Rolex Submariner Ref. 14060 - Frozen Dial

Look up the words “Modern Classic” and underneath you will find a photo of the 14060 Rolex Submariner. The argument of vintage vs modern continues to wage on in the Submariner world with fans of Rolex completely split on which is better. For many people (those that we agree with) they feel the modern Submariner is just not right. The 41mm case, the maxi dial and Cerachrom bezel kill the rugged tool watch charm that the Submariner is meant to carry. Yes, the Cerachrom may make it better for everyday life, the 41mm is a (eye roll) modern case size and the maxi dial may make it more legible, but none of these qualities will age gracefully and give some unique charm compared to a vintage Submariner. It will, for all of its life, just be another Rolex Submariner.

Enter the 14060, the watch that toes the line for those that want modern reliability but with all the opportunities for vintage characteristics. Let’s start with the lack of date window, vintage purist fans rejoice at the sight of a non date sub. The launch of the 1680 Submariner equipped with a date was released all the way back in 1967 and it sent people into a frenzy, a Submariner with a cyclops? The world has gone mad! Well do not fear my purist friends, the 14060 Submariner is as clean and symmetrical as it comes with the simplest of dials. On the topic of dials, purists will again be happy to see that this, just like its predecessor the 5513, is a 2 line Submariner. No silly words explaining any chronometer certification, just tell me what the name of the watch and how deep I can take it. Another tick for the 14060. Another wonderful feature with this particular 14060 we have in stock is the beautiful ageing that is already occurring on the dial. The lacquer on this dial has already started to show a subtle and very uniformed ‘frozen’ patina, another desirable quality in the vintage community. The hands and markers on this particular piece also have the benefit of being tritium as this model is from 1995, meaning that over time the watch can also patina in a more unique way compared to the younger 14060 models that will have hands and markers with Luminova or Super Luminova depending on the year or the modern Submariners that come with Chromalight lume.

Stepping away from the dial for a moment and analysing the case and bezel, this is where the 14060 begins to satisfy both parties. The case size of this model is 40mm, more than big enough for a dive watch. The case however has a number of features to satisfy the vintage enthusiasts among us. Firstly, the iconic drilled lug holes, the 14060 is the last non date Submariner to have lug holes, and nothing gets a vintage collector hot under the collar like a case with lug holes. The ultimate signs of a rugged Rolex tool watch. This means switching the original Oyster bracelet for a strap of your choice is incredibly simple. This is also the last not date Sub not to have the stupidly bulbous ‘Super Case’. This watch retains the rugged yet more sweeping case style compared to the modern Rolex catalog. This particular example is also completely unpolished so the edges are still incredibly sharp and on point. The bezel again also carries some vintage charm. Having an aluminum insert means you have a fantastic opportunity to see some wonderful ghosting in the bezel over time. With this particular example, the bezel lume pip being made of tritium has already gone a wonderful pumpkin colour due to exposure to the UV Rays, as commonly seen with many tritium bezel pips, this has happened faster than the dial and hands due to the lack of protection from the sapphire crystal glass.

The mention of sapphire crystal sets me up nicely for my next point, the modern benefits to the 14060 that make it so desirable as the middle ground for those who want a modern classic. The 14060 was the first non date Submariner to sport both a sapphire crystal and a Triplock crown, these components working together allowed for an increase of the water resistance rating to 300 meters which represented a 50% increase over the 200 meters offered by the 5513 Submariner. Inside, the Caliber 1520 that was found in the 5513 was replaced with the Caliber 3000, bringing the watch into line with the more modern Rolex balance frequency of 28,800 bph. The early 14060, like the 5513, were not chronometer certified. It wasn’t until 1999 that Rolex introduced a 4 line 14060M with a chronometer 3130 movement. However, I feel the 4 line text on these models makes the dial too cluttered, similar with the chronometer certified 5512 models. With a Submariner, sometimes less is more.

So in conclusion, is this 14060 the best of both worlds when it comes to the modern vs vintage Rolex Submariner debate? I could be lead to believe so. This 14060 preserves the shape and heritage of the great vintage references of the past. The dial is uncluttered by lack of a date window and cyclops, yet it uses a more modern movement that is guaranteed to bring you the trusted Rolex reliability.

With its patina-attracting bezel, dial and hands which will allow for it to change as time goes on, this watch can become categorically unique to its owner. And at below £9,000 coming with box and papers, it really is hard to compete with. Make this watch yours and let it tell the stories that you make with it.