Rolex Datejust 116201

If you’re into your watches, chances are there’s a Rolex itch you’ve just got to scratch. Ten years ago, that would’ve been fine, with a Submariner setting you back around £2,500. But with today’s prices, that same Submariner now starts at over double that, and Rolex ownership is becoming more and more of a pipe dream—or so it seems, because all is not lost, not yet. Here are three ways to get into Rolex ownership without breaking the bank.

Two watch brands: one is founded half a century before the other, repeatedly obliterates accuracy competitions with clean sweeps and unbroken records, is selected by numerous global institutions to provide timekeeping—and the other is Rolex. With the five-pointed crown’s domination in this present era of watchmaking, it’s hard to believe that Rolex is, really, the new kid in town. Is it starting to show?

When you’re looking for the watch that’s right for you, it’s easy to be swept up in the hype of those top few default choices. Say you’ve set your heart on a chronograph; chances are your shortlist may contain a Speedmaster or a Daytona. Both superb watches, no doubt about that, but there are others that you might not know about—and they’re equally worth consideration.

In 1953, something strange happened. Two watches, by two different brands, materialised in quick succession: the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and the Rolex Submariner. One was a special forces military project, the other a commercially available product that could be purchased by amateurs and professionals alike. Here’s the strange part: despite being released within just a few months of each other, they were almost identical. How is this possible?