A Rolex does not have one price. Cost depends on the family (Datejust, Submariner, Daytona and so on), the metal, the exact reference, the dial and the paper set, and then on what the market will actually ask today. This page is a dealer-desk map: catalogue asks you can pursue, plus how wholesale asks differ from what a buyer eventually pays, so you can read the wholesale weather before you shop. Browse Rolexes we can source for the current range, or read on for how each family is priced today.
Last reviewed on September 28, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.
How much does a Rolex cost in 2026?
It depends on family, metal, reference, dial, condition and full set; there is no single "Rolex price." On this desk's most recent catalogue snapshot, asks for steel sports models ran from the high four figures for an entry Oyster Perpetual to well into six figures for a gem-set Daytona or Day-Date. The sections below break the range down family by family, with a note on retail versus secondary asks at the end.
What does a steel Submariner cost?
| Reference | Notes | Bizak catalogue ask |
|---|---|---|
| 124060 (no date) | Current 41mm no-date Submariner, calibre 3230 | From the low teens, thousands, new; see the 124060 guide |
| 126610LN | Current 41mm Submariner Date, black dial and bezel | Low-to-mid teens, thousands, new; see the 126610LN guide |
| 126610LV "Starbucks" | Green bezel, black dial | A modest premium over the black LN; see the 126610LV guide |
| 16610LV "Kermit" | Discontinued 2010, green bezel | Collector premium over a plain 16610; see the 16610LV guide |
Our Submariner price guide goes deeper on every reference and dial combination, and the Submariner collection and used Submariner collection list what we can source.
What does a GMT-Master II cost?
The GMT-Master II carries one of the largest gaps between retail and secondary asks of any current steel sports Rolex, because Rolex's own allocation is among the tightest in the range. The Pepsi (126710BLRO), Batman (126710BLNR), Sprite (126720VTNR) and Bruce Wayne (126710GRNR) two-tone-bezel versions each carry their own premium band, with the Batman generally the most available and the Sprite and Pepsi the most requested. The plain black-bezel 126710GRNR and root-beer 126711CHNR sit in between. Expect asks from the mid teens, thousands, for a black-bezel version up toward the twenties for the most requested two-tone bezels, new.
See our up-close guides for the Batman, Bruce Wayne, root beer and Sprite, or browse the GMT-Master II collection.
What does a Daytona cost?
The Cosmograph Daytona in steel is one of the hardest single Rolex models to obtain at retail, so its secondary premium is usually among the largest of any current reference. The ceramic-bezel 126500LN (2016 to date) and the discontinued 116500LN panda dial each command a premium that moves with sentiment; gold and platinum Daytonas trade closer to their much higher retail because the buyer pool is smaller relative to supply. Expect steel asks from the high teens, thousands, upward, with precious-metal versions running into six figures. Rolex's own Cosmograph Daytona collection page lists the current retail configurations and is the reference point for comparing any secondary ask.
See the 126500LN guide and 116500LN panda guide, or browse the Daytona collection.
What does an Explorer or Explorer II cost?
The Explorer family is Rolex's most attainable steel sports line: the 36mm and 40mm Explorer and the 42mm Explorer II both allocate more readily at authorised dealers than the Submariner, GMT-Master II or Daytona, so secondary premiums stay modest. Expect asks from the low teens, thousands, for the 40mm Explorer 224270 up to the mid teens for the Explorer II 226570, both new.
See the Explorer 224270 guide and Explorer II 226570 guide, or browse the Explorer and Explorer II collections.
What does a Datejust cost?
The Datejust is Rolex's largest family by volume and has the widest range of dial, bezel and bracelet combinations, so price depends heavily on configuration. A steel 41mm Datejust on an Oyster bracelet with a fluted bezel sits at the accessible end; two-tone and full-gold versions, and dials such as the Wimbledon or motif dials, sit meaningfully higher. Expect a wide spread from around ten thousand for steel up to the mid twenties, thousands, and beyond for two-tone and gold.
See the Datejust 41 126331 guide, or browse the Datejust collection.
What does an Oyster Perpetual or Air-King cost?
The Oyster Perpetual is Rolex's entry point: a time-only steel watch with no date and no bezel complication, offered across several case sizes and a run of colour dials that themselves carry different demand. It is generally the most attainable Rolex at retail and asks the least on the secondary market of any current model, though the brightest colour dials in the smaller sizes can carry a modest premium over the plainer options. The Air-King sits a step above, a 40mm steel sports-dress watch with a distinctive dial layout that references Rolex's aviation history; it allocates more readily than the Submariner or GMT-Master II and prices closer to a Datejust than to an Explorer. Expect Oyster Perpetual asks from the high four figures to the low teens, thousands, depending on size and dial, and Air-King asks in the low-to-mid teens, thousands, new.
Browse the Oyster Perpetual collection and the Air-King collection for what we can source.
What does a Day-Date cost?
The Day-Date, sold only in precious metals, is Rolex's most formal watch and starts well above every steel sports model. Yellow, white and Everose gold versions form the bulk of the market, with platinum examples and gem-set dials at the top. Expect asks from the high twenties, thousands, for a plainer gold example up into six figures for platinum or heavily gem-set pieces.
Browse the Day-Date collection.
Wholesale versus retail: how the two prices differ
Retail is Rolex's list price at an authorised dealer, published and the same everywhere in a given market; the current figures sit on Rolex's own watch pages. Wholesale and dealer-to-dealer asks are what the trade itself pays to move inventory between desks, which run below matched public retail asks by a modest margin because they exclude the margin a retail buyer pays. Neither figure is a quote for a specific watch; both move with sentiment, season and the exact reference. Auction results, such as those Sotheby's publishes for its watch department, are a separate data point again: they reflect a single sale under auction conditions and should not be read as a retail or wholesale price either.
- Retail. Set by Rolex, uniform at every authorised dealer, and the reference point everyone measures against.
- Public secondary asks. What dealers like Bizak list for a specific watch, reflecting condition, set and current demand.
- Wholesale asks. Dealer-to-dealer chatter, useful for reading direction of travel rather than for a walk-in quote.
- Auction results. A single hammer price under bidding conditions, useful context for rare or vintage pieces but not a like-for-like comparison with a dealer's catalogue ask.
Ask any dealer for a dated, written quote on the exact reference, dial and set rather than relying on a published range.
What moves Rolex prices year to year?
- Allocation. The tighter Rolex keeps a reference at retail, the larger its secondary premium tends to run.
- Discontinuation. When Rolex retires a reference, existing stock is fixed and premiums often firm up over the following years.
- Dial and bezel rarity. Nicknamed dials and bezels (Kermit, Hulk, Pepsi, Batman) carry their own demand curve separate from the base reference.
- Condition and set. Full set with box, papers and an unpolished case commands more than a watch-only example at every price point.
- Macro sentiment. Broader luxury and collectibles demand moves premiums up and down even when Rolex's own retail price is unchanged.
Buying checks before you pay a Rolex ask
- Get the ask in writing. Reference, dial, bezel, year and set, dated.
- Compare like for like. A watch-only ask and a full-set ask for the same reference are not comparable.
- Check the card and rehaut. Serial and rehaut engraving should match on cards-required references.
- Ask what is included. Box, papers, extra links and warranty status all affect the number.
- Treat any published figure as dated. Ask for a fresh quote rather than acting on an old article.
Quick answers
How much does a Rolex cost in 2026?
It depends on family and configuration. Steel sports models range from the high four figures for an entry Oyster Perpetual to the high teens and beyond for a Daytona; gold Day-Date models start well above that. All figures are dated observations, not quotes.
Why do Rolex secondary prices differ from retail?
Rolex sets one retail price at every authorised dealer, but allocation is limited on steel sports models, so secondary asks move with real supply and demand rather than the catalogue.
Which Rolex family costs the least?
The Oyster Perpetual and the 36/40mm Explorer are generally the most attainable steel models, both at retail and on the secondary market.
Which Rolex family costs the most?
Day-Date and gem-set or platinum versions of any family sit at the top, since the Day-Date is sold only in precious metals.
Is a wholesale price the same as what I would pay?
No. Wholesale asks describe dealer-to-dealer temperature and typically sit below matched public retail asks by a modest margin; wholesale numbers are not a retail invoice and should not be used as a quote.
Request a Rolex price quote
Tell us the family, reference, dial and condition you are after through our sourcing enquiry form, and we will confirm a dated quote against the actual watch before you commit. Browse the full Rolex collection, or sell or trade your Rolex.
Related reading: Submariner price guide · Best first Rolex · Rolex waitlist explained · How to sell a Rolex.
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