Rolex Submariner Date vs No Date: Which to Buy

On paper the two watches are separated by one small window at three o'clock and a few hundred dollars. In practice they are two different watches with two different collector followings, two different resale profiles, and two very different personalities on the wrist.

Here is the honest breakdown, from a dealer who buys and sells both references every month.

The Short Answer

The Submariner Date (ref. 126610LN) adds a date window at three o'clock, a Cyclops magnifier on the crystal, and the Caliber 3235 movement. The Submariner No Date (ref. 124060) drops all three for a perfectly symmetrical dial, a flat unbroken crystal, and the Caliber 3230. Everything else, the 41mm Oystersteel case, the black Cerachrom bezel, the 300 meter depth rating, the 70 hour power reserve, and the Glidelock bracelet, is identical. The Date costs roughly $1,000 more at retail and is the more liquid of the two on the secondary market.

Rolex Submariner Date vs No Date: Specification Comparison

Difference 1: The Date Window and What It Costs the Dial

The date window is not a neutral addition. To fit it, Rolex removes the applied hour marker at three o'clock and replaces it with an aperture. That single change ripples across the whole dial. The Submariner's layout is built on three large round markers at six, nine, and twelve with rectangular markers between them. On the Date model, the three o'clock position breaks that rhythm.

Purists have argued about this since 1969, when Rolex introduced the no date 5513 and the dated 1680 side by side in the catalog. Some collectors find the date window practical and barely notice it. Others cannot unsee it. There is no correct answer, only preference, and the only way to settle it is to look at both dials under the same light.

Difference 2: The Cyclops Lens

This is the change most buyers underestimate. The Cyclops is a 2.5x magnifying bubble cemented to the outside of the sapphire crystal directly above the date window. Rolex added it to the Datejust in 1953 because the date was genuinely hard to read, and it has been a brand signature ever since.

What it means in daily life:

• It sits proud of the crystal. The Cyclops is the highest point on the watch, so it catches door frames, desk edges, and gym equipment before anything else does. Scratched Cyclops lenses are common on pre-owned Date models.
• It affects glare. The lens picks up light at angles the flat crystal does not, which some wearers find distracting and others never register.
• It adds height under a cuff. Case thickness between the two references is effectively identical, but the Cyclops adds a small bump above the crystal that you feel when sliding a shirt sleeve over the watch.
• It is an authentication checkpoint. A genuine Cyclops magnifies the date to fill the window edge to edge. Poor magnification or a lens that sits off center is one of the fastest red flags on a counterfeit.

The No Date has none of this. The crystal is flat glass from edge to edge, which is part of why the 124060 reads as more of a pure tool watch.

Difference 3: Caliber 3230 vs Caliber 3235

These two movements are siblings from the same architecture. Both use the Chronergy escapement, both run a blue Parachrom hairspring with Paraflex shock absorbers, both carry the Superlative Chronometer certification at -2 to +2 seconds per day, and both deliver a 70 hour power reserve. That last figure is the practical one. Take either watch off on Friday evening and it is still running correctly on Monday morning.

The difference is the date module. The 3235 adds the calendar work and the instantaneous date change that snaps over at midnight. The 3230 deletes it. The 3230 is not a stripped down version with compromises, it is the same engine without the calendar, which means one fewer component group to service and one fewer point of mechanical failure over decades of ownership.

For collectors thinking in terms of long term maintenance, that is a real if modest point in favor of the No Date. Service intervals and costs are broadly similar, but simplicity ages well.

Difference 4: Variant Availability and Collector Depth

This is the single biggest structural difference between the two, and it is the one most comparison articles skip.

The No Date Submariner exists in exactly one configuration. Black dial, black bezel, Oystersteel. That is the entire lineup. It has been that way for the reference's whole history. There is no gold no date, no green bezel no date, no two tone no date.

The Date Submariner is an entire family:

• 126610LN, black dial and black bezel in steel, the default Submariner
• 126610LV, black dial with green bezel, known to collectors as the Starbucks or Cermit
• 126613LN and 126613LB, Rolesor steel and yellow gold with black or blue dials
• 126618LN and 126618LB, solid 18k yellow gold
• 126619LB, 18k white gold with a blue dial and blue bezel, nicknamed the Cookie Monster

Then there is the discontinued back catalog, which is where Submariner collecting gets genuinely interesting. The 116610LV Hulk, the 16610LV Kermit, the original 16613 two tone, the 1680 with its red printed dial. Almost every reference with a serious collector premium attached to it is a date model. The discontinuation upside, the nickname culture, and the vintage market all live on the Date side of the family.

If you want to build a Submariner collection over time rather than own one watch, the Date lineage gives you somewhere to go. The No Date gives you one watch, and it is a very good one.

Difference 5: Price and Liquidity

At authorized dealer retail, the gap is around $1,000. On the secondary market the picture changes, because the secondary market is where both watches actually trade for most buyers.

Two things worth understanding here. First, both references trade above retail, which means the authorized dealer waitlist is not a shortcut to a discount, it is a wait for a price that no longer reflects market reality. Second, the 126610LN is the most liquid steel sports Rolex in the world outside the Daytona. If you ever need to sell quickly, the Date moves faster and to a broader pool of buyers.

That does not make the No Date a worse asset. It holds value just as reliably. It simply sells to a narrower, more specific buyer, the person who already knows they want a symmetrical dial and is not shopping generically for "a Rolex Submariner."

What Collectors Should Know

The no date is the more historically faithful dive watch

The original 1953 Submariner had no date. The reference 5513, which ran for nearly three decades, had no date. The date was added in 1969 with the 1680 as a concession to civilian buyers who wanted more from an everyday watch. If your interest in the Submariner is rooted in its origin as a professional diving instrument, the No Date is the closer descendant of that idea.

The date is the more historically valuable one

This is the tension. Collector culture celebrates the no date lineage for its purity, but the money has consistently followed the date models. Red Submariners, Comex examples, tropical dials, the Hulk, the Kermit. The date family has produced far more reference variation, and variation is what creates collector premiums. Purity does not appreciate. Scarcity does.

Both current references share the 2020 case redesign

When Rolex went from 40mm to 41mm in 2020, it did not simply enlarge the watch. The lugs became noticeably slimmer, correcting the thick "super case" profile of the 116610LN generation that divided opinion for a decade. The bracelet was widened to 21mm at the lugs. The result wears smaller than the 41mm number suggests, and most buyers who disliked the previous generation's proportions prefer the current one. This applies equally to both references.

Previous generation references deserve a look

The 114060 no date and 116610LN date, both produced until 2020, use the Caliber 3130 and 3135 respectively. Those movements offer a 48 hour power reserve instead of 70, and the cases are 40mm with thicker lugs. They also cost meaningfully less than current production while offering the same 300 meter rating and the same ceramic bezel. For a first Submariner on a tighter budget, they represent some of the best value in modern Rolex.

What to verify on any pre-owned example

• Rehaut engraving. The inner bezel ring should carry a crisply engraved ROLEX repeat with the serial number at six o'clock, aligned correctly with the markers.
• Serial and reference match. The serial engraved on the rehaut must match the card if papers are present.
• Bezel action. 120 clicks, unidirectional counterclockwise, no backplay, no grit.
• Date snap (Date models only). The date should change instantaneously at midnight, not creep over several minutes.
• Cyclops alignment and condition (Date models only). Centered over the window, magnifying fully, free of deep scratches.
• Bracelet stretch. Hold the watch horizontally by the clasp and look for sag between links. Stretch is expensive to correct and is the most common wear issue on daily worn examples.
• Service history and lug condition. Over polished lugs lose their sharp chamfers permanently and cost real money at resale.

Every Submariner we sell is inspected against this checklist by our in house watchmakers before it is listed, and every watch is backed by the WatchGuys 2 Year Warranty.

How to Decide Which One Is Right for You

Forget the specification tables for a moment. Five questions settle this for almost every buyer.

1. Do you actually read the date off your wrist?

Be honest. Most people check the date on a phone or a laptop dozens of times a day and never once look at their watch for it. If that is you, you are paying $1,000 for a feature you will not use and accepting a broken dial layout to get it. If you sign documents, work in a field where the date matters, or simply like the reassurance of having it there, the calendar earns its place.

2. Which dial do you keep looking back at?

Put both on the counter, walk away, and come back. The one your eye returns to is your watch. This sounds unserious. It is the most reliable test we have, and after years of doing this it predicts buyer satisfaction better than any spec comparison.

3. Is this your only luxury watch or one of several?

If the Submariner is going to be your one watch for everything, the Date is the more complete daily instrument. If you already own a Datejust, a GMT-Master II, or anything else with a calendar, the No Date adds contrast to the collection instead of duplicating a function you already have on the wrist.

4. How do you dress?

If you live in cuffs, the flat crystal of the No Date slides under a sleeve more cleanly. If you live in t-shirts, this is not a consideration at all.

5. What is your exit plan?

If there is any real chance you will trade or sell within a few years, the 126610LN is the easier watch to move and reaches a wider buyer pool. If you are buying to keep, this question does not apply and you should choose purely on which watch you prefer.

Our Recommendation

Buy the Submariner Date 126610LN if this is your first Rolex, your only luxury watch, or a piece you may trade later. It is the definitive Submariner, the one people picture when they hear the name, and the most liquid steel sports watch on the market. You can see current inventory on our 126610LN collection page.

Buy the Submariner No Date 124060 if you have owned watches before, you know you never use a date complication, and a symmetrical dial genuinely matters to you. It is the more faithful dive watch, the simpler machine, and the choice of most people who have already owned a Submariner once. Browse available examples on our 124060 collection page, or read our full 124060 hands on review for a closer look at the reference.

Consider a discontinued reference if value per dollar is your priority or you want a watch with a defined production window behind it. The 126619LB Cookie Monster sits at the opposite end of the range for buyers who want something rarer than steel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Rolex Submariner No Date worth the same as the Date?

Both trade above retail and hold value reliably. The Date typically commands higher absolute dollar values and sells faster because it appeals to a wider audience. The No Date holds its value just as well proportionally but has a narrower buyer pool.

Why does the No Date Submariner cost less than the Date?

The Caliber 3230 has fewer components than the Caliber 3235, and the watch has no Cyclops lens to manufacture and apply. Fewer parts and fewer production steps translate to roughly $1,000 less at retail.

Is the No Date Submariner thinner than the Date?

The cases are effectively the same thickness. The Cyclops lens on the Date sits above the crystal and adds a small amount of height at that point, which is noticeable under a shirt cuff but does not change the case dimensions.

Can you add a date to a No Date Submariner?

No. The Caliber 3230 has no calendar work and the dial has no aperture. Any attempt to modify one would destroy both the watch's integrity and its value.

Which Submariner is better for a first Rolex?

The 126610LN Date. It is the most recognizable configuration, the most liquid if your taste changes, and the most practical as a single daily watch.

Does the No Date Submariner come in gold or with a colored bezel?

No. The 124060 is produced only in Oystersteel with a black dial and black Cerachrom bezel. All gold, two tone, and colored bezel Submariners are date models.

How much is a Rolex Submariner in 2026?

US retail is approximately $10,050 for the 124060 No Date and approximately $11,000 for the 126610LN Date following the January 2026 increase. On the secondary market, expect roughly $12,500 to $14,500 for the No Date and $13,500 to $16,000 for the Date, depending on year, condition, and whether the watch is complete with box and papers.

What is the difference between the 124060 and the 126610LN?

The 124060 is the No Date Submariner with the Caliber 3230, a flat sapphire crystal, and a symmetrical dial. The 126610LN is the Date version with the Caliber 3235, a Cyclops magnifier, and a date window at three o'clock. Case, bezel, bracelet, and depth rating are identical.

Buy Your Submariner From WatchGuys

WatchGuys is a pre-owned and unworn luxury watch dealership in downtown Los Angeles. Every Submariner in our inventory is authenticated and serviced by our in house watchmakers, photographed as the exact watch you receive, and covered by the WatchGuys 2 Year Warranty. If you are deciding between these two references and want a second opinion from someone who handles both every week, call us at 800-729-8115 or text 213-414-1525.

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