Seiko prospex. Good stuff and for the same price you can own 20 of them or more.
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Let's be clear, a Submariner, at least last I checked, is not $10,000, more like $7.5k to $8k. Yes, still a lot.
I owned a Submariner. I flew with it on my FAC(A) qualification course , and I was consistently losing about 5-8 seconds every day, even when I synched it in the morning. I sold it when I got back and bought a Casio. It holds time almost perfectly. In hindsight I wish I would have kept it. I paid $2500 new (bought it when the dollar was really strong), sold it for $4500, now they are going for around $8000. I also didn't realize that if you send them back they can calibrate them. Seems a lot of work though for an expensive timepiece......
Let's be clear, a Submariner, at least last I checked, is not $10,000, more like $7.5k to $8k. Yes, still a lot.
Rolex is--well, was-- a pioneer in its field. The Submariner is a very good watch, and I would love to own one. Rolex is probably the most successfully marketed brand in the world.
On my fiftieth birthday, my wife bought me an Omega Seamaster in titanium. With its coaxial movement, grade five titanium case, as well as its depth rating, it is a superior watch to the Submariner and in my opinion roughly the peer overall of the Sea Dweller. These are not just idle claims. I have taken this watch on maybe 50 dives, mostly off the beach, and the watch looks like it's nearly new. I do not baby it. And yes, with regulation, it keeps excellent time.
Would I have gone out and bought one on my own to dive? Probably not. But it does have its uses. It is very simple to set the bezel to remind you to surface, or make a navigation turn, or anything you wish. As Dumpster Diver once noted, if task loaded, or narced, a watch is easier to read and understand. And yes, I also carry a computer.
As to fear of loss, it is covered against loss by an inexpensive policy that also covers my wife's jewelry. If it falls off, I can replace it with no out of pocket. It is a pleasure to look at it during the work day and know that it has seen the same places I have seen, the deep ocean, the difficult exits, the night dives, etc. The more I use it the more special it is.
After I fall off the perch, it will become my son's.
I doubt he will want my dive computer.
Rolex....well if it’s good enough for Bond, it’s good enough for you!
Actually, it depends entirely on your frame of reference and location. If I walk into my local high end jewellery store, I have no doubt at all that the price tag would be $10k or more. I live in Canada, and at today's exchange rate, $7500 USD is almost exactly $10,000 CAD.Let's be clear, a Submariner, at least last I checked, is not $10,000, more like $7.5k to $8k. Yes, still a lot.
I was under the impression that the only way to get a Daytona was to win it. (Well technically to win the Rolex 24hours of Daytona race and then you get the watch as one of the prizes.) I didn't think they were available for sale (except second hand).Unfortunately you can't just go into a high end jewelry/watch store and ask for a Stainless Steel Professional Rolex watch anymore. They simply have limited how many stores are getting and generally Stores save these watches for their preferred customers. This is due to the fact that people are buying these sought after watches and flipping them on the secondary/gray market for profit. Even more so on the GMTs and Daytonas which are highly desirable and go for several thousand if not double the MSRP on the gray market. My Jeweler told me she had a 9 year waitlist of customers who wanted a specific Daytona Watch. Keep in mind you can buy Precious Metal Rolexs (ie White Gold, Platinum, 18k Gold, Rose Gold) no problem but again those are gonna be above the $20k area...
Anyways to the OP, yes it is a luxury item. And worth the money as a functional time piece? Well thats entirely up to you...Because honestly it is not as accurate from a time keeping standpoint to other watches that are a fraction of the price. A G Shock that is $80-$200 has more features and more accurate than a Rolex. But if you have the means to buy a Swiss Watch then go for it. I have a Submariner and I took it diving in Key Largo just to wear it and use it. I would only buy used from a Trusted Dealer and definitely learn as much about Rolex as you can and avoid any pitfalls or scams or fakes that are floating out there. Go to your local Rolex Dealer and talk to a salesman and see what they can do for you.