We promise to invest our time and experience into understanding your needs and desires. We won’t &#8230;
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<ul>
<li>Expect you to have lots of knowledge</li>
<li>Drown you in more detail than you need</li>
<li>Try to push a sale on you</li>
</ul>
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Our aim is to make you feel relaxed and welcome, and to enjoy the Oakleigh Watches experience from start to finish.
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The oakleigh promise

One of the great things about a Rolex watch is that they are robust enough to wear every day if you want to.  If you don’t wear it every day and it stops, it’s a good idea to wind it manually before you set the time and wear it again.

Should I wear my Rolex every day?

It’s not possible to overwind an automatic Rolex although you should always exercise care if anything feels unusual while you’re winding it.

Can you overwind a Rolex?

Most Rolex watches have an automatic movement that winds the mainspring from the motion of your wrist while you wear it.

Why doesn&#8217;t a Rolex need a battery?

Most automatic Rolex watches will run for between 2-3 days without winding. If you haven’t worn your Rolex watch for a few days and it has stopped, it’s a good idea to wind it manually before you set the time and wear it again.

How long does a Rolex keep time without wearing it?

There are literally hundreds of Rolex watches to choose from. The most popular and the ones that appear most on our website tend to be sports references. However, the dressier Datejust and Oyster Perpetual models are also very popular, and they regularly feature in our stock.

For more information on choosing the right Rolex, read our <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/5-step-guide-to-buying-a-pre-owned-rolex-watch/">5 Step Guide to Pre owned Rolex Watches.</a>

Choosing the right Rolex

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Rolex-16570-Polar-2010-listing

Rolex have made several versions of the Explorer II since its launch fifty years ago but here we are mainly concerned with The Rolex Explorer II 16570. We will cover other references but this blog is designed to help you understand why you really should be considering a 16570.

When I first thought of writing this blog piece in the autumn of 2020, the Rolex Explorer II 16570 was one of the most overlooked and undervalued of all modern Rolex sports watches. A few months later I realised that the correction had already begun so I thought I had better get on with the piece

The Rolex Explorer II 1655 – 1971-1984

So firstly, let’s deal with this ‘Steve McQueen’ thing. The first incarnation of the Explorer II was the 1655 and at some time after its launch in 1971, it gained the nickname ‘Steve McQueen’. As no photo has ever come to light of ‘The King of Cool’ actually wearing a 1655 (he was a 5512 man), the reason why remains a mystery.

However, here are a few things that we do know about the 1655:
<ul>
 	<li>It was launched in 1971</li>
 	<li>It was designed mainly for cavers or ‘spelunkers’, hence the massive luminous GMT hand that told you not only the hour but splits of 2 1/2 minutes too, even in the dark.</li>
 	<li>Unlike the Submariners of the time, the Explorer II had a 39mm case.</li>
 	<li>Despite having the same movement as the GMT Master, a pattern that continued until 2011, the 1655 only told the time in one time zone. The ‘GMT’ hand was fixed with the hour hand so it told the same time, just REALLY clearly.</li>
 	<li>Its other nickname is ‘Freccione’ from the Italian word ‘Freccia’ meaning ‘arrow’.</li>
 	<li>Production was discontinued in 1984</li>
 	<li>There were five different dial variations over the 13 year production run</li>
 	<li>It was a popular watch in Germany and the USA but apart from that it was thought a bit of an ugly duckling and sales were disappointing (Great news for collectors and those who have had them from new….)</li>
</ul>
The Rolex Explorer II 16550 – 1984-1989The 16550 is what the watch world refers to as a ‘transitional model’ although to be honest, I’m not sure that the description really fits the bill. While it wasn’t made for very long in Rolex terms, it was made for almost five years so that’s not really a transition.

The thing that makes the 16550 particularly interesting is the dial – for the first time the Explorer II was available with the option of either a black or white dial and while the black dials were fine, the white ones were nearly always faulty. Instead of staying a lovely bright white as Rolex intended, most of them turned a creamy colour, giving them the nickname ‘Panna’ (Cream in Italian). A LOT of these have been replaced by Rolex with lovely shiny white ones, making the remaining cream ones highly collectible and valuable.

There are also some ‘Rail Dial’ examples out there – a Rail Dial is one where the words “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” line up perfectly with an even gap through the middle – like train tracks. These are rarer still and command a higher price.

The hands were changed from the ‘unusual’ design of the 1655 to the more ‘normal’ Mercedes style and this helped to create a look that was more acceptable to the masses.

Again using the GMT Master movement, this time the 3085 from the 16760, the 16550 now had an independent GMT hand so that it was a two time zone watch. The case was made from 316L steel as was the norm in the day and this makes it slightly less bright than the later models – the cases were also made slightly fatter than the later ones to accommodate the 3085 movement.

By the end of the 1990’s Rolex had a new movement and were working with improved 904L steel so they took the opportunity to fix the dial issues and launch a new model.

The Rolex Explorer II 16570 – 1989-2011

This is where things get interesting and lead us to the purpose of the piece that I alluded to way up there in the introduction.

The Rolex Explorer II 16570 is a very similar watch to the 16550. It has a slightly slimmer case that’s made from a different type of steel and an improved movement but apart from that it’s basically the same watch but less than half the price and that’s a situation that’s unlikely to last for long.

16550s aren’t going to get any cheaper so when the price gap closes, and it will, it will happen through an increase in the price of the 16570.

So, there are four main types of 16570, all available with either a black or white dial:
<ul>
 	<li>1989 to 1998 Tritium dial – expect to pay between £9,000 and £12,000. These are the early watches and prices have already risen alot recently – there’s lots more room yet though.</li>
 	<li>1998 to 1999 Swiss only dial – expect to pay between £8,000 and £10,000. These are the rarest of all Explorer IIs and again, prices are rising sharply.</li>
 	<li>1999 to 2007 Swiss made dial with 3185 movement – expect to pay between £8,500 and £10,000. These are the bulk of 16570s as production numbers were higher in the 2000s and they were made for eight years.</li>
 	<li>2008 to 2009 Swiss made dial with 3186 movement – expect to pay between £10,000 and £12,000. These watches have the updated GMT movement and engraved rehaut and are sought after by those who like the most recent versions of things.</li>
</ul>
The Rolex Explorer II 216570 – 2011 to date.

Also available with both black and white dials like the 16550 and 16570, the 216570 is something of a fusion of old and new.

The 216570 still has the fixed bezel that Explorer IIs have always had and now they have brought back the oversized orange ‘GMT’ hand – so that’s the old. The new is that the GMT hand moves independently and the case size has been increased to 42mm in keeping with modern tastes.

This brings us to the statement made at the beginning of the piece about how the Explorer II 16570 is a classic, appreciating asset.

You see, the 1655 isn’t to everyone’s taste, it’s properly vintage and it’s priced well out of most people’s reach.

In January 2022, a nice 1655 Full Set will set you back something north of £20,000

In its original Panna form, a Full Set 16550 Rail Dial costs over £25,000 these days and even a nice Full Set Polar with a replacement dial can be £17,000 or so (admittedly, black ones are less) and prices are still rising.

Prices of the last 16570s made with the engraved rehaut and the 3186 movement have risen sharply too but the ‘standard’ 16570s, whether Tritium or Superluminova are still great value – it won’t last long though as these things have a way of correcting themselves so if you fancy one then my advice would be not to hang about….

To see the Rolex watches in our current collection <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/brand/pre-owned-rolex">click here</a> and you can see the current range of new Rolex watches <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/shop/new-in?pa_brand=170">here.</a>

The Rolex Explorer II 16570

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What is happening with Rolex pricing?

Anyone with half an eye on watch values will know that Rolex pricing has been unstable over the last six months and some values have fallen very sharply. I’m delighted to say that, as we turn the corner into 2023, things seem to have stabilised in the luxury watch market, and a degree of normality has returned.

So, what happened? What’s happening now, and what does this mean for the future?

What Happened?

Over the past few months, I’ve heard various terms bandied around in relation to the fall in prices – “crash” – “collapse” – “bubble burst” etc.

But what has actually happened?

Well, I think the last term “bubble burst “is the closest to the truth, because a crash or collapse would have affected everything significantly, and to be honest, that hasn’t been the case.

To explain what happened, I’m going to use our favourite brand, Rolex, as an illustration, although the principles apply to any luxury watch brand.

Over the past few years, a market has developed in the world of Rolex which was both unrealistic and unsustainable. It was based around the principle that Rolex pricing was rising quickly in the preowned market due to lack of supply of new watches by Rolex, and that this could continue ad infinitum. Hence, we saw the values of an unworn Hulk rise to £30,000, and a similar steel Daytona to £40,000 to name but two.

The two most extreme examples were the ….
<ol>
 	<li>Tiffany blue Oyster Perpetual – a £5,000 watch that was selling at over £30,000.</li>
 	<li>John Mayer Daytona – a £32,000 watch selling at £120,000.</li>
</ol>
Nothing wrong with that you say, if people are prepared to pay that kind of money, then what’s the problem? The problem is that this whole market completely ignored my favourite principle of watch investment – ‘Supply and Demand’


Supply &amp; Demand

For the value of any asset to increase over time, demand must exceed supply, that is a basic economic principle. The higher the demand/supply ratio, the more prices will rise as people effectively fight over a relatively scarce commodity.

This is where it all went wrong. The bubble burst when people realised that they were paying ridiculously inflated prices for things that were just not that rare. If I log onto Chrono 24 this morning, I can see 67 unworn stainless-steel Rolex Daytona.

SIXITY SEVEN!!!

Bear in mind that an unworn watch is a commodity, they are all identical with nothing to distinguish one from another. That means that the only differentiating factor between them is the price, and when the tower begins to crumble, it’s a race to the bottom. The person with the cheapest one will sell it, so prices fall rapidly.

This leads to the questions – where are prices now and where are they going?

Where are we now?

Early in 2023, Rolex values seem broadly split into three categories;

Type 1

There are those watches that were massively over inflated until last year and whose values have taken a significant tumble. These are the commodity watches – current model (not discontinued) Daytona’s, Submariners etc. Watches that were selling at up to 3 to 4 times their current retail price and which have now fallen sharply.

Supply is very plentiful; demand is low because people are still not sure whether the price will fall further and in most cases these watches lost at least 30% of their value.

Type 2

Non-commodity watches are superb examples of discontinued, popular references. Things that are genuinely in short supply, and for which there is still a high demand. For example, we currently have in stock a fully stickered example of a 2008 Rolex 16600 Sea Dweller and it is the only one currently for sale in Europe. Compare that to the 67 Daytonas in the UK alone and you can see how the value of one will be more stable than the other. Prices of these watches have dipped about 5-10%.

Type 3

The third category is like the second but refers to watches that for some inexplicable reason have fallen in value more than seems logical or in any way necessary. The classic Rolex Explorer is a great example. These were selling at up to £8000 until relatively recently and were heavily tipped to be a £10,000 watch. Prices on these have fallen sharply and you can now buy an excellent example for a little over £6,000. There is no reason why this price should have fallen that much.

Where are prices going in the short-term?

If we return to our three catergories of watches.

Type 1

Because of the supply and demand situation with current model Rolex watches, there is really very little prospect of the really over inflated values recovering fully any time soon, if ever.

Type 2

The value of great examples of most discontinued Sports Rolex has taken a bit of a dip. They are down 5 to 10%, and I’m sure that they will recover relatively quickly and then continue to steadily develop.

Type 3

These watches have fallen further than they needed to, and I would predict that they will recover very quickly. In short, this is an excellent time to buy a 36mm Explorer if you can find a truly great one.

In Conclusion

While the luxury watch market and particularly Rolex pricing has been unstable, it is far from all bad news. If you follow the advice that we’ve always given, around buying the best quality, discontinued references that you can find, not only is your investment safe but it’s pretty sure to continue to grow.

We have plenty of examples in stock, visit our Collections Pages or get in touch if you need some more guidance.

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A,Rolex,Submariner.,An,Iconic,Watch.,Stockholm,,Sweden.,January,4,

Buying a Rolex is a one of the best decisions you could make in the watch world because most certified pre owned Rolex watches increase in value over time.

&nbsp;

This means that when you buy a fully tested, warrantied Rolex certified pre owned watch from Oakleigh Watches, you will be buying an appreciating asset. All you need to do is take care of it and enjoy it for a few years and it will literally repay you.

&nbsp;

Below are 5 key things to consider when buying a pre owned Rolex.

&nbsp;

1. Investment, Pleasure or Both?

If you’re buying purely for investment, then you don’t need to worry about the style of watch. Rather, you need to focus on whether a model is desirable now and whether it is likely to be so for the foreseeable future. So, my top three tips …

&nbsp;

• Always go for a watch with the widest appeal and the most limited supply.
• If it’s purely for investment purposes, buy the very best example you can find. After all you don’t have to worry about damaging it if it’s only going to sit in your safe.
• Make sure you buy a Full Set – box, papers, service records and accessories.
If buying for pleasure and or both pleasure and investment – keep reading.

&nbsp;

2. Style

There are literally hundreds of Rolex watches to choose from. The most popular and the ones that appear most in our collections tend to be sports references of which there are several. However, the dressier Day Date and Datejust models are also very popular, and they regularly feature in our collection too.

&nbsp;

Rolex Submariner and GMT Master

As far as the sports references are concerned, the two most popular ones are:

&nbsp;

• The Rolex Submariner – This comes in Submariner and Submariner Date versions. They were both largely unchanged from 1969 until 2010/2012 when the current ceramic bezel styling was introduced. This was the first and only major change ever to affect the model. The Stainless-Steel Submariner watches have quite understated styling.

&nbsp;

• The Rolex GMT Master – depending upon age, this is available in both GMT Master and GMT Master II versions. The GMT Master was the original, and when they were available simultaneously, was the cheaper of the two versions. These days prices are much more affected by condition, originality, and completeness than they are by which movement is in the watch. Again, depending on age, the steel versions are available with black, black and red (Coke), blue and red (Pepsi), blue and black (Batman), and green and black (Sprite) versions. Because of the coloured bezel, they tend to stand out more than some of the other Rolex sports watches.

&nbsp;

Rolex Day Date and Datejust
• The Rolex Day Date or ‘Rolex President’ has been a mainstay of the brand since the 1950’s and has traditionally been presented to every US President around the time of their inauguration. Incidentally, ‘President’ is also the name of the bracelet which is only ever used on this model. The Rolex Day Date is only available in precious metals; yellow gold, white gold, or platinum, and consequently has always been one of the more highly priced Rolex models. Traditionally a 36mm watch – although strangely it wears much bigger – the Rolex Day Date is now also available in 41 mm.

&nbsp;

• The Rolex Datejust has been an important part of Rolex history since the 1960’s. This is the classic dress Rolex seen on so many wrists and is available in stainless steel or stainless steel and gold versions. The key differentiating feature on the different Rolex Datejust models is the bezel. Over the years they have been available in machined steel, smooth steel, and fluted white gold. It’s important to know which you are looking at because the difference affects the price quite significantly. The other main difference between the versions is the bracelet which is available in either an Oyster or Jubilee. The Oyster bringing a more purposeful look while the Jubilee is more decorative and dressier. Also, traditionally a 36mm watch the Rolex Datejust is now also available in 41 mm.

&nbsp;

3. Size

Does matter when it comes to watches?

&nbsp;

It all comes down to confidence and perspective.

&nbsp;

Just because you’re small in stature, doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t carry off a larger timepiece. In fact, it’s very much the fashion for women to wear oversized men’s watches.

&nbsp;

For a man, it’s all about confidence. If you feel comfortable going big and will wear a 43mm + proudly, then it will look good. If you’re going to be self-conscious, then pick something classic like a Rolex Oyster Perpetual.

&nbsp;

Most Rolex sports models ever made are 40 mm but recently a few have crept up to 41 mm and 42 mm versions.

&nbsp;

As we mentioned before, the Rolex Day Date and Rolex Datejust are traditionally 36 mm, but the modern ones are 41 mm – if you’re looking for something smaller, older could be better for you.

&nbsp;

4. Vintage or Modern

The choice between a vintage or modern watch is partly one of personal taste and partly one of robustness. We mentioned above about the fact that vintage watches tend to be smaller with the Rolex Day Date and Datejust models growing 5 mm over the years. So, if you like a slightly smaller vintage look, then something older might be for you.

&nbsp;

On the other hand, if you want to wear your Rolex every day, then you should probably go for a newer one as the movements from the 1960’s is more fragile and expensive to repair than later versions.

&nbsp;

Bracelets have also changed over the years and newer ones are more hard wearing and comfortable so may be more suited to regular as opposed to occasional wear. Original bracelets for vintage Rolex can also be very valuable, often running into thousands of pounds, so that combined with their relatively fragile nature doesn’t make for a daily wearer.

&nbsp;

Servicing costs for a vintage watch can be higher and parts hard to come by – two important considerations when choosing between modern and vintage pre owned Rolex watches.

&nbsp;

5. Fashion or Function

What do you want your pre owned Rolex for? Assuming of course you’re not heading to the Mariana Trench, is it simply to tell the time or do you need it to dive in?

&nbsp;

If you do want a sports watch for diving say, the Rolex Submariner models are the best place to start.

&nbsp;

If you’re simply looking for a fantastic watch made to the highest of standards, then you can have some fun choosing.

&nbsp;

5 Step Guide to Buying Pre owned Rolex Watches

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Rolex 116234 Datejust 36 White

Availability

Brand

Model

What's Included

Condition

Reference

Years

Papers

Movement Type

Movement

Diameter

Dial Colour

Case material

Bracelet/Strap

Matching Model

Gender

This Rolex 116234 Datejust 36 is Rolex’ modern take on their most classic dress watch. It has a 36mm stainless steel case with a fluted 18ct white gold bezel and a stainless steel Jubilee bracelet. The white Roman dial is classy and understated and it looks great on the wrist of both men and women.
The condition is excellent all round and the movement has been tested by Rolex certified watch specialists <a href="https://www.michlmayr.com/">Michlmayr &amp; Co. </a> Waterproof and running within COSC spec, this Datejust 36 shouldn’t need to be serviced for several years yet.
Complete with boxes, papers, books and tags, it also comes with the original purchase receipt.
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Rolex 116234 Datejust 36 White7

This Rolex 116234 Datejust 36 Diamond is Rolex’ modern take on their most classic dress watch. A Full Set with a classic white dial.

In stock - this Rolex 126234 Datejust 36 Diamond is a perfect Full Set that was bought as a gift in 2023 and has never been worn.

Rolex 126234 Datejust 36 Diamond | 2023 | Unworn | £11,450

Rolex 116234 Datejust 36 | 2008 | Full Set

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