No one would pretend collecting vintage watches is the cheapest activity in the world. If you’re dabbling in this hobby for the first time and looking for an initial purchase in the secondary market, you’ll see some amazing dollar figures, especially if you’re bent on buying a Rolex.
The brand has been around for a long time and has such a broad and diverse portfolio of products that there are models that can meet almost any budget. The cheapest replica Rolex watches actually fall into two different categories, and the reasons behind the two categories are completely opposite. There is one type that can be implemented because it contains models that have never been very popular, which means that the demand is much lower and therefore the price is much lower. The price of the other model is affordable because these models are what everyone wants, leading to a lot of production, and the current oversupply also lowers costs.
However, this all only applies to certain models. We can’t list the real icons under the heading ‘Everyone Can Afford.’ However what we are left with are some awesome fake watches, the cult heroes that can set you apart in an overcrowded space – and that won’t break the bank while doing it.
The famous Rolex Datejust has been one of the brand’s best-selling products since its launch in 1945. With an incredible array of different metals, frames, dials and chains, it’s a replica watch for everyone. Besides, it makes up for the gap between a dress and a rough tool model; Adapt to any place, fill any situation.
It is actually possible to spend huge amounts on a Datejust, but it is by no means necessary. The model has never been subjected to the Rolex policy of limiting allocation, and it has been built in enormous numbers over the decades.
Of the vintage references, the ref. 160X family is the most reasonably priced. This was the series that really nailed down the aesthetics, helped along by adopting a new thinner movement, the Cal. 1565 which did away with the “Bubble Back” cases of previous iterations. However, it still has those two touches loved by all vintage fans – a pie pan dial and an acrylic crystal. The range was in production for nearly 20-years, meaning the pre-owned market is swarming with great examples, in any style you can imagine. But it is perhaps the ref. 1601, with its two-tone steel and gold Rolesor metal combination and fluted bezel, which screams ‘Rolex’ the loudest.
A steel 36mm case topped with a gold surround is a trademark visual. If you can live without the Jubilee bracelet and are glad to wear your Datejust on a leather strap, you can have one for even less.
The fake Air-king has been in production since then, except for the first few years in 2014. Yet, even with more than 70 years of history, it remains one of the underrated brands in the Rolex collection. Further evidence is that air-king lags far behind other directories in accepting incremental updates.