COMEX Rolex - The Rarest Rolex Submariner 16610 | Bob's Watches Vintage Vault Ep. 2

Comex is a French commercial diving company founded in 1961 to explore the ocean and its mysterious depths. As one of the most innovative and recognized dive watch companies in the world, Rolex seemed like a natural partner for the diving company, and, in 1970, the partnership was formed.

Their goals were the same: to explore the ocean further and increase their ability to stay below the surface for longer periods. That’s where Rolex, with its ever-increasing arsenal of professional series dive watches came in.

Rolex agreed to supply Comex with dive watches in exchange for real-time data and other information surrounding the performance of their watches and their components. For example, many of their innovations were tested on Comex first, including the Helium Escape Valve. The Rolex/Comex partnership is solely responsible for many advancements made to Rolex’s dive watch series.

That collaboration lasted until 1997 and eventually included nine different variations of Rolex’s most successful dive watches. Those include:

Submariner ref. 5513
Submariner ref. 5514 – Exclusive to Comex
Sea-Dweller ref. 1665
Submariner ref. 1680
Sea-Dweller ref. 16600
Submariner ref. 16610
Sea-Dweller ref. 16660
Submariner ref. 16800
Submariner ref. 168000

Each of these references is distinguished by the Comex logo on the dial and special Comex engravings on the case back added by the company for identification purposes. Some were given to Comex in the same configuration as the standard production models, while others were outfitted with additional features.

One such example includes the Comex Submariner 5513, which was supplied to the company in both its standard form as well as with a Helium Escape Valve. If you aren’t already familiar with the Submariner series, it does not include this feature in normal production examples. Additionally, some Comex Submariner 5513 watches include the Comex logo on the dial, and others do not.

Ultimately, any Rolex/Comex watch with both logos on the dial is the most prized and valuable as it is incredibly rare to see any Rolex with dual logos on the dial. Comex Rolex watches are also rare because they were never part of Rolex’s normal production.

In fact, they were only produced for Comex, and it is believed that only a few hundred examples of each reference exist. Of those watches, many were destroyed or lost, leaving very few quantities left in existence and making them the holy grail of rare Rolex watches.

Comex Rolex 16610
That brings us to the topic of our video, the Comex Rolex Submariner ref. 16610. Reference 16610 was released to the market in the late 1980s and is considered by many collectors as both the gateway to the modern Submariner as we know it today and one of the brand’s most iconic iterations of the Submariner.

Examples produced for Comex date to as early as 1986, a few years before Rolex officially released the beloved reference 16610 to market. Rolex continued to produce Comex 16610s until 1997. Additionally, it was the very last Rolex to feature the Comex logo on the dial and was identical to the standard-production 16610s.

It features such modern amenities as a uni-directional bezel (instead of the bi-directional bezel), glitzier white gold-trimmed hour markers and Mercedes hands, sapphire crystal, water resistance up to 1,000 feet, and the beloved high-beat cal. 3135 Perpetual movement.

By the time the Submariner 16610 hit the market, Comex no longer solely relied on Rolex dive watches to keep time as they worked beneath the ocean. Instead, Comex Rolex watches were primarily issued to high-ranking employees and are generally found to be in better condition than older-reference Rolex Comex watches.

Rolex Comex Submariner Price
Compared to other references produced for Comex, the Submariner 16610 is among the most affordable. Although, it is still far beyond the reach of many budgets and is still considered to be just as rare as other Comex Submariner models. Currently, there is a very nice example listed for sale on our site for just over $100k.

[Calscot]

I nearly had a heart attack when I found out the value of these Comex Subs. Back in the early 80's they were traded for beer money amongst divers. Typically at the beginning of dive season (March/April) all the divers going offshore would have a few drinks (lots) at the Aberdeen Skean Dhu (hotel at the heliport) and basically be broke from a long winter of no work and Porsche payments to make lol. That's when the Comex Rolex's would be sold. I owned 2 of them that I bought in 1984 and 1985. 1 of the watches I bought for about 400 Uk pounds and had the Rolex dealer in Aberdeen Scotland swap the dial out for standard Rolex Sub Dial then sold it a year later for 800. A lot of these Comex branded watches suffered the same fate because they were not considered as valuable since Comex gave them out to employees. The other I had for a couple years and sold it to a guy in the US for $1300 in 1987.

[Alex-yuwg]

I have two still, one given to me in Marseilles 1977 by COMEX, when young and stupid I dived for them. The other given to me in part exchange for a clapped out Mini Cooper.
The two 'real big ones' with COMEX Rolex to get are: Henri Germain Delauze, CEO and founder of COMEX and Theo Mavrostomos.
COMEX diver Theo achieved a record simulated dive of 701 metres (2, 300 feet).
Henri is dead, his wife has his watch, Theo is very much alive and eventually will sell, when he goes to soak his old bones in the sun.

[pwbbi]

This was a great video. There is so much history with Rolex. Would be interesting to have a video about the 16800 and the dial change from matte finish to the darker finish. Especially since the earlier models that went back to the factory for service had the old original dial replaced.

[greatchalla]

Yea, I love the Comex Sub certainly a collector’s find. However I’m a fan of the Big Brother the Sea Dweller an under rated master piece for the budget conscious with its solid end links and engraved case back. Plus a bonus 4000 ft death rated and the slight thicker crystal gives it a sightly more beefier look. Not rare compared to the profiled Comex Sub, but there’s still less Sea Dwellers produced than the to mention they where a more expensive time piece to purchase from an authorized dealer. Dollar for dollar, I’d say a Sea Dweller has a hidden latent value often not considered by many that wear vintage Sub’s.

[MrBarryryan]

i believe the comex 16610 was just given to comex manager’s and some non diving staff.

[NRecob]

I prefer the Sea Dweller. The used Rolex prices now are stupid.

[OngoGablogian]

You should try to talk over each other even more. That would be great to listen to.

[ats-]

A very good friend of mine who has worked on oil rigs for many years has a Comex Sea Dweller, he's actually looking to sell it, he just turned down an offer of US$100k, I see another one for sale online now the seller wants US$200k for it.

[Jstatham]

It’s okay, but I’d take a Dominos Air King all day

[michaelturner]

I have handled the 1999 year of the Panama Canal Submariner date in steel. Have you seen this model and in bi-metal?

[laurento]

sorry, but the partneship rolex/comex ended not in 1997 but in 2008 with M serial both 16610 or 16600. so the last M 16610 comex is the only one in the world with engraved rehaut ;-)

[paulkirk]

So some were with date window and some without, because they were all makes and models subs and sea dwellers date windows or not depending on model no.

[DerhamPaul-vofr]

It's a ridiculous price for a used 30 year old watch a heap of junk

[Cinestudi]

Comex is a mexican paint brand, period.