A Brief History of the Rolex Submariner
People, even people who know nothing about watches, know it. James Bond wore one. So did Steve McQueen. In some circles, when you say “Rolex,” people assume you mean this watch.
What watch am I talking about? The Submariner, of course.
Let’s delve into the history of this most iconic of Rolex watches.
The watch that would become the Submariner was shown at the Basel Watch Fair in 1954. That was the ref. 6204, good to 300 feet of water resistance.
Two years later, the 6536 and 6538 were introduced. These are the references collectively known as the James Bond Submariners. Small and big crown, respectively, Bond actually wore the 6538 in Dr. No (and subsequently wore several other Submariners in later movies).
In about 1958, the 6538 received a few updates with the new calibre 1030, minute tick marks on the bezel (between 0 and 15), and a Triplock crown. And it was an officially certified chronometer.
The 5512 and 5513 were released in 1959. The 5512 was chronometer certified while the 5513 was not. A modified 5513 called the MilSub was issued to British divers beginning in 1965. The MilSub had minute tick marks for all 60 minutes of bezel markings, welded bars for the strap (making what we know as the NATO strap a necessity), and Tritium lume on the dial.
1965 saw other innovations for the Submariner. The ref. 1680 was released, and the first sold gold Subs appeared.
The Submariner began to evolve rapidly in the 1970s. The first Submariner SeaDweller appeared – the so-called “red Sub,” with “Submariner printed in red ink on the dial. This followed SeaDweller Submariner 2000, the “Double-Red SeaDweller,” a which was a 5513 with a helium escape valve that had appeared in 1967.
The SeaDweller branched off from the Submariner line and went on its way. Meanwhile, the Submariner line itself was evolving as well. The ref. 1680 came out in 1971, running alongside the 5513 and 1680 for four years.
In 1990, the no-date vibe of the 55xx series continued with the 14060 appearing for its decade-long run. It was updated to the 14060M (M for Modified movement – a balance cock turned full balance bridge) which ran until 2012, when it was replaced with the super-cased 114060.
Meanwhile the 16800 appeared in 1975, replacing the 1680 and following Rolex’s process of evolution rather than revolution. This process also produced the 16610, which was succeeded by the 116610 (with ceramic bezel) in 2012.
Submariners have also been produced in white gold, yellow gold, and two-tone, making the Submariner truly a watch for all seasons – and purposes.
What watch am I talking about? The Submariner, of course.
Let’s delve into the history of this most iconic of Rolex watches.
The watch that would become the Submariner was shown at the Basel Watch Fair in 1954. That was the ref. 6204, good to 300 feet of water resistance.
Two years later, the 6536 and 6538 were introduced. These are the references collectively known as the James Bond Submariners. Small and big crown, respectively, Bond actually wore the 6538 in Dr. No (and subsequently wore several other Submariners in later movies).
In about 1958, the 6538 received a few updates with the new calibre 1030, minute tick marks on the bezel (between 0 and 15), and a Triplock crown. And it was an officially certified chronometer.
The 5512 and 5513 were released in 1959. The 5512 was chronometer certified while the 5513 was not. A modified 5513 called the MilSub was issued to British divers beginning in 1965. The MilSub had minute tick marks for all 60 minutes of bezel markings, welded bars for the strap (making what we know as the NATO strap a necessity), and Tritium lume on the dial.
1965 saw other innovations for the Submariner. The ref. 1680 was released, and the first sold gold Subs appeared.
The Submariner began to evolve rapidly in the 1970s. The first Submariner SeaDweller appeared – the so-called “red Sub,” with “Submariner printed in red ink on the dial. This followed SeaDweller Submariner 2000, the “Double-Red SeaDweller,” a which was a 5513 with a helium escape valve that had appeared in 1967.
The SeaDweller branched off from the Submariner line and went on its way. Meanwhile, the Submariner line itself was evolving as well. The ref. 1680 came out in 1971, running alongside the 5513 and 1680 for four years.
In 1990, the no-date vibe of the 55xx series continued with the 14060 appearing for its decade-long run. It was updated to the 14060M (M for Modified movement – a balance cock turned full balance bridge) which ran until 2012, when it was replaced with the super-cased 114060.
Meanwhile the 16800 appeared in 1975, replacing the 1680 and following Rolex’s process of evolution rather than revolution. This process also produced the 16610, which was succeeded by the 116610 (with ceramic bezel) in 2012.
Submariners have also been produced in white gold, yellow gold, and two-tone, making the Submariner truly a watch for all seasons – and purposes.
