Rolex Vault › All references › Submariner
Submariner · 1979 to 1988 · Discontinued · Vintage
“Transitional Sub”
Graded on the vintage scale: rank #8 of 26 rated vintage references
Market range: the middle half of 42 recorded eBay sales in the last 12 months. Vintage sales include serviced and redialed examples, so the best original pieces can sell above it.
Median recorded eBay sale price for each quarter with 3 or more sales. Dashed line marks the 1980 retail price.
The bridge between vintage and modern: first Submariner Date with a sapphire crystal, 300m rating, and a unidirectional bezel, still wearing the vintage matte dial in its early years.
Matte-dial examples are the ones collectors fight over; the later gloss dials trade closer to a 16610. Either way it's vintage charm with usable water resistance.
Transitional references are where vintage collecting's best values live: too new for the gilt-dial crowd, too old for the modern crowd, priced accordingly. The 16800 is the type specimen of the breed.
Matte-dial examples (to about 1984) carry the premium and the charm; gloss-dial examples carry the value. Both wear like a modern watch and read like a vintage one, the whole point of transitional.
Our verdict: The thinking collector's entry into vintage Subs. Matte dial, original bezel insert, and honest patina are what you're paying for.
| Sizes | 40mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet | Oystersteel (stainless) |
| Factory bracelet | Oyster |
| Factory bezels | Black aluminum, unidirectional (first Sub with sapphire and 300m) |
| Notable dials | Matte (early, collectible); Gloss with white gold surrounds |
| Caliber | 3035 |
| Production | 1979 to 1988 (discontinued) |
| Sold | Example | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎ | $8,500 |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎ | $8,295 |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎ | $8,599 |
| Oct 5, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎ | $7,700 |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎ | $9,000 |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎ | $7,600 |
Recorded eBay completed sales, logged at our last data refresh.
Recorded eBay sales from the last 12 months put the typical Rolex Submariner Date 16800 at $8,400, with the middle half selling between $7,700 and $9,100 (42 sales). Condition, box and papers move the price within that range.
The Crown Index grades it B+ (77/100) from real resale data, and today's call is hold. Solid resale, with limited room to grow from today's price. Past prices are not a forecast.