Can You Get a Rolex Under 1000 Dollars?

Often new users will ask questions on watch forums like “Can I get a Rolex under 1000 dollars?” or “What’s the best Rolex for 2000 dollars?” and it’s pretty standard to tell them to keep saving, or consider other brands. But you can get a tiny old Rolex for $1000, and even though we wouldn’t recommend that in most cases, it can be useful to understand why some Rolex watches are priced so low. In this article, we’ll take a look at the best working Rolex you can expect to buy for under $1000, $2000, $3000, $4000, and $5000.

Once you have about $7000, you can pick from a variety of used modern Rolex Datejust models, and you’re in spitting distance of some of the cheapest sports models like an Explorer II ref. 16570 or perhaps a well-worn Submariner from the 1990’s. We’ve discussed some of the best cheap Rolexes before, but today we’re going so cheap that many of the watches we’re talking about aren’t exactly the “best.” Under the $5000 mark, Rolexes bigger than 36mm are out of reach–so no sports models. And any Rolex under 1000 dollars will be especially small. But, we’ll show you what you can get at the bottom of the Rolex barrel.

Factors that Reduce Rolex Prices

Essentially, there are six characteristics that tend to be found on the cheapest Rolex watches:

• Very old – Vintage Rolex watches are often very desirable, but antique Rolexes…not so much. Rolexes made before about 1960 are especially difficult to find parts for, and watches from the 1940’s and earlier are often off by more than a minute per day–and that’s if you’re lucky enough for it to work at all. Repair prices for extremely old Rolexes can easily exceed their market value. If you get a Rolex under 1000 dollars, its next repair quote probably won’t be.
• Very Small – Although Rolex used to make a variety of men’s watches that were roughly 30mm in diameter, nowadays 36mm is the minimum size that many men will consider. 34mm models are often significantly cheaper than 36mm ones, and they can look classically-sized and stylish on a man. When you get smaller than 34mm, the market really shrinks and prices drop off.
• Gold-Plated or Gold-Filled – Watch collectors like stainless steel, and they like solid gold. They don’t generally love gold-plated watches, though. You may also hear the term “gold-filled” (or just “GF”), which is technically a different process than plating and involves a thicker layer of gold, but the end result is similar–it looks gold for a while but decades of wear are bound to cause the gold layer to start peeling away. Thus, these watches tend to sell for a discount relative to their all-steel equivalents.
• Not Waterproof – Rolex’s waterproof Oyster case is, arguably, the reason they got famous. Rolex dress watches and other non-Oyster models are, in most cases, not particularly sought-after. Don’t expect to find any working Oyster models–even tiny ones with hideously damaged dials–if you’re searching for a Rolex under 1000 bucks.
• Damaged – As you would expect, damage devalues a watch. Although much fanfare is made about “patina,” in general, the newer an old watch looks, the more expensive it will be. Dial condition is hugely important, so old Rolex watches with trashed dials are often among the cheapest (working) ones on the market.
• Repainted – Many damaged dials have been restored/repainted by now, but collectors tend to avoid them in favor of original examples. Note that a fully repainted dial decreases the watch’s value more than one that has simply been re-lumed.

For More Rolex Education:
Collector’s Guide to Rolex Dials
Collector’s Guide to Rolex Bezels
Collector’s Guide to Rolex Nicknames
Understanding the Rolex Rehaut

So, basically, if you want a Rolex under five grand, you’ll need to choose one with at least one of those characteristics. If you want a Rolex under 1000 dollars, it will probably have several of those traits. We’ve previously talked about some of the best entry-level Rolex watches but you could call these “sub-entry-level.” They can be an interesting part of a watch collection but it’s hard to get a robust go-anywhere-do-anything watch from Rolex at these prices. Let’s go through each price point up to $5000 and explain what it gets you in today’s Rolex marketplace:

Rolex Under 1000 Dollars – Small WW2-Era Non-Oyster

Any Rolex sold for $1000 or less will be old and tiny, or broken. We’re only focusing on functioning watches today, so let’s talk about some cool old tiny ones. There are some random, barely-working World War 2-era men’s Rolexes with non-waterproof cases that can occasionally be found for about $1000, such as this 30mm 9k gold model with a Dennison “Meteor” case:

Other $1k Rolex Option – Cocktail Watch

Men’s Rolex watches under 1000 dollars are sparse, but a variety of cocktail watches are attainable for this price. A cocktail watch is a type of small, dressy ladies’ wristwatch, popular from the 1940’s-1960’s. Typically they come with a very thin bracelet or strap.

Old watches like this are fun to wear, but often, when they stop working, that’s that–and that’s sort of what you’re signing up for with a Rolex this cheap.

Rolex Under 2000 Dollars – Speedking (30mm)

The Rolex Speedking was an entry-level manual-wind 30mm Rolex Oyster model made from about 1936-1973. It may have been the first Rolex model to have Mercedes hands, although most have regular sticks. If you can handle the 30mm diameter, the Speedking is a fun and reliable $2000 Rolex.

Other $2k Rolex Option – Canadian Oyster

“Canadian” Rolex Oyster models like this Majestic 3386 (29mm) should be attainable for around $2000, especially if the watch has gold plating or dial damage.

Rolex Under $3000 – Oyster Perpetual Date (34mm)

$3000 is enough to get you firmly out of the “antique” era and into a proper vintage Rolex, although it’s tough to find anything bigger than 34mm. Ref. 1500 is a common and robust Oyster Perpetual Date reference in this price range, although examples with particularly desirable dials like mosaic dials will cost a bit more. If you’d prefer a manual-wind 34mm Rolex Oyster, you could consider a 6022, 6426, or 6694.

Other $3k Rolex Option – Vintage Cellini

Another often-overlooked option for a 3000-dollar Rolex watch is a gold Cellini model from the 1970’s. The cushion case of ref. 3747 is very nice, for example, although its 31mm diameter won’t appeal to everyone. Rolex made a variety of case shapes and interesting bezels for its now-discontinued Cellini line, so if you like small gold dress watches, there’s plenty to explore there at the low end of the Rolex market.

Rolex Under 4000 Dollars – 4-Digit Datejust (36mm)

With $4,000, 36mm Datejusts are within your reach. A standard stainless steel Datejust ref. 160Rolex Under 4000 Dollars – 4-Digit Datejust (36mm)0 should be doable for that price. Note that 4-digit Datejusts (including 1601, 1603 etc.) do not have a quickset date feature, which makes setting the date an arduous task. So, unless you simply love the aesthetic of the old “pie pan” dials, you might want to save up a little bit more.

Other $4k Rolex Option – Air-King ref. 14010 (34mm)

5-digit Air-King models are a relatively affordable way to get a Rolex with a sapphire crystal. Ref. 14010 was offered with an engine-turned bezel, a 34mm Oyster case, and a variety of dial options. It’s a solid choice for a $4000 Rolex watch.

Rolex Under 5000 Dollars- 5-Digit Datejust (36mm)

$5000 is enough to get you a 36mm Rolex Datejust with quickset date and an acrylic crystal (ref. 16000, 16030, 16013 or 16014). The generation after this (16200, 16220, 16233 and 16234) has sapphire crystals, but they’re just beyond this price range.

Other $5k Rolex Option – Rare 1950’s Oysters

Note that $5000 should also get you an “oversize” or “jumbo” (meaning 36mm) dateless vintage Rolex like ref. 1018 or ref. 6424. 34mm references with exotic dials like chevron dials and mosaic dials are also a nice choice for a Rolex under 5000 dollars.

That pretty much covers what you should know about $1000-$5000 Rolex options. For vintage enthusiasts willing to wear 34mm watches or smaller, there are a surprising amount of Rolexes for under $5000. And yes, you can even get a Rolex under 1000 dollars if you’re open to a super old dainty model. But the cheapest Rolex watches are rarely the best ones. To get the type of Rolex that most modern mainstream buyers want, it really is best to keep saving or consider alternative brands.

Rolex Alternatives:
Rolex Daytona Alternatives
Rolex Submariner Alternatives
Rolex Explorer II Alternatives
Rolex GMT-Master II Alternatives
Rolex Explorer Alternatives
Rolex Datejust Alternatives