's | 05/2025 |
| $103,428 | Phillips | 04/2025 |