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| Movement | Swiss automatic | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Case Size | 40mm | 42mm | 42mm | 43.8mm |
| Lug to Lug | 47mm | 51mm | 49mm | 51mm |
| Band | Nato strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet, leather strap, nato strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Water Resistance | 200m | 300m | 300m | 30m |
| Key Benefits |
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| Get It |
Buy Now at Bob’s Watches
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Buy Now at Steinhart
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Buy Now at Amazon | Buy Now at Tiger Concept |
Rolex MilSub
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| Movement | Swiss automatic |
| Case Size | 40mm |
| Lug to Lug | 47mm |
| Band | Nato strap |
| Water Resistance | 200m |
| Key Benefits |
|
| Get It |
Buy Now at Bob’s Watches
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Steinhart Ocean One Vintage Military
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| Movement | Automatic |
| Case Size | 42mm |
| Lug to Lug | 51mm |
| Band | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Water Resistance | 300m |
| Key Benefits |
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| Get It |
Buy Now at Steinhart
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Rado Captain Cook
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| Movement | Automatic |
| Case Size | 42mm |
| Lug to Lug | 49mm |
| Band | Stainless steel bracelet, leather strap, nato strap |
| Water Resistance | 300m |
| Key Benefits |
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| Get It | Buy Now at Amazon |
Tiger Concept 5508 V6
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| Movement | Automatic |
| Case Size | 43.8mm |
| Lug to Lug | 51mm |
| Band | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Key Benefits |
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| Get It | Buy Now at Tiger Concept |
The MilSub, or the Military Issue Submariner, boasts all the coveted watch-collector niches.
It’s a Rolex, it’s a high-functioning dive, and it has a real-deal military pedigree, which fulfills the lore requirement for watches looking to earn legend status.
MilSubs are in high demand and in low supply. Since they were never sold to the public, they were produced in small numbers.
Our six MilSub homages do this iconic watch justice—and you don’t have to spend years trying to find any of them on the market, only to spend five times the American salary.
Read on to figure out which of them, or the three alternatives, is the best for you.
How Did I Come Up With My List?
I can count on one hand how many times I’ve come across a MilSub in person—which is still more than most people. I built this list using my years of experience working in auction houses, collecting watches, and deliberating with high-end watch collectors and specialists.
I also spent hours consulting watch forums, as well as reading and watching reviews. We all have different priorities when it comes to homages, and I wanted to make sure all are represented.
6 Best Rolex MilSub Homages
Image Source: Steinhart
A mix of style and function, the Steinhart Ocean One Vintage not only embodies all of the MilSub’s signature features, but nods at its vintageness with its tropical indices and hands.
Naturally, it does this in a very modern construction. The Ocean One is built with an attractive satin stainless steel and a sapphire crystal that’s double coated with anti-reflective treatment on the inside. The crystal is even medium-domed, adding pressure resistance without raising the profile too much.
It runs on a reliable Sellita SW200 movement. As Steinhart does with most of its dives though, they go for their Elaboré version, which is adjusted for accuracy. It has 25 jewels and runs anywhere between +/-7 and +/- 20 seconds a day.
This watch is also easy and fun to use. Its bezel is crisp and strong, and the safety deployment clasp has a smooth action.
What I Like
- The design is based on the rarer rendition of the popular MilSub reference, 5513, which features sword hands and 60-minute bezel.
- Well-built and highly functional, this watch is equipped with a 120-click bezel, a double AR-coated sapphire, and 300m of water resistance.
- The SW200 Elaboré movement is exceedingly reliable and accurate.
What I Don’t Like
- Though sufficient, the lume is surprisingly weak and the lowest-quality of all the watch’s functions.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
The Steinhart Ocean One Vintage is one of the most popular MilSub homages on internet watch forums.
Reviewers love the vintage look on a modern upgraded body, and the efficient mix of style and practicality. At 190g, many enjoy the solid, but not heavy wear of the watch. It’s comfortable, but substantial as a tool watch should be.
The Verdict
Just like the original MilSub, the Steinhart Ocean One Vintage is practical and user-friendly. The crown and bezel are crisp, and Steinhart opts for an upgraded SW200 movement, instead of the standard.
It’s a stylish watch, seen through its tropical indices that hat-tip vintage aesthetics, its well-finished indices, and its sword hands. The beautifully satin 316L stainless steel body wears substantially and comfortably, giving this timepiece a premium feel.
Just like the original MilSub, the Steinhart Ocean One Vintage is practical and user-friendly. The crown and bezel are crisp, and Steinhart opts for an upgraded SW200 movement, instead of the standard.
In addition to the MilSub, the Captain Cook is also based on a Rado original from the early ‘60s.
Undeniably luxurious, the dial on this watch really pops. It’s high-shine and exquisitely brushed, the satin texture coming out from the middle. This offers perfect lightplay regardless of where the sun is hitting it.
Clearly, the finishing is detailed and labored over. The encased Rado symbol that sits above the logo moves around in a weighty, non-rattly way, which gives the dial even more life.
The Captain Cook is also premium on the function front, seen through its 80-hour Swiss movement and play-free ceramic bezel.
What I Like
- The watch’s perfect finishing, firm unidirectional ceramic bezel, and silky dial showcase a high level of Swiss luxury.
- Its large arrow hand and flush indices are Rado-specific signatures, allowing this watch to both honor the MilSub, and be its own premium diver.
- The Swiss movement has a substantial 80-hour power reserve, and is very serviceable.
What I Don’t Like
- While the impressive 80-hour movement is easy to service, its parts are notoriously expensive to replace.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Reviewers love how posh the Captain Cook looks at a glance. On top of that, it’s not a widely known brand outside of watch circles, so it impresses purely with its build and look.
Another popular quality is the watch’s quick-release pins that make switching straps easy and tool-free.
The Verdict
In any given room, you’ll likely be one of few people (if any) wearing the Rado Captain Cook. This makes it an impressive and unique timepiece.
As with any high-end homage, the similarities between its source material and the thoughtful differences work together to give the same vibe as the MilSub, but on its own terms.
In any given room, you’ll likely be one of few people (if any) wearing the Rado Captain Cook. This makes it an impressive and unique timepiece. As with any high-end homage, the similarities between its source material and the thoughtful differences work together to give the same vibe as the MilSub, but on its own terms.
Image Source: Watchuseek
For its price, the Tiger Concept 5508 V6 is an effective look-alike, with well-polished hands and a lustrous bezel. The index application isn’t perfect, but this isn’t discernible without a magnifying glass.
The best part of this watch, cost aside, is all of the fun custom options Tiger Concept offers.
You can get the bezel in black, blue, red, or in a silver-tone that makes the watch look like a cross between a MilSub and a vintage Explorer II. The second hand comes in different outlines including bronze, black, and red.
Even the movement is customizable. The Miyota movement is slightly more reliable than the Chinese-made DG2813, and comes at a premium. The DG2813 offers decent reliability for its price, it’s just really roughly-finished.
What I Like
- Tiger Concept gives you a wide range of options from the dial and bezel style to its movement, making this watch fun to customize.
- The bezel, hands, and indices are well-polished and neatly applied, which is impressive for its price point.
- The big crown design is grippy and well-threaded, making it easy to operate.
What I Don’t Like
- The bezel is super loose and wobbly.
- The bracelet this watch comes with is rattly and hollow.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
The go-to affordable MilSub alternative on many Reddit threads and watch forums, reviewers love the look and price of this watch.
A main point of praise is that you can get the dial with or without the Tiger Concepts logo.
Still, this watch gets a lot of flack for its loose bezel. This Reddit reviewer reports that the bezel on his watch spins around when it brushes against his shirt sleeve.
The Verdict
The Tiger Concept 5508 V6 Big Crown is a cheap and functional MilSub homage. The finishing is pretty good, and the fact you can choose your movement alone is worth the ticket of admission.
Since you can also choose the bezel and second hand color, as well as the presence of a logo, this homage gives the highest level of customization without modding.
The Tiger Concept 5508 V6 Big Crown is a cheap and functional MilSub homage. The finishing is pretty good, and the fact you can choose your movement alone is worth the ticket of admission. Since you can also choose the bezel and second hand color, as well as the presence of a logo, this homage gives the highest level of customization without modding.
Image Source: Gnomon
MilSub-inspired looks aside, where the Squale 20 Atmos Militaire 1545 really shines is in its perfect bezel.
It’s made of a fade-proof ceramic that’s cut into shape before the numbers are engraved onto it. The machined numbers are precise and unblemished, filled with silver gilt, adding a sharpness to the overall high-gloss look.
The bezel is actually hardened and purified via 1500-degree heat, leaving it not just scratch-resistant, but basically indestructible. Of course, the entire bezel is polished to a mirror-level finish.
On the practical side, the deep machined grooves make gripping the smooth 120-positions easy and comfortable.
What I Like
- This watch is equipped with a beautifully high-polish and indestructible ceramic bezel that won’t fade and is easy to use.
- The accurate Swiss ETA movement operates at 28,800 BPH, has 25 jewels, and comes with hacking which makes working the watch simple and convenient.
- The short curved-down lugs allow the watch to sit nicely and comfortably on all wrist sizes.
What I Don’t Like
- Though the lume is excellent on the indices and hands, it’s so weak on the bezel pip, I didn’t even realize it was there.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Reviewers praise the watch’s accurate movement and finishing. Lume pip aside, it’s a rare upper mid-tier watch that scores high on both looks and operation.
Many reviewers enjoy that the case’s satin brushed top surfaces and polished sides continue on into the bracelet.
The Verdict
From its domed sapphire crystal and 200m of water resistance, the Squale 20 Atmos Militaire 1545 checks all the boxes for a high-functioning, high-end dive watch.
It goes above and beyond on its bezel, a notorious place for homage makers to take short-cuts on. It’s good-looking and high-shine, will look like that forever, and is also strong and easy to operate.
From its domed sapphire crystal and 200m of water resistance, the Squale 20 Atmos Militaire 1545 checks all the boxes for a high-functioning, high-end dive watch. It goes above and beyond on its bezel, a notorious place for homage makers to take short-cuts on. It’s good-looking and high-shine, will look like that forever, and is also strong and easy to operate.
Image Source: Watchcharts
Since its serrated edging doesn’t jut out too much, the Armida A9 is a popular standard Submariner homage, as well as a MilSub homage. Aesthetically, the A9 sits somewhere in between the two, though I think the sword hands make it slightly closer to the MilSub.
The hands are well polished, offering a dazzling level of shine, especially in front of the complementary matte black dial. That all the applications are white instead of tropical give the A9 a modern touch.
This watch offers high performance, with its 300m of water resistance, C3 lume, and reliable Miyota movement.
What I Like
- The signature sword hands, which emulate references 5513 and 5517, are attractively polished and complement the matte dial.
- This watch comes with a one year international warranty, which makes online buying less risky regardless of where you’re shopping from.
- The drilled lugs make changing straps easy and quick, which is necessary since this watch doesn’t have a great bracelet clasp.
What I Don’t Like
- The bracelet clasp is loose and flimsy at the top portion, and digs into your wrist.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Reviewers who love the standard Submariner and the MilSub are grateful that the A9 takes inspiration from both.
Many reviewers mention that they changed the bracelet since its clasp is pretty rickety. A few even report that this is overcompensated for by making the clasp difficult to open, which I find to be very true.
The Verdict
The Armida A9 has the body and size of a standard Submariner, though the edges stick out slightly more. Moreover, the dial is fully lifted from the MilSub with its sword hands and arrow second hand.
If you’re looking for a MilSub homage that’s slightly toned-down on the robustness, but not on the function, the Armida A9 is an effective choice.
If you’re looking for a vintage MilSub homage, the Armida A9 is an aesthetic dead-ringer, thanks to the high-quality sword hands and 316L stainless steel body. It also runs on a respectably reliable Miyota automatic movement and has a sapphire crystal, proving Armida doesn’t just focus on looks.
Image Source: WR Watches
The WR Iron Watch Sub Diver V2 is a standard MilSub homage, but done to an extremely high quality.
It’s got the strong 120-click bezel with a ceramic insert, the anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and a highly-effective BGW9 SuperLumiNova dial, which even glows well in dim lighting.
You can choose between the PT5000 movement, which is made by Chinese manufacturer Shancheng, or a Sellita SW200 for a $110 premium. Both movements are equally reliable, though the Sellita is slightly more accurate. The biggest difference between the two is that Sellita parts are much easier to find, making their movements more serviceable.
Like the Tiger Concept, you have the option to get this watch with or without a logo. Still, the lack of appellation at all (no “automatic” label, no “200m” label) gives the no-logo version a super clean, extra brandless look.
What I Like
- This watch comes with high-performance functions, from its strong bezel to its BGW9 brilliant green lume.
- You can get this watch with the WR logo or without, offering a minimalist aesthetic.
- In addition to having a positive reputation for customer service, this watch comes with a 24-month guarantee.
What I Don’t Like
- The lack of any signatures, including on the bracelet clasp and crown, gives the watch a bit of an unfinished look.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
The Iron Watch logo is polarizing, so it’s great that you can get the watch without or without it. Some reviewers wish that it wasn’t an all-or-nothing situation with the rest of the dial appellations though.
WR Watches has a great reputation for customer service, earning 100% positive feedback on AliExpress.
This gent on Watchuseek even gives them a shout-out, saying they’re “a genuine pleasure to deal with.”
The Verdict
The WR Iron Watch Sub Diver V2 is a well-made MilSub homage that allows you the option of zero branding. If you’re looking for a military-inspired dive whose functions and construction speak for itself, this watch meets all the requirements.
The WR Iron Watch Sub Diver V2 is a well-made MilSub homage that allows you the option of zero branding. If you’re looking for a military-inspired dive whose functions and construction speak for itself, this watch meets all the requirements.
3 Quality Rolex MilSub Alternatives
While an homage is an affordable option designed to look like an expensive watch, an alternative is a comparable model, often a competitor. For example, the Rolex Cellini and the Patek Calatrava are alternatives to each other.
Before going for a MilSub, or an homage, it’s important for you to see what else is out there. You might find some alternative features you prefer.
Image Source: EBay
Before the Ministry of Defense asked Rolex to modify the Submariner for them, they requested Omega make the exact same modifications with the Seamaster 300. Many even consider the Royal Navy Omega Seamaster the original MilSub, or at least its predecessor. From the arrow hands to the soldered bars, these two watches have a lot in common.
Instead of the Rolex-style indices though, the Seamaster has Omega-style trapezoids, elongated and flush against the dial edge. One thing that definitely makes these watches similar is how difficult they are to find, and the wide range of high prices they fetch.
Something Omega did that Rolex didn’t though, is they released a similar-looking modern Seamaster 300, that you can find on second-hand online retailers and gray market retailers. There’s even a listing on Jomashop.
Like the MilSub, the Tudor Pelagos LHD is a brawny dive watch filled to the brim with functionalities. Still, the Pelagos LHD has a lot to offer that even its Rolex sibling doesn’t. Its 500m of water resistance is the equivalent of a modern Sub and a MilSub combined. Meanwhile, its titanium case and bracelet are just as strong, but much lighter than the Sub’s stainless steel body.
The Pelagos runs on a COSC-certified Chronometer, and is equipped with the signature Tudor snowflake hands.
The IWC Aquatimer is a sporty counterpart to the MilSub that expresses its aesthetic burliness in different ways. The dial, for example, has a ton of topography. The tall indices are flush against the outermost dial which slides into the stepped inner dial. This extra dimensionality makes it more complex and sophisticated than the Milsub, but still rugged-looking.
Its mechanical external and internal bezels come with a SafeDive system that prevents diver timing errors. The convex sapphire glass is coated on both sides with AR treatment, and its elaborate automatic movement comes with central hacking seconds. It’s also made of 163 components.
Which Rolex MilSub Homage Should You Get?
The Steinhart Ocean One Vintage gets our top approval thanks to its mix of style and substance at a reasonable price.
Just like the original MilSub, the Steinhart Ocean One Vintage is practical and user-friendly. The crown and bezel are crisp, and Steinhart opts for an upgraded SW200 movement, instead of the standard.
The Squale Militaire and the Rado Captain Cook, on the other hand, are high-end homages, with Squale staying on-template and Rado veering off to create something unique and new.
Meanwhile, the Tiger Concept 5508 V6 offers low prices and several points of customization.
The Tiger Concept 5508 V6 Big Crown is a cheap and functional MilSub homage. The finishing is pretty good, and the fact you can choose your movement alone is worth the ticket of admission. Since you can also choose the bezel and second hand color, as well as the presence of a logo, this homage gives the highest level of customization without modding.
The Armida A9 and the WR Iron Watch are performance-forward timepieces, the latter offering a clean and brandless option.
While the MilSub is almost impossible to find, these homages offer the same look and feel without the endless searching and sky-high prices.
FAQs
Where can I buy a Rolex MilSub?
The best places to find MilSubs are at high-end auction houses, estate sales, and reputable dealers. They’re rarely on the market, so it takes patience to find one for sale.
What is the price of MilSub?
A Rolex MilSub can easily set you back $20,000 to $50,000. Bonhams auction house sold one for $268,000.
Ever since I received an Omega Seamaster for my 16th birthday, I fell in love with watches. Professionally, this led me to work for New York and LA’s leading auction houses. Personally, it led to a life as a collector, my Seamaster and my Explorer II being my favorite timepieces.
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6 Best Rolex Sea-Dweller Homages & Alternatives in 2023
Are you a fan of the robust Rolex Sea-Dweller? Our six choice homages flaunt its look, wear, and even a lot of its functions, minus the six-digit price tag.
6 Best Rolex Air-King Homages & Alternatives in 2023
Want the practical yet distinct look of the Air-King without the Rolex-level bill? Check out our six homages.
6 Best Rolex ‘Pepsi’ GMT-Master Homages & Alternatives in 2023
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6 Best Rolex Milgauss Homages & Alternatives in 2023
Don’t commit to Rolex Milgauss until you’ve considered these six homages. They’ve got the look and feel, but not the cost.