We normally stick to things with wheels around here, but car guys and gals have always been known to enjoy a good mechanical watch. So take a look at this Rolex Submariner we found here on eBay and let us know what you think. It turns out that watch collectors value a lot of the same things we do here at Barn Finds. Perhaps there are even some timepiece aficionados among us?
Even if you are not into watches, I bet you recognize the Rolex brand name. There’s a good chance the word “Submariner” even sounds familiar. Rolex is the number one luxury watchmaker in the world and the Submariner is one of their most famous models. James Bond wore one in the 1962 movie Dr. No, and it’s still on millions of guy’s Christmas wish list this year!
So, what makes this particular Submariner so special? It looks kind of crusty and worn out… Say, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Some watch guys actually seek out original “unrestored” watches. That sun and saltwater faded “tropical” bezel (the number ring around the outside of the watch) is as highly sought after as original paint on a classic car.
This is a watch that someone could clean up, get serviced, and wear. Hmm, kind of sounds like a “barn find”. Plus, an automatic or manual wind watch has the mechanical appeal over a digital watch in much the same way a classic car has over a modern machine. As you can now see, there are many similarities between the collector watch and car worlds. So how do you feel about our first foray into horology?
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Nice find! I saw a Submariner on Roadshow a while back. I can’t recall its value but it floored me. I will have to stick to my Timex for now. 10K and climbing now.
There is nothing this watch can do that a nice Timex of the same vintage can not. Watches like this are like fancy cars, status symbols. Just as a good Mustang or Camaro will do everything most Porsche or Ferraris can do, The Timex will serve you well for a tiny fraction of the cost. BFs should be about everyday things that are practical and most of us can afford, not a low brow edition of the Robb Report for snobs in training.
No one ever said Barn Finds have to be cheap. They come in all shapes and sizes… and prices.
In 15 years your Timex will be lost in the bottom of a drawer and worth $5. In 15 years a Rolex Submariner will double in value and have a waiting list to buy it.
@bikefixr, I guess we disagree about what exactly constitutes value and proper things to use resources for.
Nice but be aware there are a lot of fakes out there and it’s a buyer beware mentality to have. I have been scammed on a fake so I know.
This may be a legit watch but it’s crusty and there is no box or the usual papers that come with a nicely stored item. Be aware of the market. Randy
The seller, Jeff Hess, is a well know Rolex expert who even wrote a book on Rolex.
@Randy – That’s a great warning for anyone looking at high-end collectibles. Just like classic cars, you need to know what to look before buying. Check the numbers, compare to real examples, and ask questions.
I worked with a guy who went to Taiwan and bought 2 Rolex watches!
Hey, if I send you guys before and after pictures of my barn find Browning Golden Eagle would you post them (tongue planted firmly in cheek)?
Ha! That’s a name I don’t think about often. Used to be at every larger hamfest, there would be two old guys who would have the table full of Browning Golden Eagles for sale for redunculous prices. They would show up with them sale after sale, but if they ever sold one they would have considered it a win. Those gaudy gold-flashed D-104s with the plating worn thin too–all passe in this part of the country except for trucker culture and very rural areas.
I bought the identical watch, except that mine is a datejust model, from an old lady whose husband had owned it for years. She couldn’t guarantee it was a genuine Rolex so I got it for a very fair price. I then took it to a Rolex dealer who couldn’t tell me that it was either an original or a fake without opening it. I figure if a Rolex agent can’t tell the difference then why should I worry whether or not it is the real deal or not. I have since met a fellow that deals in classic watches that inspected it and his comment after his inspection was “Very nice Rolex”. So if the price is right, and you want a Rolex, then go for it because nobody will know if it is genuine or not until it is opened by a Rolex dealer.
There are photos of it “open” right in the listing.
Nice find, Tom. Just so you guys know, if you’re ever in New York city, go down to the Diamond District and you’ll find street venders selling knock-off Rolex Submariners for around $75. They’re actually pretty good watches for the money with reliable quartz movements and they look good enough to fool 99% of the folks you show it to. I’ve had several and they lasted quite a while.
So, Grandpa Lou, you can get yourself the Rolex look for Timex money!
Then you need to find a better Rolex expert. I can tell a fake from the real deal in 10 seconds, especially the older ones. I’ve seen excellent fakes out of China, but there are things they just don’t do that the real watch does. I can spot 80% of the fakes just by winding it.
My banker bought an Omega for $200 made in the USA with Citizen mechanism inside. He said it is legit because Omega authorized for a fee the American company to fit Citizen inside an original Omega case. The all original Omega cost for this model is around $3000. He bought it through internet
I’d like to get a Submariner some day so I’m all for this listing!
I collect watches and this thing looks like it’s been stored in the dirt. It’s beat. I agree with Randy. One is really taking chances buying a watch on evilbay
I believe PayPal’s buyer protection works for things like watches though. It doesn’t cover cars.
I take back what I just wrote. I didn’t look at the seller info. Hess is the Rolex authority. He wouldn’t pass off a fake. But it will take a bucketful of cash to make this one right. Thanks Austin.
I am with you. It seems legit but I was talking in a general sense and if we are to see more similar ads here it helps to be aware. Not everyone is as legit and it is good to have knowledge. Randy
No slight to this legit seller.
It’ll take a bucketful of cash to BUY it, but nobody’s going to spend anything restoring it – that’s just not done with vintage watches. It will be preserved as is, a valued rare vintage Rolex.
Cars are more interesting and more fun to drive.
That’s very true! You can stash a whole lot more of them in your garage without the wife noticing though! Just kidding. They aren’t as fun, but the engineering and history is there.
This resides in my lane on life’s highway.
Certified Master Watchmaker, (American Watchmaker’s Institute,1974)
Worked at a mom & pop store in the 70’s, became a merchandise buyer for a chain of stores in the early 80’s, went independent/self-employed in ’85. One of the things I used for income augmentation was finding, restoring, and reselling desirable watches. I never kept track, but probably owned/repaired/traded 4 dozen Rolex. They are awesome.
One which I still have contact with was a 5513 Submariner, sold to a good friend, who still owns it 30+ years later. I released him from an agreement we made at the time: “If you decide to sell it, I have the option to buy back at the original sale price.” LOL, neither of us could have foreseen that the watch would see a 15 – 20X appreciation over the intervening years.
So I don’t mind seeing this listing here.
I Met Jeff Hess in the 80’s, and we did a little bit of trading back then. A stand-up guy, with a strong international reputation. Way back then, he asked me about what to do with a derelict Porsche 912 sitting rusting in his driveway! (I suggested a scrapper, lol)
I have many opinions and a lot of experience on this subject, even though I retired from active participation a while back.
Why is this particular watch so valuable? I inherited two gold day dates (from my dad, one from my uncle) with president bracelets, one is ~1974, one is 1982. One of them needed the spring pins that hold the bracelet on and they were $60/each ten years ago. I thought the jeweler was joking. I love them both but my Seiko keeps better time. Have they become a lot more valuable lately? Or is the submariner more desirable than the day-date? The watch on ebay looks a mess.
Equate Rolex with Ferrari…
Rolex’s go through dozens of quality checks, the bezel on a Sub clicks in precisely the same 120 clicks as it should, and typically is +/- 2 seconds per day accurate, and can take ALOT of abuse. Everything is machined to be better and more precise than anything else made in the same time period, Rolex is so finicky they smelt their own metals. Add to that the name. You say Rolex and everyone with a pulse knows what it is. It is the most copied brand in the world. The watch in the picture is an unrestored survivor.
Those spring bars which hold the bracelet on have stainless steel springs inside. But correct replacements are made with gold ends and tubing. Not plated, but real gold alloys. Yea, they are not cheap.
The Day-Date watches are valuable of course. But like all things collectible, some models simply outstrip others over time because of desirability. A “Daytona” chronograph would leave this Submariner in the dust.
It never used to be a thing, “original unrestored” watches…. Most which found new owners for premium prices were well reconditioned, both mechanically and cosmetically. It appears as though “patina” desirability has come to watches as well as vintage cars. For sure though, a proper mechanical restoration is necessary for any watch intended to be worn. If it is to sit in a glass case forevermore, why bother?
This is a pretty rough Rolex that will cost you to restore and then probably have less value than a Submariner in good, original condition. High quality vintage watches are like classic cars; always try to buy one in the best, original condition that you can. Still, a quality chronograph is an investment you can enjoy, just like a classic car. I like watches but prefer an Omega. I’ve been lucky enough to acquire an Omega Seamaster (the watch worn by later Bond actors) and an Omega Speedmaster, the first watch worn on the moon and popular in auto racing.
Just like a survivor car, this one will be cleaned up and preserved rather than restored. The Speedmaster is on my wish list! Which vintage is yours?
My Speedmaster was purchased new in 2001 from a jeweler who was retiring so I got it at cost. My Seamaster I found at an estate sale, it’s an early 90’s chronograph that I was able to purchase for $900. I also own a 1970 Rolex Air King, a Rolex sports watch with a smaller case, and an early ’60s Brietling Navatimer that I found at a tag sale for $15! I did have to have it serviced which cast about $450 but trust me, I’m way ahead on that one. I love a good watch, they’re one of the few things a man can wear to impress!
@FordGuy1972 – Thanks for sharing! If you ever decide to get rid of that Speedmaster, please keep me in mind.
I own a 50th anniversary Seamaster, which coincidentally was purchased from the very seller of this watch. Good experience and a nice watch.
I also recently brought my 1986 vintage 16750 model GMT I into my local watchmaker after breaking the mainspring. He offered me $9K on the spot it I wanted to sell it.
As high as the $10K might seem given this one’s condition, it’s really not too surprising, given the market for some of these watches today.
Hi Mike! Haven’t heard the name Rolex in
years. Not since the ’80s at least. My BIL
has an early 1900s Waltham railroad pocket watch given to his grandfather for
work on the railroad. We know it’s worth
a lot, but don’t know just how much. We
looked on some timepiece websites but
they tended to lowball us on its value
Seeing this makes me wonder what’s
next. An antique alarm clock? Old books? Still wish I had my 1965 Zenith
Allegro console stereo. I got it working
after I moved in with Mom after my wife
passed away. Great work therapy and it
sounded great too! Couldn’t take it with
us when I retired to Alabama in 2009. If
anyone knows where I can get another
one, my checkbook can be reached here!
A very unusual find. Well done!
Hi, Ken. The value of your Waltham depends on a number of factors. The quality of the movement, the condition, of course, and how fancy the case is. If it has a gold case, that will be the top of the heap as opposed to silver, silver plate, nickel alloy or base metal. You can easily track down the age online by the movement serial number.
I’ve been in the antique/collectible business for a long time and you should never sell anything of real value a dealer. They usually don’t want to pay more than 30-50 percent of value. Do your homework to find out everything you can about your Waltham and see what watches similar to yours have recently sold for. Then if you do decide to sell it, auction it off on Ebay. I’ve sold a ton of stuff on Ebay since 1999 and found that if you have a good item, more people will see it there and you’ll attract a lot more bidders than you can pack into an auction hall.
Hmmmmm. Wonder what the barn find rusty can of tater chips I have is worth?
:-)
Anyone know the significance of the Mercedes Benz insignia on the hour hand?
Good question Arby. I just looked it up and apparently Rolex has never said why they started doing that. There are a bunch of theories out there though.
Everyone asks. While, as Mr.Mortensen suggests, there are a lot of stories about this symbol, some kind of wild, the conventional wisdom suggests it “became” a symbol after it was used for years and years decades ago for one purpose: To hold lots of luminous material to see the hands easily.
I was about to say…. especially in an underwater environment.
Thanks for chiming in, Jeff. Apparently someone tipped you off about the listing here. Nice.
Happy to see that you are still as active as ever. Has been a long time since the old Polygon days. You might remember me as “Leadfoot”, aka “Pied de Plomb”, as one of your FL contemporaries called me. I still use a version of that some places.
Back in the late 60’s when I was 17ish I would go to Oakbrook Shopping Center and stare at Omega Speedmasters in the jewelers window just wishing. I bought a first gen 10 years ago and it’s my daily driver out of 20+ vintage watches I own. Wearing it right now. I highly recommend Father Time Antiques in Chicago to purchase, repair, appraise, refurbish your watch. I’ve dealt with Jim Reynolds the owner for 35 years. He’s the most knowledgeable, ethical, fairest, vintage watch dealer I know of.
$10K bid on it currently, unbelievable. Me I appreciate fine mechanical devices including watches. Personally I have a 30 jewel Bulova Self Winder that I get out on special occasions and enjoy wearing it. Even though I’ve had it over 50 years, it still keeps accurate time.
As a long, long time watch collector, my first through fifth rules are: If you see any specks of rust or other contaminants on any part of the movement, inside the case, or any indication that a seal failed, run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. This holds even if you must chew your way through barbed wire fencing to get away. The romance of a rusty one is a falsehood. It is never a good deal or a steal.
Totally agree with Watchguy. Like cars, buy the best condition you can afford. It’s expensive to be cheap.
Watchguy is correct about specks and rust. Dust and moisture are the enemy of watches. The “tropical” or “barn find phenomenon ” in timepieces is relatively new, 10 years or so and seemingly unstoppable. Many Collectors like the originality and the “weathered look” and would rather have them in “As found” condition.
Great comments and lots of interest in it, but… it’s a Barn Find Rolex? Wow… I guess Grandad must have removed his Submariner to go milk the cows, set it on the back shelf and there it stayed until discovered- right there next to the old Mason jars and spare plowing discs. Sweet.
I’m all for different stuff ( looking Scotty G’s way), not too much, though. I think this stretches the limits of BF’s as most of us aren’t here for Rolex watches.( or battleships or fighter jets, but fun to see) Besides, that’s one of the beauties of retirement, I couldn’t care less what time it is, as evidenced by the times on some of my posts.
Good point Howard. It’s received a better response than I anticipated, but it could be just because it’s something different.
A lot of car guys are old school watch guys. Based on the intelligent level and quantity of comments you hit a nerve Jesse.
While I can appreciate good mechanical design I don’t really come to barnfinds to look at watches. In fact I thought it was an ad at first.
Hey I am also into trap and skeet shooting, and guns are one of the most analog machines out there, but I do not expect to see an article on a nice Fabbri over under on barn finds.
I believe the difference between a timex and a rolex is that the rolex can be accuartely used for navigation as it is a chronometer….and the timex is not.
that is one reason a lot of cia types in the sixties (and james bond) wore a rolex….it could be used for navigation.
a few seconds error could put one off position by miles.
Yeah, but can a Rolex do this,,for $9.95? (the motor I think is a Johnson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NHq3Yze6s0
Looks a lot like the one that resides in my safe deposit box, except mine’s a 1970-vintage 1680 red sub with the date and magnifier bubble. The fading on the bezel ring is just the same. Beautiful watch!
May as well get it out and wear it, after a proper refurbishment. Just be sure to add it as a line item on your homeowner’s policy. Doing so won’t diminish the value.
Or sell it, and do something with the money that maybe you’d otherwise not be able to participate in. Like all things, if it is in a box when you leave this realm, someone else will get the enjoyment out of it’s use, or at least get the use of it’s value after liquidation.
it would be better with……..LS Swap
This is a perfect barn find, especially when the comparison of a Rolex to a Timex is the day after a Superbird to a Honda, and the comment “Chalk to Cheese”. Great job Jesse. Having owned a Rolex, I can tell you that date nights were just a bit more special with it worn. This was many years ago and I traded it for a Steam tractor after marrying. But I did enjoy wearing it very much, its feel is nothing like a Timex. Its heft and the coolness of it when first put onto your wrist reminds you each time it comes out of the green box.
Okay, just gotta ask.How does a particular watch make date night better?
Really, GL…. Have you never had that particular hat, or coat, or article of clothing….. Or car, or motorcycle, or silver dollar in your pocket which just raised your level just a bit? You know, the feeling of well-being, confidence, excitement, contentment, achievement… that while you were wearing it, or riding in/on it, or carrying it, or sitting next to it, made the world seem a better place, or just far away so that your little slice of it was more enjoyable to you?
No? Goodness. Then I would be curious why you would want or desire any of the cars which come through this forum. Because ultimately, that is what all possessions do for humans. They make life better, if only by making it seem that way.
For most of us, things take a back seat to family, and friends, other humans, and living things like pets. But inanimate objects can and do put smiles on our faces, give us joy, and often contribute to a brighter attitude. How could you not get it?
Nice but way too much money for that beat up Sub, nothing is going to bring it back to a collectible state.
How can you be so sure? That’s a no reserve auction and it is bid up over $10k. I would say that it is already in a collectible state at that kind of money.
Finished out at nearly $18K.
I’d say that answers any question about the collectibility of this watch.
a Rolex found in a barn ran when lost
I think you should stick to cars and trucks as barn finds…
Don’t worry, we aren’t going to stop featuring cars and trucks! We have thrown other good finds on here every once in a while since the beginning and posts always do well. Look back at our train and plane posts – some of our most commented. The phrase “barn find” is used a lot in the car world, but we have to remember that people who hunt for furniture, motorcycles, and even watches get the same thrill when they find an original unrestored item that has been stashed away!
I am a car nut. But I so enjoyed these comments. You guys are class.
I have the same Rolex and wear it every day not like my Corvette which is a garage queen.
Does anybody really know what time it is…
Unless this watch was found in a 1917 Stutz Bearcat….(in a barn). Not interested in reading
Somehow- over the decades our 1962 Rolex GMT has turned into a 1950 GMT. All we can think is that there must have been a swap during one of its many services. In the early years, it was not a valuable watch. Today we pay attention to serial numbers. Lesson learned.
You guys.!…………long time watch collector here- though I dropped out of the market a long time back because of its price appreciation ( see ’65 Mustangs, early longhood P cars, 23 window busses etc..lol).
I actually own a 1940s rose gold Rolex but from the time when they looked more like an Illinois or Hamilton and less like someones spare wheel on REO :)
Now I need to go and look at my box of watches just sitting there waiting for someone to find them when I go to the junkyard in the sky.
Wow, there are more watch guys here than I thought! For those not interested in watches, don’t worry we aren’t going feature them everyday. I actually added a newsletter signup to the end of the post just to gauge interest. Thanks for all the great comments!
My graduation present from high school was an Omega Seamaster automatic gold case wrist watch. I still have the watch, box, papers and original strap. For my college graduation I received a Leica IIIG formerly used by R & T photographer Alex Lafontant. Both have been CLA’d (cleaned, lubricated and adjusted) over the years and are still carefully worn and used. Both collector cameras and and watches have lubricants that dry up over time so maintenance is needed if they are to be used and not just looked at. The above advice regarding serial numbers is important, so is making a precise item list with serial numbers and pictures to be placed in your safe deposit box. I can’t recommend putting fine watches in safe deposit boxes, most bank vaults lack dehumidifiers so there is a corrosion risk.
I got a pat on the back from Dad and Mom baked a cake. I felt wonderful, I knew I was loved.
I got the pat/attaboy, the cake, and an Accutron 214 in a stainless case, with a distinctive stainless mesh bracelet. I had all the original stuff with it….
Alas, it was stolen during a break-in at my house around 1989, along with a 218 that I had restored and wore often (but not that evening) and some miscellaneous junk that I cared little about. Still miss it.
But I miss more the Waltham Colonial Riverside pocket watch that was my father’s high-school graduation present. It was stolen out of a glass display dome on his desk in a high security area of a government contractor’s facility. It had been my “Graduation Test” watch at school. Usually railroad-style watches were required for the examination, but dad’s watch qualified because of a high number of adjustments built-in, and it’s capability for consistent timekeeping as the mainspring provided the power for a day. I’d trade any car I own for that watch, right now.
Jeff Hess is a very well known seller. If he’s passing on it, it’s a bad cost-reward ratio. This would cost $5k to have rebuilt by Rolex, but it will look and run as-new with a 2yr warranty. Most just give it a lube, buff and replace a couple visible parts and flip it. If brought back to new, it would fetch at least $7k and maybe more. If was bought cheap, it might make sense. But I’m sure Jeff is felling the pinch as NOS parts are getting tougher to find and ROLEX no longer sells parts to independent repair shops. Old parts would cost a bundle.
Hello?
The auction was started at $0.99 with no reserve.
It is now at $10,990 after 44 bids. Are you paying attention? ($7K?)
I have no idea whether Jeff is offering it as the owner, or as a consignor. Doesn’t matter much. In either case, he isn’t “passing on it.” He buys and sells watches and other stuff as a business, to make money, as in profit, or income. I’d guess that he probably does have a personal collection of watches that he just couldn’t let go of. But those would represent a small fraction of the many which have been in his possession.
In this case, it would seem as though not refinishing it before offering it out is a great move. These days, it happens that some people just like (and will pay for) a crusty, “Barn Fresh” mechanism more readily than one which has been restored.
Nice patina
This is going to go great with my over priced 58 Ford Woody Wagon.
Probably is real, some collectors like the tropical dial. There was a Rolex that a painter owned and he tore off the bezel since it would collect dried paint. It was a rare Rolex mistake since it was a submariner with a Rolex Explorer dial. That beat up Rolex sold at auction for 1.7 million! Amazing, the world of horology is almost as strange or stranger at times than the world of vintage cars!
The most famous Rolex Submariner is the one worn by Felix Rodriguez. Felix is the former CIA agent who captured Che Guevera. He took the watch from Che before he was assassinated, and Rodriguez wears it to this day.
Actually, the watch taken from Che was a Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675.
Why is this watch even on here? I thought this was an old vehicles for sale site. Stop junking it up with items I have no interest in! If I wanted Ebay, I would go to Ebay.
Variety is the spice of life! Don’t worry though, we still featured 16 vehicles the day this was posted!
I like the addition of a watch to the site but I have to comment on the writeup…
“That sun and saltwater faded “tropical” dial (the number ring around the outside of the watch) is as highly sought after as original paint on a classic car. This Submariner is also a first-generation model (5508).”
Actually, the “number ring around the outside of the watch” is called the “bezel”. The “dial” is the watch face itself.
Although an early model Sub, ref. 5508 is far from the “first generation” of Submariner – that honour would go to the 6204/6205 of 1953.
Cheers
d.
Thanks for clearing that up! It was late when I wrote this but we will get everything corrected.
I quit wearing watches when cell phones came along. Have not had one since.
Before that I had a succession of Seiko watches. They were stylish and reliable without breaking my bank account.
I fail to see the attraction of high priced Rolexes. Jewellery for the rich. Just like Bentleys
Day Dream Believer-Look for a Waltham Premier Maximus; you won’t be disappointed. Del-Seiko mechanical self wind watches are now seriously collectible as they are in high demand with Japanese collectors.
From time to time rally/racing driver chronographs do belong here as they are an integral part of automotive history and you’ll still see them on the wrist of race driver’s fire suits. Pebble Beach judges still check to make sure their judging includes an operating dash clock if fitted.
Thanks, but not looking for watches in general, just the one of my fathers which will never cross my path again. I have a few wristwatches, and pockets, including a Hamilton 992 RR watch…. Eventually all will be sold because they have no real sentimental meaning to me.
I think the stash includes a less expensive chronograph, not sure it is economically fixable, has probably been in a drawer for 20 years.
Wow. Turns out I know very little about watch values.
And don’t tell me this didn’t belong on barn finds. This generated more comments than any car I have looked at on here.
Out of my limits for a watch. I wear an old Timex bolted to a turquoise and coral band. Keeps perfect time. I do see the arttraction though. I wonder if watch prices will disolve like muscle cars prices as guys like myself check out. The time piece on the cell phone seem to do it for the youth now. Thanks for all the comments on the watch. Very interesting. Ended:Nov 22, 2019 , 3:40PM
Winning bid:
US $17,988.80 [ 50 bids ]
I read recently that the used Rolex market is red hot because the economy is good and Rolex has begun to limit quantities. I don’t know if that’s true but I do believe the watch market cycles similarly to the car market.
still have my grandfathers date in stainless, works pretty well not perfect. hadn’t seen it in years, found it in the nightstand!
I had a Blue oyster pearl for a while. After I got it I had to throw $500 bucks at it for a new crystal and some springs cause it broke. The thing never kept the right time the whole time I owned it. So I sold it and bought 4 Timex watches. When the battery dies I just pull out the next one and start it up. Although I quit wearing watches because of the nature of work that I do and my Celly always shows the correct time and date. So I don’t even need one anymore.
But for laughs I wouldn’t mind owning a Fake Rolex even if it didn’t run for more than a week I could have fun with it. LOL
My favorite watch is my Grand Fathers pocket watch, Which doesn’t work but is priceless to me.
Rolex watches are very cool but i heard that rolex watches do not keep time any better then any other decent watch out there.