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What do you look for when choosing a mechanical watch?
Many people would answer "design," "functionality," and "asset value." Of course, appearance and value are very important points, so it's inevitable, but I think that by gaining more knowledge and understanding about the historical background of the brand and model, minor changes over the years, and so on, you will come to love watches even more.
In this column, we will provide as much knowledge as possible about mechanical watches to both beginners and advanced users, and will provide in-depth dissection and explanation to help you choose the right watch.
This time, we will be focusing on the Rolex Submariner Ref. 14060 and Ref. 14060M, so be sure to read to the end.
[Rolex] What is the "Submariner" Ref. 14060?
The fourth generation Submariner "Ref. 5513" was produced up to the E series (around 1990), and the fifth generation "Ref. 14060" that we will introduce this time was introduced from the E series (around 1989). From this model onwards, the windshield became a sapphire crystal windshield, and the water resistance was increased to 300m. In addition, this model was also equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel, and the movement was also changed to the automatic winding Cal. 3000 with 28,800 vibrations. Compared to the "Ref. 5513", the performance and functionality are more modern, but compared to the current model, it is well differentiated, so it is a model with many die-hard fans.
Fifth Generation Ref.14060 ~Basic Specifications~
Year of manufacture: 1989 (E number) - 2000 (P number)
Case: 40mm
Bezel: Unidirectional (aluminum insert)
Windshield: Sapphire crystal Waterproof: 300m waterproof Bracelet: Hard bracelet (93150/580B) Period: 1976-1989 Movement: Cal.3000
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations
1. Dial
There are three main dial variations for the "Ref. 14060". It has a black lacquer dial with metal frame indexes and can be distinguished by the markings at the 6 o'clock position on the dial, making it easier to distinguish than the "Ref. 5513".
◯SWISS-T＜25 notation (around 1989-1998)
The "SWISS-T<25" displayed at the 6 o'clock position on the dial has the following meaning: "SWISS" indicates that the watch is made in Switzerland, and "T<25" indicates that the "T" stands for tritium and that the radiation level contained in tritium is less than 25mCi (microcuries), meaning that it has no effect on the human body. 
Tritium has a short half-life (the time it takes for half of a radioisotope to decay into another nuclide through radioactive decay) of about 12 years, and its radiation energy is weak, so it is classified as one of the least dangerous radioactive materials. Although it is called tritium luminous, tritium does not actually emit light; what actually glows is the fluorescent paint, and tritium acts like a battery to make the paint glow. As a result, most tritium particles no longer glow after their half-life, and many of them no longer have the effect of luminous.
Also, there is a watch known as "Tritinova" that can be seen during the transition from tritium to Luminova. This is seen in the transitional T to U series, and while the dial is marked "SWISS-T<25", the index luminous material is Luminova. Although it does not directly affect the watch's evaluation at this point, the existence of such watches is one of the charms of Rolex. 
The most popular tritium luminous watches are those with luminous hands and indexes that have been burned, commonly known as "patina." Watches with a strong and even burn are highly sought after, and in most cases, those with good condition cases and bracelets are sold immediately after arrival.
◯ Tip dot
A rare special type of watch from around the 1990s is the "dot tip." This type has the luminous element on the second hand that is closer to the tip, and the dot-shaped luminous element overlaps with the triangle luminous element at the 12 o'clock position and the bar indexes at the 6 and 9 o'clock positions. Also, while normal hands get thinner as they approach the tip, dot-tip hands are uniform in thickness all the way to the tip.
◯SWISS notation (around 1998-1999)
Around 1998 (mid-U series), the luminescence was changed from tritium to Luminova.
At that time, the markings at the 6 o'clock position on the dial were changed to "SWISS". This "SWISS" marking was only used until the following year, 1999, so the number of examples is low. At present, this has not been reflected in the actual market price, but this may be an example worth looking forward to in the future. 
While tritium is a self-luminous material that contains radioactive substances, Luminova luminous material is a stored light that does not contain radioactive substances and glows green in the dark when exposed to sunlight or a bright room.
Did you know that Luminova was actually developed by a Japanese company called Nemoto Specialty Chemicals Co., Ltd.? The phrase "N Night Light," which is an initial of Nemoto, is also a registered trademark. In 2000, it held a 100% share of the watch industry market, and Luminova has become the standard for luminous paint for watches.
◯SWISS MADE notation (around 1999-2000)
Since 1999, the only change has been the inscription at 6 o'clock on the dial, from "SWISS" to "SWISS MADE". Only the inscription has been changed, and Luminova is now used as the luminous paint. 
②About the bezel
From the "Ref.14060", the bezel has been switched to a "unidirectional bezel". A unidirectional bezel is a function that prevents the bezel from being rotated clockwise ( it can only be rotated counterclockwise ). Since the "Submariner" is a diver's watch, this function is necessary to ensure safety and prevent errors in time measurement due to malfunction , so that the diving time can be accurately measured .
The reason why the functions that were not included in the "Ref. 5513" were introduced is because they were now required by industrial standards for diver's watches. Various items are specified, such as high water resistance, bezel scale, and whether or not it has a reverse rotation prevention function.
In order for divers to know the amount of oxygen remaining in the oxygen tank they are carrying when diving, they set the bezel to the minute hand before diving to measure the amount of oxygen remaining in the tank, and then measure the elapsed time from that point on. This mechanism is designed to prevent the bezel from accidentally moving "clockwise" during a dive.
If the bezel rotates clockwise, there is a risk that the time will be misinterpreted as less than the actual time that has passed. If the 5-minute bezel rotates clockwise, the user will think that only 15 minutes have passed, even though 20 minutes have actually passed, which could lead to a dangerous accident.
③About the bracelet
The bracelet has been a hard bracelet (93150/580B) since the early models. There have been no minor changes, and the flash fit is a detachable type that can be separated from the bracelet.
Fifth Generation Summary
The actual market price fluctuates depending on the difference in the luminous material and the markings at the 6 o'clock position on the dial, but among the "Ref. 14060", the most popular and expensive are those that use tritium luminous material. Among them, those with discoloration of the luminous material (uniformly burnt and darkened) are traded at particularly high prices, and depending on the condition, they can be traded for around 1.5 million yen (as of June 2025).
The price of a 5-digit semi-vintage Rolex model depends on the condition of the case and bezel, how worn the bracelet is, and whether it is an original part or not. Therefore, if you see a watch that interests you, we recommend that you inquire at the dealer for details and then check the actual watch.
6th generation Ref.14060M ~Basic specs~
The sixth generation "Ref.14060M" was released around 2000 (P number) with the same exterior design and specifications as the fifth generation, but with some changes to the movement. The movement "Cal.3130" has a twin bridge balance cock and the balance spring has been changed to improve accuracy and maintainability. Although there are no minor changes to the luminous paint (tritium, luminova) like the "Ref.14060", there are differences such as chronometer and roulette engraving, so there are early and late models. 
Year of manufacture: 2000 (P number) - 2012 (random number)
Case: 40mm
Bezel: Unidirectional (aluminum insert)
Windshield: Sapphire crystal Waterproof: 300m waterproof Bracelet: Hard bracelet (93150/501B) Period: 1988-2012 Movement: Cal.3130
1. Dial
The dials of the "Ref. 14060M" are broadly divided into two types. The 6 o'clock position on the dial will be "SWISS MADE" from the time of its release until the end of production, so when comparing the early and late models, you can tell the difference by looking at whether the letter (where the model logo is written) is written in two lines or four lines.
◯ Two-line notation (around 2000-2007) 
The early dials were manufactured from around 2000 to around 2007, and feature the two lines "SUBMARINER" and "1000ft = 300m". The "Cal. 3130" it is equipped with is a "non-chronometer" that does not meet chronometer standards.
*This caliber has been chronometer-compliant since 2007, so its precision and reliability are guaranteed.
◯ 4-line notation (around 2007-2012) 
Since 2007, Rolex has made all of its models chronometer-compliant.
The "Ref.14060M (Cal.3130)" was also certified as a chronometer at this time, and the two lines "SUPERLAYED CHRONOMETER" and "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED" were added to the lettering on the 6 o'clock side of the dial (two lines), changing the notation to four lines (four lines). These four lines continued until the end of production, so the dial of the "Ref.14060M" was divided into two patterns after 2007.
〇Crown watermark (from around 2000)
Around 2000 (early production period), a watermark of the crown mark was adopted at the 6 o'clock position on the sapphire crystal. This is made by special laser processing, and is used on models other than the Submariner to prevent counterfeiting. It was first used on the Submariner "Ref. 14060M".
Roulette engraving (from around 2007) 
From around 2007, roulette engraving was adopted on the inside side of the case. This was done to prevent counterfeiting and guarantee authenticity, and the "crown mark", "ROLEX", and serial number are engraved at the 6 o'clock position. It was gradually adopted in each model from 2004, and was introduced in the "Ref.14060M" from around 2007.
②About the bezel
There are no major changes to the bezel on the Ref. 14060 and Ref. 14060M. The aluminum insert with unidirectional rotation prevention function remains the same.
③About the bracelet
The bracelet is the same as the previous model "Ref.14060", with a hard bracelet type (93150) and only a flash fit (501B). "Ref.14060M" has only minor changes to the flash fit, and the detachable design that can be separated from the bracelet has not changed.
Sixth Generation Summary
The "Ref. 14060M" does not have any changes to the luminous material, but there are some minor changes from the previous model, such as a change to the movement, a chronometer, a roulette engraving, and a glass crown watermark.
The most popular models are not early models, but rather late model G or random models, or the final model number. Even late model G models have been produced for over 10 years, so there are few good or excellent models, and they are generally traded for around 1.5 million yen. (As of June 2025)
summary
What did you think?
The non-date "Submariner" is popular for its clean design without a date notation. The fifth and sixth generations have been manufactured for about 20 years, so there have been many minor changes and there are some watches that we are looking forward to seeing in the future, so if you find one in good condition, why not add it to your collection?
If you are looking for something specific, you may need to be patient, but be sure to carefully consider the condition and price to find one that satisfies you!
See you in the next article!
See you later!
