Five figures. On January 1, 2026, the simplest steel Rolex Submariner crossed $10,000 at retail for the first time, and the most famous dive watch in the world quietly became a luxury purchase of a different order.
At a glance
- Submariner, steel, no date (124060): $10,050, up from $9,500.
- Submariner Date, steel (126610): $11,350.
- Two-tone “Bluesy” (126613LB): $18,900.
- White gold (126619LB): $52,100.
- Pre-owned 124060: often above $11,500.
- 2026 price moves: January for all models, June for gold only.
How much does a Rolex Submariner cost in 2026?
The steel Submariner without a date, reference 124060, costs $10,050 at US retail, up from $9,500 before the January increase. The Submariner Date in steel, reference 126610, now costs $11,350, more than $1,000 higher than a year earlier.
Move into precious metal and the numbers climb quickly. The steel and yellow gold “Bluesy” is listed at $18,900 after a 7.4% rise, and the white gold Submariner with its blue bezel went from $48,000 in May 2025 to $52,100.
Why did Rolex prices rise twice in 2026?
The January round was broad: steel sport models rose roughly 5 to 6% in the US, while gold and precious-metal pieces rose around 8 to 9%, as Rolex absorbed higher costs and US tariffs on Swiss watches. In June, Rolex made a rarer mid-year adjustment tied to the price of gold. It touched only models with gold in them; the steel Submariner stayed at $10,050.
Is it cheaper to buy a Submariner pre-owned?
Usually not for the steel models. Because authorized dealers still ration them, clean pre-owned examples of the 124060 have traded above $11,500 on Chrono24 this summer, higher than the new retail price. The trade-off is time: buying new means waiting on a dealer’s list, while pre-owned means paying a premium to wear one today.
Gold is a different story. Retail prices for precious-metal Rolex watches have risen faster than their resale values, so pre-owned gold Submariners can be the better buy.
The history: from professional tool to icon
Rolex introduced the Submariner in the early 1950s as a tool for divers, among the first wristwatches built to be water-resistant to 100 metres, with a rotating bezel to time a dive. Over seven decades it gained depth rating, a date window, a Cerachrom ceramic bezel and, in 2020, a 41 mm case with a new generation of movements.
Its silhouette barely changed along the way, and that consistency is the point. Today every Submariner carries Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer certification, accurate to within two seconds a day, and water resistance of 300 metres.
A diver’s tool that became the benchmark for every luxury sports watch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Rolex Submariner?
The steel Submariner without a date, reference 124060, at $10,050 US retail.
Does a Rolex Submariner hold its value?
The steel models do; many trade above retail on the secondary market. Gold versions tend to resell below their current retail price.
Will Rolex raise prices again?
Rolex traditionally adjusts prices each January, and in 2026 it added a mid-year change for gold. Another January increase would follow the brand’s long pattern.
Sources: WatchGuys · Bob’s Watches · European Watch Company · Everest Bands · ECI Jewelers · Chrono Hunter
