Talk Watches - The Rolex Submariner 1680 “Date”, New Beginnings.
Rolex Submariner White 1680 “Date-Submariner”
The Chit Chat
The Submariner is probably one of the most recognisable tool watches, whether it’s a veteran watch collector or a by-passer seeing one on a wrist, would instantly recognise one, more specifically as a Rolex. The Submariners have gone through the most variations and iterations within Rolex’s long historic line-ups, and some of the iconic series within the Submariner collection have become the staples of a collector’s prized collection.
I would love to tell you a story behind this particular piece but what we have here is just a wonderfully preserved example. The 1680 “White” Submariner we have here possesses the typical charisma of the vintage submariner family and it marks the beginning of the “Date-Submariner” era. The added function was the interpretation from the positive feedback of the sea-dweller with a date function, with the Date-Submariner eventually fully succeeding the previous model.
There is so much character about this particular generation of the submariner. At 40mm it sits perfectly on the wrist with an original Rolex steel oyster bracelet or a vintage-feel Nato strap, or even a rugged leather strap. With a nice lemon coloured lumes like the one we have here, really highlights why Rolex collectors have an obsession for condition and patina. This watch really is the perfect tool watch for everyday duties. Some would argue that the introduction of the date window really created a cluster and imbalanced the dial design that was so well designed and crisp in the earlier no-date submariners, but what I see is a value-adding feature that represented a change in era in the history books.
The Back Story
appreciating the patina on the Submariner 1680 under different lighting. Photo by The Horologist
The Submariner is probably the most significant sports watch in the Rolex brand, and arguable the most recognisable in the history of all sports watches. If we were to go over the whole timeline of the submariner series we would have to write a book to do it justice. (please visit Hodinkee Reference Point: Rolex Submariner to get an in-depth study on the reference.
It is always fascinating to see how the market reacts when it comes to transitions in Rolex models, and the 1680 definitely created dividing opinions that defined a generation of submariners.
“the perfect iteration of a tool watch, more specifically, a Rolex.”
By adding a date function, on paper it made the watch even more desirable in a tool watch perspective, but purest argued that it looked clumsy with the 4 line lettering design. The change in design also opened up two sub-references (date and no-date) within the Submariner model. Whilst the 1680 was superseded by the first 5 digit submariner models, the 5513 actually continued till the late 1980s and “No-date” Submariner was then replaced by the 14060.
Although the no-date Subs are highly collectible nowadays, at the time, the mass market have actually shifted to buying Submariners with date and the 14060 was less popular than the 16610 reference.
