Is the 16570 polar a $20,000 watch?

[Wembleyisgreen]

It seems to me the dog days of the 16570 polar are long over. Full kits in half decent shape are hitting $10,000. I’ve seen several excellent/as new/like new/ nos full kits with all goodies being suggestively high priced $15,000-$20,000 and seemingly selling. Is this a $20,000 watch if it’s a full kit in excellent shape? I don’t think so yet. Maybe 2 years from now. But I do see this as a $15,000 full kit price any time now. Watch only sales soon will be hitting $10,000. Watch!

[GradyPhilpott]

I think that $5000 is enough for a 16570 Polar without box or papers.

With box and papers, I would say about $5025.

I paid $4000 for mine without box or papers and it needs a bracelet repair that will cost less than $1000.

I personally don't think that box and papers are really worth much at all, considering that I'm never going to sell any watch I purchase.

[shaunylw]

Originally Posted by Wembleyisgreen

It seems to me the dog days of the 16570 polar are long over. Full kits in half decent shape are hitting $10,000. I’ve seen several excellent/as new/like new/ nos full kits with all goodies being suggestively high priced $15,000-$20,000 and seemingly selling. Is this a $20,000 watch if it’s a full kit in excellent shape? I don’t think so yet. Maybe 2 years from now. But I do see this as a $15,000 full kit price any time now. Watch only sales soon will be hitting $10,000. Watch!

I would pay 20k if it came with a new sub .


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[slimgym]

I'd pick one up for $5,000, but for close to $10,000 I'd rather put my name down on a waitlist for a new SS watch. That's a silly price to pay on this model.

[Wembleyisgreen]

Originally Posted by shaunylw

I would pay 20k if it came with a new sub .


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If the new Sub is selling at double retail then I think the trend on discontinued pieces will only rise. How much?

[timlaw]

i recently bought a black dial 16570 for £7000 which i viewed as being at the top of the market - but that was for a mint 2011 G series full set watch in mint condition with a rolex service carried out 4 months before i bought it

good solid watches with box and papers are in the £5-6K range

[supernova]

The full NOS 16570 are somewhat more special targeted at the hardcore collector, since this reference was discontinued nearly 10 years ago, there shouldn’t be many like this.

Most decent condition full set pre owned are about $7-8k usd which I think is reasonable.

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[Undefeatable]

Originally Posted by supernova

The full NOS 16570 are somewhat more special targeted at the hardcore collector, since this reference was discontinued nearly 10 years ago, there shouldn’t be many like this.

Most decent condition full set pre owned are about $7-8k usd which I think is reasonable.

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That makes sense. I always wondered who would pay so much more for NOS, since if you ever want to wear it, it wouldn't be NOS anymore and thus, loose so much value just wearing it a day.

I imagine people who buy NOS watches either:
A) Never intend to wear it, it will live in a safe until they want to sell it/pass it on.
B) Rich and just want 100% reassurance nothing has ever been done to it before them.

[tomf1994]

Originally Posted by Wembleyisgreen

If the new Sub is selling at double retail then I think the trend on discontinued pieces will only rise. How much?

Rising tides may raise all ships, but the amount that prices go up will definitely differ between Rolex models. The ExpII is a bit down the list among desireable Rolexes. I only casually look at used older expII and never saw one listed for anywhere near $20k. Now a 1655, I can see that. Perhaps they sell for more? Those mkI ExpIIs are spectacular looking, IMO.

[faimag]

I think there is one NOS with stickers for 18K here. Seems a bit of a stretch but given the circumstances, I think in a few years we may look back at this thread laughing...

[tng11]

As a big fan of the 16570 Polar, I'd say definitely NOT. I don't get the point of buying NOS if you intend on wearing the watch, nor do I see the point of buying it just to stick it in the safe again in the hopes the price will go up.

I picked up my full set, 3186 movement with M serial for $7K earlier this year. I thought it was a bit steep then too, but it's probably been the watch I've worn the most this year so far. Paid an extra $2K for a 97200 bracelet to get the perfect modern Rolex. Couldn't care less if it goes up or tanks in value, it's a GADA watch for me.

[Maxy]

Originally Posted by faimag

I think there is one NOS with stickers for 18K here. Seems a bit of a stretch but given the circumstances, I think in a few years we may look back at this thread laughing...

When I went to purchase my 6 digit Explorer II, my AD had old NOS Explorer II white dial and he was ready to give me for 6K flat. I mulled over it and then bought the 6 digit polar. That was 4 years back. Imagine if I bought that additional and kept it unused?

[Mendota]

I was at an AD here at the Mall of America in 2012 and they had two polars in the case - one was NOS and had lugholes, and the other was the no holes case and had been sold the week prior and then brought back and exchanged for a different model. The preowned was listed at $3,600. Had I known then that stainless sports models would go bonkers in price these past few years, I would have bought both of them! In fact, at that time pretty much every 16570 on the boards were selling for that general price range.

[FTX I]

Sure not. Prices are crazy all over the board. For me it's not a good time to buy unfortunately.

[rmagoo57]

Originally Posted by supernova

The full NOS 16570 are somewhat more special targeted at the hardcore collector, since this reference was discontinued nearly 10 years ago, there shouldn’t be many like this.

Most decent condition full set pre owned are about $7-8k usd which I think is reasonable.

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I agree. Current mkt is $7K for a decent black dial, $8K for a polar. I recently picked up a polar - newer V series after "shopping" (viewing many ads for weeks). Price increases with quality, age, box, papers, service history, etc.

[peterpl]

LOL

No!

[Lionprince]

Brand new ExpII (Aug 2020) in the 2ndary market is around 9k. Not the most desired but I'd definitely get one if it was anywhere below that (7-8k) Will never buy any Rolex without papers as I've seen absolutely Flawless replicas recently. Counterfeiters have Upped their game to unprecedented and unvelievable quality levels. Unless you open the caseback, there's probably no chance you'd detect unless put under high magnification.

[synrrgy]

$20k for a NOS Polar? Wow

[Paul7]

Originally Posted by Lionprince

Brand new ExpII (Aug 2020) in the 2ndary market is around 9k. Not the most desired but I'd definitely get one if it was anywhere below that (7-8k) Will never buy any Rolex without papers as I've seen absolutely Flawless replicas recently. Counterfeiters have Upped their game to unprecedented and unvelievable quality levels. Unless you open the caseback, there's probably no chance you'd detect unless put under high magnification.

What if the papers are fake?

I have no problem buying without papers or box, in fact I recently did buy a 2002 Exp. II. I took it to the local AD for a pressure test who verified it was genuine. Also had him put on a new LEC crystal with no-glare cyclops, makes a big difference. For me, this is the sweet spot for this model, old style lug holes and superluminova. It has some wear, but I'm sure I'll be adding my own shortly, and at the next service they'll spruce it up. IMHO it is the best SS Rolex sports model, YMMV.

BTW, the thread is about the 16570, not the current new Exp. IIs.

[BNA/LION]

Nope.

16550 Exp II Non-Rail Cream Dial...? YES!

[mountainjogger]

No.

Stay safe.

[danimelara]

I didn't like it when it was a $3,000 watch.

The only reason why the price has gone up so much is because the other SS professionals are hard to get and way more expensive.

I still don't like it at $7,000, let alone at $20,000

[Polarexplorerii]

I hope so. I would sell my box only 2006 Z serial for $10K

[PepsiBezel]

The 16570 (and 16710) is an awesome watch! It is great to wear with anything and has the classic Rolex aesthetic.

I miss mine from time to time.

For $8K you are paying about $4k for the watch and another $4K in “charm”. . .

[Lamontsanders]

I don't think 20k. I could see 8-9k for typical examples, 10k for nice ones (mint NOS examples are completely different and their prices will be way higher). Once you break that 10k barrier there are a lot of competing watches.

[rtalk]

20K is within the realm of reason for cream dial explorers given how uncommon they are. But otherwise not anytime soon for the rest of the lot.


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[Pw92676]

Something is worth only what someone is willing to pay.
Some may pay 10k for this, I wouldn’t. And I have watches for 10K that some people wouldn’t pay 50 bucks for.

[subprimero]

At those prices my interest turns to Lange and Patek.

[77T]

There are 16570 full set 1998 transitional dial models out there today that could be getting close to the $20K number.



In late ‘90’s Rolex began the conversion to Luminova. But many tritium dials had been printed and sitting in the bins. “Swiss-T<25” dials were unfinished except for printing, no plots yet, and they finished some for several months with Luminova plots. That continued until new SWISS dial plates arrived from the subcontractor.

Finding one is hard but that would be the version to hit the milestone regularly. I’d say any upcoming economic crunch would dampen the regular 16570’s from spiking - but time will tell.


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[horseShu]

I think some dealers/flippers are trying to hype up the humble 16570, to slowly brainwash us to accept the inflated price as the new normal.

People gotta make a living, I suppose.

Also, the 'box and papers' kool-aid doesn't affect me. I like the box and papers but I wouldn't pay premium for them, since they don't add to the wearing experience.