Pre-Owned Rolex: How Old Is Too Old?

Recently at a RedBar meetup, I was talking to someone in the market for his first Submariner. He’d narrowed it down to the current reference (the 126610, or the no-date 124060), but was frustrated with resale pricing and retail availability. When I suggested the previous-gen 116610 or even a five-digit like the 16610, he dismissed them: “Those are too old. The movements aren’t as good.”

That answer caught me off guard—not because it was wrong, necessarily, but because it felt like the wrong thing to be worried about. If someone told me they'd ruled out five-digit Submariners, I'd expect to hear about the bracelet, the end links, the clasp, the bezel material. The stuff you see and interact with every single day. The movement? On a neo-vintage Rolex? That wouldn't be my concern.

The Mechanical “Problem” (Is It One?)

Image Source: Analog:Shift

For my RedBar friend, the biggest objection to five-digit Rolex was mechanical: why spend thousands on a watch that doesn’t have the latest Rolex caliber? It’s a fair question. The current Submariner runs the 3235 movement, with a beefed-up 70-hour power reserve and some nice technical upgrades—Rolex’s super-efficient Chronergy escapement, antimagnetic Parachrom hairspring, Paraflex shock absorbers, and so on. If you’re looking purely at specs, that’s an easy win for the modern watch.

But here's where the argument loses steam. The caliber 3135—found in the 16610 and most of the six-digit era—ran from 1988 to 2018, a 30-year production run. It quietly accumulated improvements along the way, including the same antimagnetic Parachrom hairspring. A properly serviced 3135 keeps time within Superlative Chronometer tolerances, handles shock, resists magnetism, and will do so reliably for decades more. It's not a fragile antique. It's an example of the reliability and serviceability that Rolex built its reputation on.

Rolex Submariner on Everest Curved End Rubber Deployant Strap

So yes, there are real improvements with each generation. But "mechanically inferior" sets up a misleading comparison. These movements aren't consumer electronics where last year's model quietly becomes obsolete. They're designed to be serviced and run indefinitely. If you're wearing your Sub daily, the difference between a 48-hour and 70-hour power reserve will never affect your life once.

What Actually Makes a Watch Feel Too Old?

Image Source: Huntington Company

This is where the real conversation lives, and day to day, it's almost entirely about the exterior, not the movement. The things that genuinely change from generation to generation are the things you see and feel constantly.

Hollow end links are a legitimate gripe. Earlier references had hollow rather than solid end links, which gives the bracelet a lighter, slightly jangly feel compared to the heft of a modern Rolex bracelet. Solid end links started appearing in later production runs around 2000. If that bracelet solidity matters to you, it's worth knowing which production periods to look for.

Image Source: Monochrome Watches

The clasp is another one. Modern Rolex clasps—the Glidelock micro-adjustment system, the Oysterlock safety fold—are excellent. Earlier references used simpler deployants that work perfectly well but don't have the same premium feel or adjustability. Worth knowing, though: this is one of the more solvable problems on the list. Everest makes a deployant buckle specifically for five-digit models that adds micro-adjustment and a substantially more substantial clasp feel—if an upgraded bracelet experience is what's holding you back from an otherwise great deal on a 16610, that's a relatively easy fix.

Then there's the bezel. The current Submariner's Cerachrom insert is scratch-resistant and essentially colorfast for life. The aluminum bezels on earlier references fade with sun exposure and scratch more easily. Some collectors love that lived-in character—it becomes part of the watch's story. Others would rather not think about it.

Case dimensions and overall proportion are worth mentioning too. Five- and six-digit Subs wore smaller and felt more tool-watch-honest on the wrist. The current 41mm with its broader lugs and polished surfaces reads a bit more luxurious. Neither is objectively better. But if you've been sizing up current references at the AD, an older Sub is going to feel like a noticeably different watch.

Why Some People Prefer “Old”

Image Source: @crownedkoi on Instagram

Of course, the pendulum swings both ways. The things my RedBar friend saw as drawbacks—hollow end links, drilled lugs, smaller cases, jangly bracelets—are exactly what some collectors are hunting for. Drilled lugs make strap changes a breeze. The lighter, more toolish feel of five-digit Rolexes has its own charm, especially if you’re into no-nonsense, go-anywhere watches. Want a Sub with real vintage vibes? You’ll have to go back a few references. Matte dials, tritium lume, and simpler finishing aren’t coming back any time soon.

Maybe you like the modern, more luxurious feel of the current Submariner—or maybe you’d rather have the brushed surfaces, smaller cases, and matte bezels of a previous generation. The beauty of the Rolex secondary market is that both options exist, and neither is objectively right or wrong.

Final Thoughts

Image Source: Bob's Watches

The line between “too old” and “just right” is blurrier than most people realize. Sometimes it comes down to comfort, aesthetics, or a feature that matters to you. Sometimes it’s just about wanting something brand new. There’s no wrong answer. But next time you find yourself dismissing a watch as outdated, remember: even a 30-year-old Submariner was built to last for decades—and most of the so-called “inferior” movements are still ticking, still serviceable, and still ready for another lifetime on the wrist.

Buying a watch is personal. Just don’t let the latest specs—or someone else’s hangups—stop you from finding the one that’s actually right for you.