Rolex Submariner LV (photo: Rolex)

If you've frequented Rolex's official website over the past few months, you may have noticed that the watchmaker recently added pricing for some of their popular wristwatch configurations. The screenshot above shows an example, with the suggested retail price of the stainless steel Submariner LV below the photo. This pricing feature is new to Rolex, surely designed to direct traffic to their website from search engines.

Many use search terms like 'Rolex pricing' on a monthly basis, so it makes sense for them to finally offer pricing directly as they do in their printed price list. The website only lists pricing for models under $20,000 US, though. The configurations that cost more, mainly precious metal configurations, are available upon request by contacting an authorized dealer. While it's not a comprehensive price guide, this new feature still offers utility to those deciding between most stainless steel and two-tone models.

To check out the new pricing feature, visit rolex.com. For information on configurations above $20,000 US, check out my Rolex Shopping Guide, with pricing on Rolex models priced from less than $10,000 to upwards of $50,000 US.

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Rolex Explorer I from Baselworld 2016 (Reference # 214270)

The pricing of Rolex watches varies from year to year and place to place, but there are some resources that can help you pinpoint the suggested retail price for the model configuration you are interested in. I have posted about Rolex pricing in the Shopping Guide section of this site, breaking down which models are available for around $5,000, $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000 US.

Pricing For New Rolex Models
If you do not have the watchmaker's latest catalog that includes the suggested retail prices for all models manufactured this year, you can find a list of 2016 Rolex prices across countries on rolexforums.com. I have compared the prices they list with the prices listed in the official catalog and have found that they add up based on exchange rates. They updated their list of prices as recently as November 2016 and will likely be the first ones to post prices for the new models after Baselworld 2017.

Pricing For Vintage or Pre-Owned Rolex Models
While the watchmaker's suggested retail price guide is available for configurations in the current model year, there is no set price for vintage and pre-owned models. Prices for these watches are dictated by the market, so if you would like to research pricing on a particular reference, I would recommend checking out current listings on forum classified sections or on websites like watchrecon.com. For high priced vintage pieces, I would recommend checking pricing from auction houses like Phillips and Christies. They publish their lots on their websites with pricing information most of the time.

Factors That Go Into Rolex Pricing
The best way to gauge pricing on any wristwatch model is to pay attention to three factors: material, model and market. As is logical, a precious metal configuration will run you more than stainless steel. The same thing goes for a rare or limited model. However, the market ultimately dictates the pricing for these and all other commodities. Exchange rates also come into play, with sales in countries like China and the United Kingdom benefitting from currency fluctuations in 2016.

While establishing a long term relationship with a Rolex Authorized Dealer is usually the best way to get discounted pricing on certain models, knowledge of the market and the model you are interested in will allow you to be sure that the pricing you receive is worthy of the configuration you are looking for.

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Rolex Explorer (photo: Rolex/Alain Costa)

The most affordable Rolex watches are made from their 904L stainless steel alloy and are priced under $10,000. I have compiled a list of my picks for the best configurations in this category that you can check out by clicking here. It includes many of their popular models, including the Submariner, Explorer and GMT-Master II BLNR.

For under $25,000, you can get a Rolex with a combination of stainless steel and gold. Within this budget, you can get a two-tone Yacht-Master II, a diamond Datejust II or a Rolesor (combination of stainless and gold) Cosmograph Daytona. I added a few more popular Rolex models to my list, found here.

With the exception of platinum and diamond entrusted models, most of their higher end Rolex models fall under $50,000. This will get you a Sky-Dweller, a Day-Date or a gold Daytona. The gold GMT-Master II that I featured on my list (found here) is also a very nice value in this price range.

You can check out Rolex pricing for most models on the Rolex Forums as well. They have a static list of Rolex prices across countries.

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