Rolex Submariner Date vs No-Date: 126610LN or 124060?

The Rolex Submariner Date (126610LN) and the Submariner without a date (124060) are the same watch in almost every respect: the same 41 mm case, the same bezel, bracelet and 300 meters of water resistance. The differences are the date window with its Cyclops magnifying lens, the movement that drives it, and the price. Choose the Date if you use the date every day; choose the No-Date if you want the cleaner, symmetrical dial.

That is the short answer. The rest of this guide explains what the choice means in practice. We have 20 of the 126610LN in stock, from $10,515, and 14 of the 124060, from $9,990.

Submariner Date vs No-Date at a glance

What is the same

More than most buyers expect. Both watches were introduced together in 2020, when Rolex moved the Submariner from a 40 mm to a 41 mm case with slimmer lugs and a slightly wider bracelet. Both have:

• The Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert, which resists scratches and does not fade.
• The Oyster bracelet with the Glidelock clasp, which extends in small steps by about 20 mm without tools.
• A Triplock screw-down crown and 300 meters of water resistance.
• Rolex's Superlative Chronometer certification, with accuracy within two seconds a day.
• A movement of the same generation, with a power reserve of about 70 hours.

On the wrist they weigh almost the same and wear the same. From across a room, nobody will know which you have chosen.

What is different

The dial and the Cyclops

The Date has a window at 3 o'clock and, above it on the crystal, the Cyclops: a small lens that magnifies the date. It is one of the most recognizable Rolex features, and one of the most divisive. Some buyers consider it essential to a Rolex. Others dislike the way it interrupts the crystal.

The No-Date has a full set of hour markers and a perfectly symmetrical dial. It is the closer of the two to the first Submariner of 1953, which had no date; Rolex added the date to the model in the late 1960s.

The movement

The No-Date uses the caliber 3230 and the Date the caliber 3235. They are the same design, with the same accuracy and power reserve; the 3235 adds the date mechanism. For an owner the only practical difference is that the Date has an extra crown position for setting the date.

Setting it after a few days off the wrist

This is the everyday argument for the No-Date. If you rotate watches, you pick it up, set the time and go. With the Date you also have to advance the date, which takes a few more seconds. If you wear the same watch every day, the question does not arise, and having the date on your wrist is useful.

The price

The Date costs more than the No-Date, both at retail and pre-owned. The gap is not large as a share of the price, but it is consistent. The live figures at the top of this page show the difference in our stock today.

The choice of versions

The No-Date exists in one form: steel, black dial, black bezel. If you want anything else, you are choosing a Submariner Date:

• 126610LV: steel with a green bezel and black dial. We have 29 in stock.
• 126613LB and 126613LN: yellow Rolesor, steel and yellow gold, with a blue or black bezel.
• 126618LB, 126618LN and 126619LB: yellow or white gold.

How to choose

Choose the No-Date (124060) if:

• You prefer a symmetrical dial with no lens on the crystal.
• You own several watches and rotate them.
• You want the Submariner in its simplest and least expensive form.

Choose the Date (126610LN) if:

• You look at the date on your watch every day.
• You like the Cyclops as part of the Rolex look.
• You may one day want to sell: the Date is the more widely sought of the two, which makes it easy to place.

Neither is the "real" Submariner and neither is a compromise. They are built to the same standard, and both hold their appeal well.

The earlier generation: 114060 and 116610LN

If your budget points to a pre-owned watch, the same choice exists one generation back. The 116610LN (Date), made from 2010, and the 114060 (No-Date), made from 2012, were both produced until 2020 with a 40 mm case and noticeably broader lugs, and with the earlier calibers 3130 and 3135, which have a power reserve of about 48 hours. We have 14 of the 116610LN in stock.

Some buyers prefer the squarer look of that case; others find the current 41 mm better balanced. Try to compare photographs side by side before you decide. Our Submariner buying guide covers every generation.

What to check before you buy

• The reference. 124060 has no date; 126610LN has one. Our guide to reading Rolex reference numbers explains the code.
• Box and papers. The warranty card shows the reference, serial number and date of sale.
• The bezel. It should turn one way only, with firm, even clicks.
• The bracelet. Check for stretch on older watches and that all the links are present.

You can see every Submariner we have in stock, and our comparison of the Sea-Dweller and the Submariner if you are considering the deeper-rated watch.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Submariner Date bigger than the No-Date?

No. Both current models, the 126610LN and the 124060, have the same 41 mm case and the same bracelet.

Which is more expensive, the Submariner Date or No-Date?

The Date. It costs more at retail and pre-owned, because of the date mechanism and the Cyclops lens.

What is the difference between caliber 3230 and 3235?

They are the same generation of movement with the same 70-hour power reserve. The 3235 has a date; the 3230 does not.

Does the No-Date Submariner come with a green bezel?

No. The green bezel is only made as a Submariner Date, reference 126610LV.

Is the Submariner Date waterproof to the same depth?

Yes. Both are water resistant to 300 meters.

Are your Rolex watches authentic?

Yes. Every watch is checked by our specialist before it ships. We are an independent retailer and are not affiliated with Rolex.