3 AFFORDABLE Rolex Submariner Alternatives

RANT&H | APR 05, 2019

In today’s episode, Christian and Anna dive (pun intended) into three Rolex Submariner alternatives that are more affordable, and different than the typical recommendations you might be used to seeing.

There are five criteria that we’re using here:
1. Must be a dive watch
2. Simple in color
3. Steel
4. Time/Time and Date ONLY
5. Versatile

With that said, the first option is about $600, is Marnaut’s Dark Surge, a 300m automatic dive watch (powered by the Miyota 9015). It comes in at 42mm in diameter, numerically larger than the Submariner, but with the new Super-Case Submariners, they tend to wear larger. It comes on a rubber strap, something we begged Rolex to do with their Oysterflex Bracelet at Baselworld this year.

Next up is the Oris Diver 65, a watch that is technically a diver, though it is only water resistant to 100m. The color options are relatively conservative, and the faux patina is more subtle than on many other watches, and its date execution is super well-done.

Finally, we have the Tudor Black Bay, an obvious alternative for sure, but one that has been universally loved (with some nitpicks that have been adjusted for in the Black Bay 58). There are a number of variations, many in color as well as in metal executions. Despite being a Rolex subsidiary, the watch undoubtedly exists in its own light, making it a unique, but still superb alternative.