Six Rolex watches worth a second look
Fernando AldeaIt's easy to spend all our time focused on the latest and greatest releases: everyone wants the shiny new piece. Meanwhile, we overlook many great watches. And while we can't say a Rolex is particularly underrated these days, there are certain watches that deserve more attention than others.
Our friends at Hodinkee have put together a small selection of watches that we think fit those parameters quite well. All of these watches are classics, a mix of latest-generation references, discontinued models, and even current-production examples that deserve a closer look.
Rolex Daytona Ref. 116520
With its striking contrasting dial and famous case silhouette, there's no other watch quite like the Rolex Daytona. This example, reference 116520, was released by the brand in 2000, replacing the reference 16520 that had been in production since 1988. Most importantly, it featured Rolex's first in-house chronograph movement, the caliber 4130.
The watch is a real eye-catcher and immediately recognizable as a Daytona: its 40mm steel case, screw-down crown and pushers, and steel bezel provide a distinctive canvas for the unmistakable black and white dial configuration. Applied indices and a Rolex crown at 12 o'clock set the tone, while a pair of lume-accented baton hands constantly indicate the time. The ref. 116520 was replaced in 2016 by the ceramic-on-steel ref. 116500, a watch that has remained almost impossible to find in the six years since its release. With demand for the 116500 continuing to decline, we think it's about time to revisit Rolex's original Daytona.
Rolex Yacht-Master Ref. 116622
The Yacht-Master is Rolex's newest and most striking sports watch. First introduced in 1992, the Yacht-Master is easily recognizable by its bezel execution, a bidirectional 60-minute graduated design, with raised numerals. As is typical of Rolex, we have gradually seen incremental updates to the Yacht-Master's design language. Since 1999, the Yacht-Master has been renowned for its dual-metal, tone-on-tone construction, combining an Oystersteel case and bracelet with a platinum bezel. In 2015, the Yacht-Master was updated with an eye-catching blue dial and bright red accents, and in 2019, the brand equipped the line with its latest-generation automatic caliber 3235, as seen in the new reference 126622.
Here we have the previous generation Yacht-Master, the ref. 116622. Measuring 40 mm × 12 mm, the watch sits low and tight, with a curved profile that more closely resembles the classic Oyster case design than the sharper “Super” profile found on most modern Submariners. Though familiar in terms of overall design, the reference 116622 is nonetheless Rolex’s expression of a more refined luxury sports watch, including a platinum bidirectional bezel in addition to its stainless steel case, as well as 100 meters of water resistance and a screw-down crown protected by crown guards. On the dial, a Maxi-style configuration is featured, complete with a white date aperture with a “Cyclops” magnifying glass, large hands, white gold hour markers, and a few distinct color accents unique to the always understated Yacht-Master collection.
Rolex Explorer II Ref. 216570
This reference 216570 is, at its core, a no-frills GMT sports watch, and more importantly, one that helped update the collection from the previous reference 16570 and bring the Explorer II line into the modern era. Featuring a solidly constructed 42mm stainless steel case, a matching three-link Oyster bracelet, and a fixed 24-hour outer bezel, the watch is instantly recognizable as an Explorer II, albeit noticeably more robust than any previous iteration. On the dial, Rolex’s efforts toward modernization are even more apparent, with its “Maxi” -type dial featuring some of the boldest features ever seen in the collection, including larger hands and hour markers, plus clever uses of contrast in both colors and textures.
Powering the model is Rolex’s calibre 3187, an automatic movement capable of 48 hours of running time and protected by Rolex’s signature solid caseback. Notably, when reference 216570 was discontinued in 2021 in favor of the now current reference 226570, it was at first glance only the Explorer II’s movement that saw the most significant update, with the 70-hour power reserve calibre 3285 confirming the success of the original 216570 design. Naturally, the 226570 has become a difficult watch to find, but good quality 216570s still exist, such as the example we have available at LOFT .
Rolex Milgauss Ref. 116400
The Milgauss, as a model line, dates back to 1956 with the launch of the ref. 6541. At the time, it was one of the first wristwatches capable of accurately keeping time when exposed to strong magnetic fields. In its original development and production, the Rolex Milgauss served a niche market segment of scientists who needed a timepiece capable of withstanding high levels of electromagnetism. Since its launch, the Milgauss remained within the Rolex catalog and saw constant design updates for three decades before finally being discontinued in 1988. Fast forward to 2007, Rolex relaunched the collection, introducing the original reference 116400 seen here.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, the dial of the ref. 116400 is a colorful and slightly playful combination of whites, oranges, and blacks, with the collection's signature lightning bolt-shaped seconds hand accompanying a pair of baton hands for the hours and minutes, and the applied crown emblem at 12 o'clock. Importantly, the 116400 was the last reference within the Milgauss line not to include what has since become another signature of the collection: a specially developed green sapphire crystal, also known as glace verte in French, or "GV" for short. Will Rolex update the Milgauss this year? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, it's as good a time as any to get your hands on the first modern Milgauss, the 116400.
Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph 'Thunderbird' Ref. 116264
Few watches in Rolex history are as distinct as the Datejust Turn-O-Graph, also known as the Thunderbird . At first glance, it looks like a standard Datejust, but closer inspection reveals the eponymous rotating white gold bezel with 60-minute scale, which provides a distinctive aesthetic element as well as additional functionality on the wrist. The origin of the name "Thunderbird" comes from the nickname of the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron , created in 1953, which was the first supersonic aerobatic team. As the story goes, a pilot started wearing a Turn-O-Graph, which eventually became the squadron's wristwatch, and the nickname soon followed.
When it was launched in the early 2000s, the ref. 116264 represented the final generation of the Thunderbird before it was discontinued in 2012. The reference introduced a fluted bezel to the Turn-O-Graph, bridging the gap between Rolex's tool and dress watch styles. It also introduced several new dial colors and configurations, including the watch's now signature red seconds counter, which helped distinguish the watch not only from previous generations of the Thunderbird, but also from its contemporaries in the standard Datejust collection. Though Rolex's most modern Thunderbird, the 116264 is nonetheless a quintessential example: versatile in its utility, visually distinctive, and up for anything. Its 36mm Oyster case ensures comfortable wear, while its fluted bezel adds a touch of elegant contrast, perfectly capturing the "high-low" aesthetic for which the series is known and which has made it a cult classic for over 50 years.
It's been a decade since the final reference 116264 was released, and there's no time like the present to experience this watch in your collection.
Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613 in Two Tone
The Rolex Submariner might be the most recognizable watch in the world, and when crafted in two-tone steel and yellow gold, it becomes even more of a symbol of serious luxury. We love the six-digit Submariners of this era for their refined cases and bracelets, inset ceramic bezel, slender 13mm thickness, and the excellent caliber 3135 with date and 48-hour power reserve.
In 2020, Rolex released a new, slightly larger 41mm Submariner with slimmer lugs and a wider bracelet, as well as the new (for the Sub) 3230 movement. While Rolex is easily the most conservative brand when it comes to updating its classic designs, some collectors felt that the new Submariner went—albeit microscopically—a bit too far. And so, over the past two years, “six-digit” 40mm Submariners, like the two-tone 116613 we have here, have become certified “classics” that are well worth a collector’s pick.
