Quick answer: Submariner or GMT-Master II?
Buy the Submariner Date 126610LN if you want the cheaper, tougher, more liquid all-rounder. Buy the GMT-Master II 126710BLNR if you travel or call other time zones, and you accept paying about $4,500 more pre-owned. On a wrist the two are close; the real differences are the bezel, the movement and the price gap.
We are an independent reference site and do not sell watches, so neither verdict leads to a shop. Prices below are dealer and marketplace levels as of October 2026, converted at 4.08 MYR per USD.
Submariner vs GMT-Master II specifications side by side
The dataset table below covers what Rolex publishes. Lug-to-lug length, lug width and real-world thickness are not published, so we add independent measurements in the wearability section further down.
| Spec | Submariner Date 126610LN | GMT-Master II 126710BLNR |
|---|---|---|
| Case diameter | 41 mm | 40 mm |
| Case thickness | 12.5 mm | — |
| Case material | Oystersteel | Oystersteel |
| Bezel | Unidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated, black Cerachrom insert, numerals and graduations coated in platinum | Bidirectional rotatable 24-hour graduated bezel, two-colour blue and black Cerachrom insert, moulded numerals and graduations |
| Dial options | Black | Black |
| Calibre | 3235 | 3285 |
| Power reserve | 70 hours | 70 hours |
| Water resistance | 300 m | 100 m |
| Bracelet / strap | Oyster, three-piece solid links; folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Rolex Glidelock extension system | Jubilee five-piece links (-0002) or Oyster three-piece solid links (-0003, from 2021); Oysterlock folding safety clasp with Easylink 5 mm comfort extension link |
| Introduced | 2020 | 2019 |
| Status | Current production | Current production |
| Retail price (US) | US$11,350 | US$11,800 |
| Retail price (Malaysia) | RM49,100 | RM51,000 |
| Pre-owned (excellent, box & papers) | US$14,000 – US$15,600 | US$18,000 – US$20,500 |
Three rows explain most of the decision. The Submariner is rated to 300 m, the GMT-Master II to 100 m. The Submariner runs calibre 3235, the GMT calibre 3285 with an extra hand. Finally, the Submariner's bezel only turns anticlockwise, while the GMT's turns both ways in 24 one-hour clicks.
Design and wearability
Case, lugs and thickness
The current Submariner grew from 40 to 41 mm in 2020, yet it wears smaller than the 2010–2020 "Maxi" case it replaced. That is because Rolex slimmed the lugs and the crown guards at the same time. The GMT-Master II stayed at 40 mm and never received the Maxi treatment so heavily, so its case has always looked a touch more elegant.
| Measurement | Submariner 126610LN | GMT-Master II 126710BLNR |
|---|---|---|
| Case diameter | 41 mm | 40 mm |
| Lug to lug | about 48 mm | about 48 mm |
| Thickness | 12.5 mm | about 12 mm |
| Lug width | 21 mm | 20 mm |
| Clasp adjustment | Glidelock, up to about 20 mm without tools | Easylink, one 5 mm step |
| Suits wrists of | about 16.5 cm (6.5 in) and up | about 16 cm (6.3 in) and up |
In practice, both suit wrists from roughly 16 to 20 cm. On a 15.5 cm wrist the Submariner's broader bezel and 21 mm bracelet look bigger. By contrast, the GMT on its Jubilee drapes more like a dress watch. Above 19 cm, both look proportionate and size stops being a factor.
Bezel and dial
The Submariner bezel is a 60-minute dive scale. Its job is timing elapsed minutes, for a dive, a parking meter or a steak. It clicks 120 times per turn and only anticlockwise, so an accidental knock shortens, never lengthens, the time shown.
The GMT bezel carries a 24-hour scale in two colours, blue for night and black for day on the Batman. It turns in 24 clicks either way. Therefore you can read a third time zone by rotating it, with no tool and no resetting of the movement.
The dials are almost twins: black lacquer, Chromalight lume, Mercedes hands and a date under a Cyclops at 3. The GMT simply adds a blue-tipped 24-hour hand. That said, the two-colour bezel makes the GMT read as more decorative from across a room.
Bracelet: Oyster, Jubilee and the clasp
This is the most underrated difference. The Submariner comes only on an Oyster bracelet with the Glidelock clasp, which slides out in roughly 2 mm steps. It is the best fit-adjustment system Rolex makes, and it matters in Malaysian heat, when wrists swell by late afternoon.
The 126710BLNR comes on either a Jubilee (-0002, the "Batgirl") or an Oyster (-0003, added in 2021). Both use an Oysterlock clasp with the 5 mm Easylink extension. Easylink is one step, not a sliding rail, so you may need to adjust links more precisely. On the other hand, the Jubilee's five-piece links are more comfortable for many people. Our bracelets and clasps guide explains each system.
Movement and function: calibre 3235 vs 3285
Both movements belong to the same 2015-onwards family. Each has the Chronergy escapement, a blue Parachrom hairspring, Paraflex shock absorbers and a 70-hour power reserve. Both are certified Superlative Chronometers at −2/+2 seconds a day after casing.
The difference is the GMT complication in the 3285. Its local hour hand jumps in one-hour steps when you pull the crown to the first position. The seconds keep running, and the date follows the local hour forwards or backwards. Meanwhile the 24-hour hand stays on home time. As a result, a traveller landing in Tokyo from Kuala Lumpur moves the hour hand forward one hour and is done, without losing accuracy.
The 3235 in the Submariner does the same job for one time zone, with a quickset date. Mechanically it is a little simpler, which helps slightly at service time. Neither watch has a weak movement. Therefore the choice is about function, not quality.
Price comparison: Submariner vs GMT-Master II in 2026
Retail is close; the secondary market is not. The table includes the no-date 124060, the cheapest Submariner, and the discontinued Pepsi, because both shape this decision.
| Reference | Retail | Unworn, full set | Excellent, B&P | Good, no papers | Mid-band vs retail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submariner 124060 | US$10,050 | US$14,000 – US$15,500 | US$12,800 – US$14,500 | US$11,300 – US$12,500 | +36% |
| Submariner Date 126610LN | US$11,350 | US$15,500 – US$16,900 | US$14,000 – US$15,600 | US$12,300 – US$13,700 | +30% |
| GMT-Master II 126710BLNR | US$11,800 | US$20,500 – US$23,000 | US$18,000 – US$20,500 | US$16,000 – US$18,000 | +63% |
| GMT-Master II 126710BLRO | US$11,800 | US$29,000 – US$34,000 | US$25,000 – US$28,500 | US$22,500 – US$25,000 | +127% |
Retail is the current (or last) US list price. Pre-owned bands are rounded market ranges for October 2026; MYR ≈ USD × 4.08.
What the numbers mean
At an authorised dealer the gap is small. The 126610LN lists at US$11,350 (RM49,100 in Malaysia) and the Oyster-bracelet Batman at US$11,800 (RM51,000; RM51,950 on Jubilee). So a GMT costs only about $450 more new.
Pre-owned, the spread widens to about $4,500. An excellent 126610LN with papers sits at US$14,000 – US$15,600, or roughly RM57,100–63,650. A comparable 126710BLNR sits at US$18,000 – US$20,500, about RM73,450–83,650. In other words, the GMT costs more because ADs allocate it more sparingly, not because it costs Rolex more to make.
The Pepsi now sits in its own tier. Since Rolex dropped it in April 2026, excellent examples ask US$25,000 – US$28,500, more than double the last list price. If a Pepsi was your GMT of choice, this comparison has effectively become Submariner vs Batman, Bruce Wayne or Sprite.
The other GMT-Master II options
Several steel GMTs share the 3285 and the same case. The 126710GRNR "Bruce Wayne" (grey and black, 2024) now trades above the Batman at US$20,000 – US$22,800. The left-handed 126720VTNR "Sprite" has its crown and date at 9 and asks US$16,500 – US$19,000. Finally, the discontinued 116710BLNR on calibre 3186 asks US$15,500 – US$17,500, about $2,500 less than a current Batman, in exchange for 22 fewer hours of reserve and no Jubilee option.
Ownership, servicing and resale
Buying at a Malaysian AD
Both models are allocated, not sold off the shelf, at Kuala Lumpur boutiques. In our experience a Submariner Date arrives sooner for a client with some purchase history. A steel GMT usually takes longer, and the Jubilee Batman is often the slowest. The retail vs market price guide explains how allocation works and why the queues differ.
Servicing and wear
Both calibres share a recommended service interval of around ten years, and both carry Rolex's five-year international guarantee. Service costs are similar because the movements share most parts. The bigger running-cost risk is the bezel insert. A chipped two-colour GMT insert is a pricier replacement than a plain black Submariner one. See our service and value guide for how servicing affects resale.
Resale behaviour
The Submariner is the most liquid steel Rolex; a dealer will buy one on sight. However, its premium has narrowed as list prices rose four years running. The Batman's premium has been flat at roughly 1.5 times list for two years. For that reason we would not buy either as an investment. Buy the one you will wear, and expect either to lose little if you sell after a few years.
Which should you buy?
Choose the Submariner 126610LN if…
- you swim, snorkel or scuba dive, or simply want 300 m of margin
- you want the lowest price of entry (or the 124060 for less still)
- you value the Glidelock's fine, tool-free adjustment
- you want the easiest Rolex to resell anywhere in the world
- you prefer an all-black, understated look
Choose the GMT-Master II 126710BLNR if…
- you fly regularly or track a second time zone for work or family
- you want a Jubilee bracelet option and a slimmer 40 mm case
- you have a smaller wrist and found the Submariner broad
- you accept paying around $4,500 more pre-owned
- you like colour on the bezel without going to a Pepsi price
Verdict
For most first-time buyers, the Submariner Date 126610LN is the better value: cheaper on the grey market, more water resistant and easier to resize. The GMT-Master II 126710BLNR is the better watch only if you use the second time zone. Frequent flyers will reach for that hand every week, so the premium becomes easy to justify. Everyone else is paying extra for a bezel colour. If budget is tight, consider the no-date 124060; if you want the GMT and the Batman feels common, look at the Bruce Wayne or Sprite before chasing a discontinued Pepsi.
Related comparisons: Submariner Date vs No-Date, Submariner vs Sea-Dweller, and the full Submariner and GMT-Master II collections.
Submariner vs GMT-Master II FAQ
Which holds value better, Submariner or GMT?
In October 2026 the steel GMT-Master II holds value better in percentage terms. A 126710BLNR in excellent condition with papers trades around 60% above its US list price, against roughly 30% for the 126610LN. However, the Submariner is the more liquid watch: there are more buyers at every price point, so it usually sells faster. See our used Rolex price guide for the full table.
Can you dive with a GMT-Master II?
Yes, for recreational swimming and snorkelling. The GMT-Master II is rated to 100 m and has a screw-down crown. It is not a dive watch, though. Its bezel turns both ways, so a knock can lengthen your recorded dive time, and it lacks the Submariner's 300 m rating. If you scuba dive regularly, the Submariner is the right tool.
Should my first Rolex be a Sub or a GMT?
If you travel often or work across time zones, the GMT-Master II earns its extra cost every week. Otherwise the Submariner is the simpler, cheaper and more versatile first sports Rolex. A no-date 124060 is the cheapest way in. Our first Rolex buying guide covers both by budget.
Is the GMT-Master II bigger than the Submariner?
No. The GMT-Master II is 40 mm against the current Submariner's 41 mm, and it is slightly thinner at about 12 mm. Both measure roughly 48 mm lug to lug, so they fit similar wrists. The GMT's 20 mm lug width and Jubilee option make it feel a little lighter and dressier than the Submariner on its 21 mm Oyster.
Is the Pepsi GMT still available new?
No. Rolex removed the steel 126710BLRO Pepsi, and the white-gold 126719BLRO, from its catalogue in April 2026. New Pepsis now come only from grey dealers, at roughly double the last list price. The Batman, Bruce Wayne and Sprite remain in production. See our Pepsi vs Batman comparison.
Last updated . Written and fact-checked by the Rolex Malaysian editorial team. Specifications and prices are re-checked quarterly.