Rolex, founded by Hans Wilsdorf in London in 1905 and later relocated to Geneva, is the world's most recognized luxury watch brand. The company pioneered the waterproof wristwatch (Oyster, 1926), the self-winding mechanism (Perpetual, 1931), and the date display (Datejust, 1945).
Trading near its retail price on the secondary market, this reference offers good value for buyers. The parity between retail and market pricing suggests balanced supply and demand, making it accessible without excessive premiums or lengthy dealer waitlists.
Our WVS Value Score of 82/100 places this in the upper range of luxury watches. The score reflects a solid balance between value retention, brand recognition, specification quality, and market availability.
Perhaps most remarkably, the annual cost of ownership is just $107 per year when factoring in value retention, servicing, and insurance. To put that in perspective, this is less than many people spend on a streaming subscription — making it one of the most cost-efficient luxury items you can own.
Understanding the true cost of owning a luxury watch requires looking beyond the purchase price. Our cost-of-ownership model calculates the annual net expense of keeping the Rolex Sea-Dweller 126600 on your wrist, factoring in three key components.
First, depreciation: based on historical pricing data for this reference and similar Rolex models, we estimate annual value change at -1.3%. The negative figure means this watch actually appreciates over time — you're being paid to wear it, in a sense. Second, servicing: Rolex recommends periodic maintenance to ensure accuracy and water resistance. We amortize the estimated service cost across the recommended interval, arriving at $80 per year. Third, insurance: at approximately 1.5% of market value, annual insurance costs $203 to protect against theft, loss, or accidental damage.
Combining these factors yields a net annual cost of $107. That's roughly $0.29 per day — less than a cup of gas station coffee.
Estimated market price trend based on aggregated public listing data. Prices reflect average asking prices for complete sets in excellent condition. Updated monthly.
Our proprietary score rates every luxury watch on a 0-100 scale across five dimensions. Scores above 85 indicate exceptional value retention and market positioning. The formula is transparent and weight-based.
When considering the Rolex Sea-Dweller 126600, it helps to understand how it compares to alternatives in the dive watch category. The most affordable alternative is the Cartier Santos at $6,900 — saving you approximately 49% compared to the 126600. However, the 126600 justifies its premium through a superior Value Score (82 vs 76) and lower annual ownership cost ($107/yr vs $598/yr). No alternative in this comparison exceeds the 126600's Value Score of 82/100, confirming its strong position in the market. The comparison table below provides a detailed side-by-side analysis of all key metrics.
| Watch | Market Price | Size | WR | Own/Yr | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolex Sea-Dweller 126600 | $12,000–$15,000 | 43mm | 1220m | $107/yr | 82 |
| Cartier Santos W2SA0016 | $10,000–$13,000 | 39.8mm | 100m | $943/yr | 75 |
| Cartier Santos WSSA0029 | $6,500–$8,200 | 39.8mm | 100m | $631/yr | 76 |
| Cartier Santos WSSA0018 | $6,000–$7,800 | 39.8mm | 100m | $598/yr | 76 |
| Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 210.22.42.20.01.004 | $6,500–$8,000 | 42mm | 300m | $624/yr | 74 |
| Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 5015-1130-52A | $11,000–$14,500 | 45mm | 300m | $1036/yr | 67 |
Originally designed for professional underwater use, modern dive watches are equally at home on a desk as they are at depth. The rotating bezel tracks elapsed time underwater, while the high water resistance and luminous markers ensure readability in low-light conditions.
Key specifications for a dive watch include water resistance (minimum 200m for ISO 6425 certification), unidirectional rotating bezel, luminous hands and indices, screw-down crown, and robust bracelet with dive extension. Higher-end models feature helium escape valves for saturation diving.
Dive watches are the most versatile luxury watch category. They pair equally well with a suit, casual wear, or technical gear. The sport-luxury aesthetic makes them appropriate for virtually any situation, which is why models like the Submariner and Seamaster are among the best-selling luxury watches globally.
Rolex watches are notoriously difficult to purchase at retail from authorized dealers. Most popular steel sport models (Submariner, Daytona, GMT-Master) have waiting lists ranging from months to years. The secondary market offers immediate availability but typically at a premium above MSRP.
All current Rolex watches use in-house movements manufactured at their four Swiss facilities. Every movement is COSC-certified and then tested to Rolex's own Superlative Chronometer standard of -2/+2 seconds per day — twice as strict as COSC alone.
Rolex recommends servicing every 10 years. A standard service costs approximately $800-$1,000 for a basic three-hand model and $1,000-$1,400 for a chronograph. Rolex service includes a 2-year guarantee on the work performed.
Rolex has the strongest resale value of any watch brand. Steel sport models consistently trade above retail, while precious metal and Datejust/Day-Date models may trade at or slightly below retail depending on configuration.
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Every current reference ranked by Value Score. Click any model for full analysis.
| Ref | Variant | Retail | Score | Own/Yr | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 126600 | 43mm Steel/Black ◂ | $12,550 | 82 | $107/yr | $12,000–$15,000 |
| 136660 | Deepsea 44mm Steel/Black | $14,350 | 83 | $112/yr | $14,000–$18,000 |
Value Score 82/100 · $107/year to own · 100% retention