Rolex Submariner Ref. 114060 “No Date” Watch Long-Term Review

After almost a year of wearing a Rolex Submariner 114060 watch, I've come to at least one conclusion - this is a darn tough timepiece to beat. To own a Rolex watch for many people is an aspiration. The power of the Swiss company is that it has created a demand for the name, in many ways, more so than the products they produce. People often come to me and say, "Ariel, I want a Rolex." I usually respond with, "OK, what Rolex do you want?" The answer is, "I don't know, that is why I need your help, I need you to help me choose one." The message there is that Rolex is a company whose image in many ways is louder than its products. But at aBlogtoWatch, product is everything.

The good news is that when it comes to product, Rolex watches rarely let you down. If anyone asks me why Rolex is such a successful brand I often point out that "their products are actually really good." Of course, Rolex doesn't make every type of watch you want and isn't the best at everything, but there is no denying that in addition to their enviable brand image, they made very good timepieces.

One of the ironies of Rolex is that the pieces most popular to watch lovers are not the pieces that Rolex sells the most of. Ask a "watch guy" what the best Rolex watch is and most of us will point to something in the "Oyster Professional" collection, such as a Submariner or GMT-Master (among others). Ask Rolex where most of their sales comes from, and they will tell you something completely different. From a business perspective, Rolex will share that Datejusts, especially women's models with diamonds,  are the most popular products in their collection.

So yes, watch lovers and "the general public" have different watch tastes. That is something I've known for a long time, and perhaps something that I will explore more in the future. Having said that, brands like Rolex, Omega, and TAG Heuer - that do not strictly survive on sales from watch lovers - nevertheless continue to offer a large assortment of watches that greatly appeal to us. And if there is one watch that I can think of that equally appeals to the watch lover and the general public, it is the famous Rolex Submariner.

Last year I wrote a review of the Rolex Submariner watch here. That review was actually for the Rolex Submariner ref. 114060 (the model in this article) as well as the ref. 116610. What is the difference between these two models? The date. The ref 116610 is technically known as the Submariner Date, but since it is the more popular of the two models, frequently it is just called the Submariner, while the ref. 114060 is referred to as the Submariner "No Date" (which, like I said, is not an official name).

Why does Rolex offer two versions? That is a good question, and it goes back to appealing to those who were fans of the original Rolex Submariner watches that began their life in the 1950s. The Submariner did not acquire a date window until later, and over history Rolex has produced models with both the date and without the date. The Submariner Date actually costs about $1,000 more, and what you get for that is a date complication and a magnifier lens as part of the sapphire crystal to help read the date better. Not everyone is a fan of the magnifier, and if you still want the date but dislike the magnifier a good choice for you might be the new Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 watch.

While the Rolex Submariner Date 116610 is an iconic and classic design, I happen to like the elegance of the perfectly symmetrical and more simple dial of the Rolex Submariner Ref. 114060. You know what? I also like that I don't need to adjust the date. If the watch has been sitting for a while and isn't wound, I like that setting it is faster and more simple given that you just need to set the time (and not deal with AM/PM). I don't use the date on my watch all that much - even though I do appreciate the complication - and in this instance, I felt a degree of freedom to not have it in the Rolex Submariner.

Rolex watches are built with the precision of scientific instruments and they are among the few watches that you can inspect with a magnifying glass and still appreciate so many areas of perfection. Whether or not you are looking at the 18k white gold hands and hour markers (which are tarnish resistant), or the polishing on the steel case, Rolex does its best to imbue a product like this with a real sense of perfection.

At 40mm wide, The Rolex Submariner 114060 is among the smallest watches I wear. Having said that, it does wear large for its size, given the wide lugs. I would say that it wears much more like a 42mm wide watch. The on-wrist comfort is outstanding, but of course Rolex has had decades to perfect the design and the newest generation Submariner is at its best. The bracelet wraps nicely around your wrist, and best of all, the Glidelock system allows you to adjust the bracelet a few millimeters with ease. Wrists can expand naturally in different temperatures, etc... so being able to properly micro-adjust the watch at all times is a very welcome added feature.

In writing this review, I have realized that there are so many areas of detail I could be going into - especially for first time luxury watch buyers who aren't familiar with what a high-end watch offers over an inexpensive watch. At the same time, it is difficult to explain all the ways a Rolex watch is different than those produced by other companies. When it comes to metal, I don't think I've seen anything from another company that is as good as Rolex's work.

Most steel wrist watches use a form of stainless steel known as 316L. Rolex does not. Starting about 15 years ago, they began to use an alloy known at 904L steel. Rolex takes their metals very seriously, and I discuss more about that here, in discussing how Rolex has an in-house metallurgy department. 904L steel is more difficult to machine than 316L steel and, as far as I know, Rolex is the only company able to mass produce 904L parts. 904L steel polishes up a bit better, and has the look of white gold a little bit, given its finish, which is slightly whiter than most other steels. It is subtle, but for me the use of 904L steel combined with Rolex's meticulous finishing and polishing processes result in a case and bracelet unlike anything else available.

Given how well the Rolex Submariner goes with most any outfit it is sometimes easy to forget that it is a serious dive watch. Water resistant to 300 meters with a rotating diver's bezel, there is a reason why the Submariner is part of Rolex's "Oyster Professional" collection of watches. The dial is utterly classic (albeit a design which is ubiquitous, after having been copied for decades), and it is very legible. These newer Rolex watches make use of blue-colored, versus green luminant which is a nice touch that other brands have followed.

Around the dial is the rotating diver's bezel with Rolex's Cerachrom black ceramic bezel insert. The previous generation Rolex Submariner still used aluminum bezel inserts, and in comparison to the more modern ceramic ones, they are almost barbaric. Flat and easy to scratch aluminum bezel inserts should not be found in anything but inexpensive watches these days. Some people of course have a fondness for the older aluminum style bezel (or even some of the plastic ones, from a really long time ago). Those people are clearly turning a blind eye to the impressive design, precision cut markers, and scratch resistance properties of a ceramic bezel. Also, sorry folks, in 30 years the Cerachrom bezel isn't going to "patina." It will stay the same glossy black color it is when you buy it.

Inside the Rolex Submariner 114060 is the totally in-house made caliber 3130 automatic. It is an utterly well-made, no nonsense workhorse of the highest caliber (no pun intended) that just tells the time. Rolex COSC Chronometer certifies each of these watches (as they do with most of their watches) and it has proven to be highly accurate and reliable (for a mechanical watch, of course).

If I had to have a complaint about the Rolex Submariner 114060, it would be about the coating over the sapphire crystal. Rolex puts anti-reflective (AR) coating on the bottom of the crystal only, and not the top. That means that there is glare; but not too much since it is flat crystal. I like the idea of having so much AR coating on a sapphire crystal that it looks invisible and that you can stick your finger right onto the dial. I am not sure why Rolex does not use AR coating on the top of the crystal, but I am sure they have a good reason. I have have two hypothesized reasons why they don't. First is because AR coating can wear off and Rolex doesn't like for their watches to have areas that are too susceptible to wear. Second is because glare causes things to shine a bit and I think Rolex likes the idea that their watches might attract a bit of onlooker attention because the crystal catches light.

People who read aBlogtoWatch a lot know that I've claimed to not like Rolex when I first started out liking watches. It wasn't that I didn't like Rolex, but rather that I simply wasn't interested. The designs bored me, and I can totally understand how that might be the fact with novice watch lovers. Over the years I've increasingly become appreciative of simplicity and absolute functionality in many of my watches. No Rolex is an "exciting or trendy" watch, but rather they are mature and sophisticated, and often timeless. That is part of the core appeal aside from the power of the Rolex name.

I'll admit that the Rolex name does carry some cache with me, but mostly because after all is said and done, the company is remarkably consistent and stable. For that reason, people consider Rolex watches to be like currency, and that is a  big part of why Rolex watches hold their value so well. The Rolex Submariner isn't just a timepiece, but an institution. It is like being part of a club which many people should be involved with for at least a moment in their lives. A watch like this is a testament to a set of design and manufacturing principles that is so utterly non-controversial you can't help but stand behind it. Many people are happy with owning something like a Rolex Submariner as their daily watch, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Personally, I don't think I could be "wed" to a single timepiece, but I do think that even if you wish to maintain a small watch collection something in the Rolex Oyster Professional collection should be in there, and the Rolex Submariner 114060 is a very appealing choice. Retail price is $7,500, and given the competition today, you actually do get a lot for your money. rolex.com

Necessary Data
>Brand: Rolex
>Model: Submariner 114060
>Price: $7,500 USD
>Size: 40mm
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes
>Friend we’d recommend it to first:  Anyone with the budget looking for an utterly evergreen watch to add to their collection or be their collection.
>Best characteristic of watch:  The gold standard steel sports watch with everything you need and nothing you don't. In many ways, a masterpiece of modern design and engineering.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Might benefit from AR coating on front as well rear of the sapphire crystal. Crown might be a bit stiff for some when all the way screwed down.

Source: A Blog to Watch (September 29, 2014)