Rolex Datejust daily, don't buy vintage! 16014 vs 126234, 40 years old vs 1 year old. (Silver 36mm)

[@vonbon954]

I have a radically different experience. 16014 purchased 20 years ago, today it still looks new and runs perfect. Very early 1960s four digit reference purchased 30 years ago, and today it still looks new after a service. The watches are worn every day in a rotation and they have seen hundreds of km if lap pool swimming and some surf time. Four digit original vintage folded bracelet literally had links disintegrate from wear. Replacement genuine Rolex bracelet is not folded or hollow and has effectively nil stretch and provides the four digit with a new Rolex aesthetic. Acrylic 'crystal' has pros and cons. Con is it can scratch. Pro is that it rarely if ever scratches and if it does an optically perfect re polish takes approximately 30 seconds on your kitchen bench using headlight polish. The proud/protruding Acrylic crystal protects the fluted bezel and so my white gold fluted bezel is sharp and perfect. Worst case is a new Acrylic crystal Replacement - for say US$30. Also crylic absorbs shock on impact protecting the watch and Acrylic does not shatter. /// Saphire - pro v v v hard and essentially does not scratch. Con It really is sapphire/carborundum and if it shatters you should immediately hack your watch to prevent any sapphire/carborundum grit getting into the movement and grinding it up. Carborundum is fwiw 'sandpaper grit. Sapphire is relatively expensive to replace but not crazy expensive, the main issue being grit in the watch mechanism. Sapphire has essentially nil shock absorption. Sapphire crystals are mounted nearly flush with the soft/expensive gold fluted bezels meaning that the bezel is now the front line of impact rather than a soft/cheap acrylic crystal.

[@watchgardenuk]

Great points, thanks so much for your detailed opinion!

[@charlybilloir9048]

Brilliant explanations, thanks!

[@travischang1175]

silver datejust jubilee fluted bezel is the quintisential watch to own thats timeless and literally goes well with any attire. inconspicuous and comfortable yet versatile enough to go with casual wear and doesnt ooze "look at me i am a rolex". quality watch. good taste. now if they release the "tuxedo" dial again!

[@wordtruth6116]

I like the vintage one. New one too blingy. Older one is more classy.

[@MatthewYoung-nn7ek]

Agreed

[@kevinngomez5451]

I wear my vintage 16014 everyday. And if it scratches so what?! It’s meant to wear and enjoy

[@Valera_Scotland]

On the list for silver, with smooth bezel on oyster bracelet Can't wait

[@danb9012]

Thanks for the video of the silver 126234. I’m currently torn between the silver and the blue dials.

[@watchgardenuk]

I’ve had both. The blue is nice but only in the right light, otherwise looks too dark. I had the blue in oyster/flat. Much prefer the silver. Ymmv :)

[@josefsbeach]

Besides the build and movement construction differences that would make moderns clearly a win as quality has surely gotten better over time -- the charm of vintage is unbeatable vs any modern datejust. Of course this is subjective but I do prefer the slimmer and brushed lugs of my 16014. The proportions of it are toned down and more sleek to me vs the modern chunk. The clear win for me for vintage are the dials. Mine is a silver linen dial with virtually no patina and it is just fabulously unique. Vintage may be more delicate but proper makes it just as capable. Cheers!

[@Construct87]

Fits great, whats your wrist size?

[@4AllUSa]

Well, you still need to adjust the 24-hour setting to ensure it's 6 am and not 6 pm. Additionally, it doesn't matter because you always set the date in a safe position, for example, at 6 o'clock. This is a fundamental mistake when setting the date first. First, you adjust the time, ensuring that you set AM or PM, and then the date, so as not to damage the date mechanism and avoid having on the date twice set. Very good review. Regards.

[@aceroseofficial]

hey does the new datejust wear like a true 36mm or slightly bigger? I saw that the day date 40 wears actually very close to the datejust. Also I do prefer the previous version that had the bracelet with the hidden crown. My question is does that bracelet stretch or is the bracelet just as strong as the new one? Thank you

[@watchgardenuk]

Same strength on the bracelet, any Rolex bracelet in past 15 years is solid in my experience (no stamped clasp etc). Jubilee will always wear more, but you are looking at 10 years before a refurb at least. 36 is a lot smaller than 40 in real life.

[@berrylee6787]

I just had my 16200 stretch taken out for 150 USD. IT'S LIKE BRAND NEW. 200 USD to have full service. Full breakdown, cleaned, oiled, new seals, buffed and polished.

[@watchgardenuk]

$150 is a good deal for bracelet refresh!

[@TG-im2nn]

Where was it done?

[@berrylee6787]

@@TG-im2nn THE WATCH DOCTOR Pennsylvania. . Neal

[@SoulKilla1000]

The only thing that I don't like about my 16014 is that it hurts to wind. Otherwise, I love my Rolex Datejust.

[@neil4701]

Sorry, but I respectfully have to disagree with almost everything here... As regards accuracy and power reserve, it sounds as if you got a bad deal with the servicing, a well-seviced vintage watch should be much more accurate than 10s per day. But personally I wouldn't have sent it to Rolex.. ;-) I have about 15 50 year old watches and nearly all are within 2 - 4s per day. As far as the bracelet goes, the problem with modern ones is that they are over-engineered, too heavy and too chunky. It's an item you are wearing on your wrist, it should be as light as possible! The perception of heaviness and solidity as representing "quality" is an illusion, it's one that the manufacturers pander too, but in reality these old bracelets with stamped clasps work extremely well and are more comfortable because they are much lighter. The Datejust bezel looks more "blingy" on the modern watch because it has been redesigned to be larger and flashier, not primarily because the older ones are worn... Personally I find the older design much more attractive and tasteful, the modern one is overly ostentatious. You also have more options in vintage Datejusts, such as the engine-turned bezel. I also don't see much advantage to the sapphire crystal, to my mind the domed acrylic one is much more attractive and if it DOES get scratched it's easy to polish. With a brand new Datejust I'd be far more worried about scratching the steel case if I was being so careless with it that there was a chance of irreparably damaging the crystal.. OK, you have a point with the lume. That's hardly a dealbreaker though...

[@michaelduran2141]

I have a 16220 wouldn’t trade it for a new one. It’s light and comfortable.anyone out there know the exact weights on old versus new?

[@michaelduran2141]

I also have a 16220 and a polar 16570 and wouldn’t trade them for anything new. I love the fact that they’re vintage and most importantly I like that they are lighter in weight. New ones too big.

[@cedarcanoe]

I disagree. Although your 126234 silver dial is gorgeous without a doubt, nothing beats a vintage Datejust. I own a 16030 black dial (1989) and a 16013 with linen dial 2-tone (1986).

[@vonbon954]

In the past it was possible to purchase a 30 year old Rolex for very little, service/restore the watch (head) to near new condition using genuine Rolex parts, and then wear the watch for the next 30 years. Sure along the way the folded 1960s bracelet literally disintegrated from wear, after doing hundreds of pool swimming kilometres and also some beach swims, so you fitted a newer genuine Rolex bracelet, which only further upgraded the aesthetics. At 60 years of age, and tens of years of daily wear on your wrist alone, the Rolex watch basically presents as new, well better actually because of the newer style Rolex bracelet. Can you still do this today? Yep, but as per your video, today the newer DJ is not that much more expensive. Still, if you love a particular Rolex model from a particular era, you can absolutely daily these things everywhere for ever as long as you are prepared to change old Genuine Rolex parts for new Genuine Rolex parts. You know, because if you had a vintage Ferrari you would be more than happy to swap old Genuine Ferrari parts for new Genuine Ferrari parts. Note - some people pay a huge price premium for watches with their original factory part loads, but if you are not into that, go for it Also - Hint - A silver dial OP goes seamlessly from a mine, to a pool, to a board meeting, to Black Tie...

[@randomasian1830]

quick and short: if you want to flex, just buy the newer model datejust.

[@rudimussrodeln]

New model is too flashy and blingy, i prefer matte lugs.

[@mignav464]

No, sorry. Modern Rolex watches are far too shiny to take seriously. Vintage always wins. Get it serviced properly to have it be as waterproof waterproof as possible and enjoy. No modern Rolex compares to any vintage one.

[@mikamika472]

16014 powa