The Cheapest 2-Tone Rolex Watch To Keep An Eye Out For

Most Rolex watches can feel out of reach for those with an average income. But Rolex pricing is dynamic and can range from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Naturally, the rare, in-demand pieces carry the highest price tags. Meanwhile, certain classic timepieces from this luxury watchmaker look expensive but have a far lower price — one you can easily save towards.  

Two-tone Rolex watches look like they should cost the most. The attractive mix of steel and yellow gold gives the watch a flashier and more timeless look; yet one model stands out as one of the cheapest Rolex watches. According to WatchCharts, Rolex Datejust ref. 16013 sells for a market price of $5,417, while listings on Chrono 24, an online marketplace for luxury watches, feature offers as low as $4,800. Compared to other two-toned Rolex models, the affordability of the Datejust 36 is clearer. From the same Datejust line, the ref. 16233 costs $6,779, which is over than a thousand dollars more, while the Submariner ref. 16613 costs almost double the price of the ref. 16013, at $10,217.

The Datejust line was first introduced in 1945, and the ref. 16013 timepiece comes with the signature date window at 3 o'clock under a Cyclops magnifier. The watch has the signature steel Oyster case and a Jubilee bracelet in the two-tone mix of stainless steel and yellow gold. For its size, the case has a modest 36-millimeter-wide face with a thickness of 11.5 millimeters. It's made with Plexiglass crystal, a caliber 3035 automatic movement, and time and quickset date functions. Dial options range from metal, champagne, and silver to color options like white, black, and dark blue.

The Datejust 36 ref. 16013 isn't the cheapest two-tone Rolex because there's something inherently wrong with it. First introduced in 1977, the ref. 16013 timepiece was produced until 1988, and many of these watches are available on the market; this is why the pricing is competitive. On Chrono 24, the ref. 16013  search tag pulls about 500 listings, way more than you'd see for a rarer vintage Rolex watch.

Economics aside, the Datejust line doesn't share the appeal and demand of other models, like the Submariner and the GMTs. Datejust timepieces sit squarely in the classic category — simple, traditional, and, in the case of the two-tone, the model is often thought of as the "the grandpa watch." In contrast, Rolex sports models are presented as tools built around a purpose. For example, the Submariner is a divers' watch, so it comes with a waterproof case, while the GMT-Master was built to track two time zones. The functionality keeps the waitlists for those models long and the resale prices high. In fact, a GMT-Master ref. 16753, released in the 1970s around the same time as the Datejust ref. 16013, goes for over $11,000 according to Watch Charts.  

Another factor is condition. Because the 16013 timepiece is vintage, like most models from the '70s and '80s, the likelihood of finding a brand-new piece is very slim. Most of the offers on the market are worn — sometimes very well-worn. So, many of the offerings you'll find come with wear issues like stretched-out bracelets or mixed service histories, all of which further drag down the price.