The Rolex Submariner, originally conceived as the quintessential diver's watch, has probably become the best-known and best-selling Swiss luxury watch of all time (it is certainly one of the most counterfeited). Genuine Submariners are now a timepiece of choice for everyone, from businessmen to professional athletes and Hollywood stars. It is a very popular watch, but that doesn't take anything away from its quality. On the contrary, it underlines the precision design work that has made it an icon.
The birth of a classic
The development of the Submariner is the result of a challenge to the legendary founder and chairman of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, by René-Paul Jeanneret, a member of the board of directors. Mr. Jeanneret was a passionate diver and friend of the famous underwater explorer, Jacques-Yves Cousteau. He felt that the current diver's watches in the Rolex collection, although water-resistant, were insufficient for everyday use. Mr. Jeanneret saw the need for a functional yet elegant watch. He wanted Rolex to create it.
After several years of experimentation and testing, Mr. Jeanneret finally had a watch he could trust.
To draw attention to the planned launch of the watch, a modified model, the Rolex Deep Sea Special, was affixed to the exterior of a submarine piloted by Auguste Piccard, one of the greatest explorers of the time. When Mr. Piccard resurfaced after a 3,000-metre dive, the watch was still in perfect working order.
The Rolex Submariner made its debut at Baselworld in 1953. The following year, Rolex officially launched three models: the 6200, the 6204, and the 6205. Now divers could not only be sure that their watch was completely waterproof to 100 meters, but they could also accurately measure their immersion and no longer have to worry about changing their watch for something more appropriate on land.
The Rolex Submariner over the years: until 1980
In 1954, none of the watches had the name Submariner on the dial, and some of the Submariner's established details such as the crown protectors were not yet present. Modifications would of course follow, but over the years, the instantly recognizable design of the Rolex Submariner changed very little.
Models 6204 and 6205 were retired before 1960, and the 6200 is now a rare collector's item. It has a large crown (8 mm), no gradation marks on the bezel, and Mercedes-style hands.
In 1957, the Rolex Submariner became a standard kit for British military divers, with modifications including a reinforced case and bezel. Two years later, Rolex launched the Submariner 5512, with additional crown protectors, a 40 mm larger case, and the inscription "Superlative Chronometer, officially certified" on the dial.
The Steve McQueen screen icon has given popularity to the 5512 model. The 5513 followed with a slight modification to the crown guards and a 1530 caliber movement, which was upgraded to a 1520 caliber later in the year.
The Submariner's reputation was further enhanced in 1962 when Sean Connery, who wore a 6538 model in Dr. N. James Bond, had a long relationship with the Submariner that made the watch known to a wide public. Subsequently, the Rolex Submariner 1680, launched in 1966, was the first to feature a date window, with a plexiglass glass, red writing on the dial, and a Calibre 1575 movement.
The Rolex Submariner through the years : The 1980s and Beyond
The 1980s was a particularly important decade for the Submariner. Rolex began refining the watch in 1981, manufacturing the 16800 model with a unidirectional bezel for the first time. A few years later Rolex released model 16613, the first two-tone Submariner in gold and steel, with a blue dial and bezel.
If there's one model that has cemented the Submariner's universal appeal, it's 16610. The "classic sub" made its debut in 1988. The 16610 has a stainless steel case, a 40 mm black dial, and the patented Oyster strap. It also has luminescent hands and a scratch-resistant crystal for greater clarity underwater. Production ended in 2010, but at that time, the Submariner 16610 was already the most counterfeit watch in the world.
When the Submariner turned 50 years old in 2003, Rolex celebrated the anniversary of its most popular model, the 16610LV, equipped with a striking green bezel.
While its shape has been frequently adapted over the years, the signature of the Rolex Submariner has never changed. It is the diver's watch par excellence - functional, reliable, and robust. It is a watch that sets new standards in manufacturing but also has a restless nature. But the true mark of the Submariner's prestige is its timeless popularity.
