rolex military discount

Rolex Military Discount - With Memorial Day just around the corner, we want to take the opportunity to examine the connection between Rolex watches and the military. Today, Rolex is universally celebrated as one of the world's most famous luxury watchmakers, but the iconic Swiss watchmaker actually has a rich history of use by members of the armed forces. Find out why Rolex has such strong ties to the military, at home and abroad.

As Rolex fans, many of us are aware of the watchmaker's ties to military establishments around the world. There is, of course, the Milsub for the British Ministry of Defense (MOD), the Turn-O-Graph for the US Air Force Thunderbird aerobatic squadron, and the Daytona for the Peruvian Air Force, better known as the Fuerza Aérea del Perú ( FAP).

Rolex Military Discount

In addition, there are Rolex GMT-Master watches commissioned by the Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates, Rolex Air-King watches for the Ministry of Defense of Saudi Arabia, Sea-Dweller watches commissioned by the Sultan of Oman to donate to the troops British SAS military who fought during the Dhofar Rebellion and a number of other fascinating Rolex watches with military links.

Rolex Military Watches: Rolex And The Armed Forces

For those who collect Rolex watches, especially vintage ones, military editions are highly sought after and represent some of the rarest and most coveted vintage watches out there.

However, in addition to Rolex watches that are officially issued (or given to) members of the military, there are many military personnel who choose to wear Rolex watches, either on or off duty (or both). In fact, here at Bob's Watches we see many Rolex watches come through our doors that belong to current members of the armed forces, along with many more that belong to decorated veterans.

Like their everyday timekeeping companions, these Rolex watches traveled the world with their owners while on active duty. Remember, although Rolex is now considered a luxury manufacturer, it first built its reputation by producing durable and highly reliable wristwatches.

Until the early 2000s, Rolex watches were available for sale in many US military stores overseas, and the watches were often significantly less expensive than those from official Rolex stores. These prices, along with no sales tax, allowed many people in the military to purchase a Rolex watch. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case and Rolex watches are currently not available in stores and authorized stores, let alone military bags.

Rolex Submariner Date 16610 Full Set W/ Military Provenance

It's no surprise that the Rolex Submariner and Rolex GMT-Master watches are particularly popular among US military personnel, as both models were born as solid tool watches that serve a purpose.

Introduced in 1953, the Submariner is Rolex's iconic diving watch that became a must-have for combat swimmers and divers of the era. The GMT-Master focuses on the needs of professional pilots and was launched two years after the Submariner in 1955. Rolex developed the watch with Pan Am pilots to allow them to follow two different time zones for use on long transcontinental flights. Although the Rolex GMT-Master was originally conceived for commercial pilots, it soon became desired in other circles as well, especially military pilots.

Perhaps not immediately obvious, the Explorer is another Rolex model spread throughout the military. Once you consider its subtle and simple styling, robust stainless steel construction, highly legible dial and brilliant light, it's easy to see why both the classic, time-only Rolex Explorer and the fuller Explorer II characteristics, are favorites among the military. personnel.

The freedom we enjoy in this country was made possible by the brave and dedicated service of members of the armed forces. With Memorial Day on the horizon, we want to take a moment to thank all those who have served our country and for all the sacrifices that have been made.

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On behalf of everyone here at Bob's Watches, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and wish you all a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.

Paul is the founder and CEO of the company. He is responsible for all day-to-day activities from buying, receiving, trading and selling. Paul is a 1979 graduate of Boston College and resides in California with his family., a biweekly column that highlights important or little-known watches with interesting stories and unexpected impact. This week: Rolex Military Submarine.

If the Rolex Submariner is the most famous diving watch, then the Rolex Military Submariner, or MilSub, is the most famous diving watch issued by the military. What is now a highly sought after piece of watch history and one of the rarest collector's watches of all time was simply standard Ministry of Defense (MOD) equipment.

The British were one of the first militaries to use submarines for offensive purposes during the war, complementing ongoing reconnaissance and defense missions. Coming out of World War II, the Ministry of Defense realized that a powerful and reliable diving watch would be absolutely necessary for diving units. At the time, Rolex was the clear leader in waterproof watch technology, attracting the attention of the Ministry of Defense and marking the first appearance of a military-issued Submariner.

Rolex Military Issued Collectors Meeting

Around 1957, when MOD was about to commit to the Submariner, Rolex was a few years and some references up to date in the history of the Submariner. The 6538, which would become known as the Bond Submariner for its time on Sean Connery's wrist, became an MOD-spec version, the A/6538.

According to Mike Wood, one of the world's leading collectors and authorities on MilSubs, the Ministry of Defense required several features that distinguished civilian and military submarines: fixed rods, which require a nylon strap and ensure that the watch case does not leave the person your armless. adjacent to it; a larger frame, allowing divers with gloves more grip; and a German silver frame material (a copper alloy that does not contain silver), which will normally scratch on impact, rather than crack or break.

Factory fitted dials with radio-powered luminescent markers had to be turned on by MOD watchmakers due to their unsafe radioactive levels. Tritium was used for the revival, indicated by a limited "T" above the depth rating, so this is likely the only vintage watch worth as much or more with a refinished dial.

It seemed that the beefed-up Submariner would get its own reference number, 6540, given the amount of modifications, but, perhaps due to the small production run, the reference failed at A/6538. In fact, documented examples show a crossed "6540" stamped on the inside of the case back, with "A/6538" stamped on the side.

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After the Omega Seamaster served MOD divers from 1967 until 1971 when the select watch was released, the MOD approached Rolex and asked them to produce a reference 5513 Submariner with some of the same modifications found on the Omega. The result was three different MilSubs: 5513, 5517, and a double-stamped 5513/5517. All examples came from the factory with MOD specs: fixed bars, tritium "T" on the dials, sword hands, and a 60-minute bezel, which has a hash mark for each of the 60 minutes versus the first 15 minutes. in your average diver.

However, over time, many MilSub examples have felt the effects of time and are often found with replaced parts, eg Mercedes hands or standard frames, a service product. In other cases, mismatched parts are a sign of an untrustworthy seller pawning off a Frankenwatch to unsuspecting buyers.

Although the three 5513-based MilSubs are very similar, their subtle differences are based on markings and date of issue. The early 1970s saw the introduction of the 5513 MilSub, which, as you might guess, is stamped with a 5513 between the leads. As they moved into the mid-1970s, the 5513/5517 came into production, adding a small 5517 mark to the back of one of the plugs, hence the term "double stamp". Finally, the most sought-after reference, 5517, followed 5513/5517 and replaced the 5513 mark between 12:00 to simply read "5517". Clear as mud, right?

The MilSub is one of the most expensive vintage Rolex watches, as a result of a serious military pedigree combined with such a low production number. In total, from 1971 to 1979, only about 1,200 MilSubs were produced, of which about 180 still exist today. Whether it's a 5513, 5513/5517, or 5517, buying a MilSub takes patience, lots of research, a trusted dealer, and a healthy bank account. In good condition and with paperwork, don't be surprised to see a MilSub fetch six figures. That's a lot of money for a modified Submariner that can only be worn on a nylon strap.

Unique Rolex A6538 Uk Military Big Crown Submariner

Trying to understand the MilSub from an outsider's perspective, the high prices and obsessive collectors can seem strange, maybe even funny. But after digging into the details, the picture becomes somewhat clearer; the story is there, and it's nothing short of impressive. For a brief period, MilSubs provided a clear link between watchmaking and world history. As existing examples are lost over time, the connection with them slowly disappears. So you know what? Forget the queen. God bless the remaining MilSubs.

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