[2022 Edition] [Rolex] Annual Sales Ranking

While we mourn the passing of the year, we also look forward to the new year, but how has this year been for everyone? Looking back on 2022, I feel that it has been a turbulent year for the watch industry. On December 12th, the "Kanji of the Year," a single kanji character that represents the state of the world for the year, was announced at Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto and was decided to be "war," but I think this kanji also applies to the luxury watch industry, which has seen price movements that are not seen in previous years.

So, this time, with the intention of summarizing the year, we will compile sales data for 2022 (January 2022 to December 15, 2022) and introduce the top 10 best-selling Rolexes at Commit Ginza (hereinafter referred to as our store) in a ranking format. We hope you will enjoy reading this article while imagining the rankings. Please stay with us until the end.

10th place: Submariner "Ref. 16610"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/rolex/submariner/submariner-date-237176/

In 10th place is the Submariner, a synonymous diver's watch and one of the most popular Rolex models of all generations, with the Ref. 16610. This model was released before the now mainstream Cerachrom bezel was installed, and it is a popular model with outstanding visibility, robustness, and status. This Ref. 16610 has a date display, is easy to use, and was manufactured from around 1989 to around 2010, but there are tritium luminous and Luminova luminous models depending on the year. The most popular of these is the one with a slightly burnt tritium luminous finish, which creates an atmosphere that cannot be achieved with the current model, and continues to attract many fans even today.

9th place: Explorer I "Ref.1016"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/vintage_rolex/explorer-265317/

Coming in at number 9 is the highly popular Explorer I Ref. 1016, one of the most popular vintage Rolex models. This is a long-selling model that was manufactured for about 30 years from around 1960 to around 1990, but there are many variations, such as the early mirror dial, so each watch has a different feel and continues to tickle the hearts of fans. In addition, there was a tendency for enthusiasts who have owned many luxury watches to choose the Ref. 1016 as a way to go back to their roots.

8th place: "Datejust 41" "Ref.126334"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/rolex/datejust/datejust41-260811/

Coming in at number eight is the 41mm "Ref. 126334" from the Datejust, which has a variety of case sizes, including 31mm, 36mm, and 41mm. This is a classic dress watch, and it has a wide variety of dial variations, making it the choice of many people as their "first Rolex." The mint green dial announced in the new 2022 model, the slate Roman dial commonly known as "Wimbledon," and the fluted motif dial are particularly popular. At authorized dealers, it has been difficult to purchase not only popular sports models, but also dress watches such as the Datejust and Day Date, so the fact that it has a less premium feel than sports models may also be a reason for its popularity.

7th place: "Datejust 36" "Ref. 126200"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/rolex/datejust/datejust36-240176/

The seventh place is also from the Datejust, with the Ref. 126200, which features a 36mm case diameter and a size that fits comfortably on the wrist. Like the Datejust 41, it is popular because it has a wide variety of dial variations and is affordable. Although both are 36mm, the smooth bezel Ref. 126200 and the fluted bezel Ref. 126234 actually have different dial variations. The former does not have variations such as 10P diamonds, shell dials, or aubergine, and has only eight variations, while the latter has 16 variations. The fact that dress watches have ranked in two consecutive times, beating out popular sports models with a strong premium feel, may be a sign that they will attract more attention in the future.

6th place: Submariner "Ref.5513"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/vintage_rolex/submariner-265316/

Coming in at No. 6, following No. 10, is the Submariner Ref. 5513, which is gaining attention as an entry-level model for vintage Rolexes. This is a long-selling model that was manufactured from around 1963 to around 1990, and the differences in specifications due to minor changes make it a very attractive model. As there are relatively many units in circulation, many people not only enjoy searching for their favorite specifications, but also look for birth year units. The charm of vintage is condensed in this melancholy appearance, and it is a model that any man would want to get their hands on at least once.

5th place: Explorer I "Ref.14270"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/rolex/explorer1/explorer-265298/

Coming in fifth place is the Explorer I Ref. 14270, which is one of the most popular and well-known Rolex models. This model, which caused a huge boom when worn by Kimura Takuya, is a popular semi-vintage model that was produced from the late 1980s to around 2000. There are models with tritium luminous and Luminova luminous depending on the era, but like the Submariner Ref. 16610, models with lightly burned tritium luminous were very popular. In addition, the early models with a single buckle and a side hole on the side of the case are also very popular and are likely to become the leading stock for the next vintage model.

4th place: "Daytona" "Ref. 116500LN"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/rolex/daytona/daytona-255336/

In fourth place is the current model "Ref.116500LN" released in 2016, which boasts overwhelming resale value and name recognition and is also called the perfect form of "Daytona". The previous model had a stainless steel bezel, but this model has changed to a Cerachrom bezel, giving it a bold impression and causing explosive popularity. Perhaps because the actual price has settled down somewhat and there are rumors of discontinuation, it has been sold immediately after arrival. "Daytona" will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2023, and the movement "Cal.4130" will be celebrating its 23rd year since its birth. Other models have been remodeled with new movements, so will "Daytona" be updated? It's worth paying attention to.

3rd place: Explorer I "Ref. 214270"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/rolex/explorer1/explorer-254727/

Coming in third is the Ref. 214270, the only 39mm case model in the Explorer I series, which became a hot topic. This popular model was produced from 2010 to 2021, but was discontinued in 2021 with the announcement of the successor model, Ref. 124270, which returns to a 36mm case. The 3, 6, and 9 indexes are coated with Chromalight luminous paint, but there are some models that are not coated with luminous paint, commonly known as "blackout", which are very popular. In particular, the blackout x mirror buckle model, which was manufactured from the summer of 2015 to around 2016, has a mirror finish on the buckle, and is a popular and highly valued item. The popularity of the Explorer I is strong, and the results make it hard not to feel that way.

2nd place: "Daytona" "Ref.116520"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/rolex/daytona/daytona-259555/

Coming in second is the previous generation Daytona Ref. 116520, which was produced from around 2000 to around 2016. Like the Ref. 214270, this model was especially popular for its mirror buckle, which was only available for about a year from the summer of 2015 to around 2016. The cream dial, in which the white dial turns ivory over time, has also been gaining in popularity and acclaim every year. Rolex is known for its minor changes and the aging of individual models, which make fans salivate. Among them, the Daytona is a popular model that has the power to be considered an indicator of wristwatches, and this result reflects that.

1st place: Daytona "Ref. 16520"

*Source: https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/rolex/daytona/daytona-245934/

The honorable first place went to the "Ref.16520" equipped with the "Cal.4030", a movement that is a brushed-up version of the "El Primero" made by Zenith. Since its release in 1988, this model has long been known as the king of chronographs, and has various characteristics depending on the year of production, such as the "Patrizzi (brown eye)" model, which has a faded brown sub-dial. The A and P series, which are close to the final model numbers, are still popular, but in 2022, the combination of tritium luminous x single buckle was the most popular. The market price has also remained stable, and the strength of discontinued models has been recognized once again.

summary

What did you think.

Our shop places particular emphasis on vintage and semi-vintage models, and we feel that this was reflected in the rankings. I think that there are more and more enthusiasts who are looking for "limited numbers of discontinued models" whose prices are unlikely to fall and whose circulation is unlikely to increase. In addition, in light of the results of this ranking, although the "Datejust" made a big leap forward, it was a bit surprising to see the "GMT Master" and "Explorer II" out of the rankings, but we would like to point out that they are of course still very popular.

Rolex has made a big move, such as starting to handle certified pre-owned watches from December 2022. What kind of trends will they show in 2023? It's worth keeping an eye on!

Our entire staff will continue to work hard to provide you with valuable information and services!

see you!