Value retention of unworn Rolex models in white gold. (Data: Chrono24)
The price of the white-gold Submariner, reference 126619LB, is worth writing about because it has declined in an unusual way on the secondary market for such an iconic model. Prices now trade well below retail, in some cases by a wide margin even for a precious-metal Rolex, based on data from the largest online watch marketplace.
According to Chrono24, which has visibility into actual sold prices on its platform, not just list prices, the average sold price of an unworn Submariner in white gold stands at $42,000. That means a drop of roughly $10,000 from retail, or about 19%, for a watch resold immediately after purchase. The discount widens to a staggering 25% once the watch has been worn. Some may say white gold and steel are too similar in appearance, but it is a fate not necessarily shared by other references.
Still, the 126619LB may be lacking something other white-gold pieces are not, a distinctive dial. In this price segment, where beauty and visibility often drive demand, the Submariner’s restraint may be working against it. It has been six years since Rolex discontinued the Hulk, whose sunburst dial is now highly sought after. In Coronet's opinion, that dial was even more interesting than the blue dial of its white-gold contemporary, which was discontinued the same year.
Last year, Rolex introduced a left-hand-drive GMT in white gold. Because the black and green bezel is reserved for such GMTs, the brand could only change the dial when making the white-gold version, and it made for a more interesting piece. The Submariner should be next.
What a refreshed white-gold Submariner could look like. (Credit: Gemini)