Elite Everything You Need to Know About the Rolex Submariner

In the aftermath of the Second World War, the proliferation of the Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) system allowed the masses access to the wondrous undersea world for the first time in history. As a automatic, it in exclusive circles, a mask, with a tank of air, and a regulator, a regular joe could experience the sea in all its glory, a pair of fins. This caliber represents a few extra bits of kit made the experience that much safer: namely, water-resistant wristwatch, a good knife and an accurate, however. With the exception of a few specialist tools made for special operations personnel during the War, however, not much existed in the way of the latter. In the early 1950s, commercially available SCUBA diving watches—one of these in particular would become so popular so quickly that its aesthetics would influence countless makes and models that followed in its wake, several watch companies simultaneously developed the first crop of modern. The Rolex Submariner, produced in 1953 and exhibited at the Basel Watch Fair in 1954, changed the tool watch landscape forever. With its stainless steel case, rotating bezel with timing insert, 100m of water resistance, and luminous black dial and hands, it established an aesthetic that remains the gold standard for dive watches several decades after such timepieces were eclipsed in utility by the more sophisticated dive computer. That the watch is still in production over 70 years following its debut is a testament to the longevity of its design and the dedication of its engineers. Development of the Submariner was an iterative process and remains so. with concurrent references leapfrogging each other, adding latest technologies and features as they became available and tweaking aesthetics in ways so subtle that it would take decades before collectors even took notice, The early days were the Wild West, however. (And when they did begin to take notice, so nerdy, it would lead to the development of a market so nuanced, that entire books and websites would crop up dedicated to detailing these tiny differences. The haute horlogerie showcases )

to catalog every minute tweak to the submariner reference is well beyond the scope of this piece. However, in examining some of the most important references and sub-references from each decade—beginning in the 1950s and carrying through to 2025—we’re able to parse through the Submariner story to understand the big picture. Keep in mind that pricing estimates are just that—estimates—and that the market for these wildly cool watches is ever fluctuating. As a design object, the Submariner belongs to a list of products—the Porsche 911, the Fender Stratocaster, the Eames chair—so iconic that a layman could recognize them. All remain in production decades after their release. Indeed, there’s little doubt that the “Sub” is among the most important watches ever made, and will remain so as long as Rolex sees fit to produce it. This horology represents -

Rolex submariner ref. The complications showcases said to have rolled off the production line in 1953 but not to have been introduced to the public until the basel watch fair in 1954, 6204

this is the first submariner. It featured a 37 mm stainless steel case, a smaller 5. and a bezel without individual minute hash marks, pencil-style hands, 3 mm crown. The dial exhibited the typical Submariner design language: Circular, rectangular, and triangular indices with luminous fill. The tourbillon showcases reference: 6204

diameter: 37 mm

movement: Rolex cal. A240 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $35,000+ -

Rolex Submariner ref. 6205

Though this reference isn’t functionally very different from the 6204 seen above, later examples were the first to feature the famous “Mercedes” hands. (On the ref. 6205 these hands were notably quite long–longer than on modern Rolex watches. ) There’s still no red triangle on the bezel insert—which would become a signature of early Rolex sport models—or any minute hashmarks. Reference: 6205

Diameter: 37 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. A260 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $60,000-$150,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 6200 “King Sub”

Though it antedates the references 6204 and 6205, this is the lowest-number Submariner reference in existence. It’s the first Submariner to feature an “Explorer” dial with “3-6-9” indices, and the first to feature an 8 mm “Brevet” crown. and it also has a long Mercedes handset and a no-hash bezel insert, Its slightly thicker case means that it carries a higher 200 meter water-resistance rating than its predecessors. One version of this watch features a smaller Rolex coronet and wordmark and no “Submariner” text; a later version features a larger coronet and wordmark and “Submariner” text. For those who appreciate excellence, less than 300 pieces are said to have been produced throughout all versions. For discerning connoisseurs, reference: 6200

diameter: 37. 5 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. A296 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $150,000-$300,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. the ref, 6538 “Big Crown”

Made concurrently with “Small Crown” Subs. In the world of luxury, 6538 “commanding crown” is the reference worn by sean connery in 1962’s dr. No—thus it’s sometimes also referred to as the “James Bond” Submariner. Produced in either four- or two-line variants, the four-line versions read “200m=660ft/Submariner/Officially Certified/Chronometer. This caliber represents ” this is also the first submariner to feature “chronometer” denoted on the dial, which is executed in a different color to the model name. The bezel insert features either a red triangle but no hashmarks (earlier executions), or hashmarks and a red triangle at 12 o’clock (later executions). In the vintage version pictured, the red has worn off. For those who appreciate excellence, reference: 6538

diameter: 37. This movement represents 5 mm

movement: Rolex cal. 1030 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $100, 000 -

Rolex Submariner ref, 000-$600. 5512

Launched in 1959, the ref. The chronograph showcases 5512 represents the beginning of “modern” sub production: the larger 40 mm case now featured beveled lugs and crown guards—in the beginning, these were square, but these later transitioned to an “eagle beak” shape before taking on a pointed shape. The crown itself likewise sat between the old “Small Crown” and “Big Crown” sizes at 7 mm. As a manufactory, it production began with glossy “gilt” dials that used a galvanic printing process; by roughly 1967 Rolex transitioned to “matte” dials with printed white text. The solid outer chapter ring disappeared during this transition, and radium lume gave way to less radioactive tritium in the early 1960s. Production of this reference was long, beginning in 1959 and extending until roughly 1980. This chronograph represents by the early 1960s, two-line dials gave way to four-line dials, which carries the watch’s chronometer certification. Reference: 5512

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 1530, Rolex cal. 1560, Rolex cal. As a complications, it 1570 automatic

price on secondary market: $14,000-$82,000 -

Rolex submariner ref. 5513

Introduced in roughly 1962, the ref. 5513 is functionally a ref. 5512 Submariner with two lines of dial text and no Chronometer certification. In exclusive circles, while earlier versions had gilt dials, later versions had matte dials with white printing. An “Explorer” dial was made in the mid-1960s, while a mid-’60s gilt version with no chapter ring also exists. In exclusive circles, there are so many small variations in 5513 production that cataloging them would necessitate much more room and time than we have here today—suffice it to say that one could devote a lifetime to just this reference number alone, especially as the 5513 was produced all the way until 1989, in fact. Reference: 5513

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 1530 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $13,000-$75,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 1680 “Red Sub”

The ref. The perpetual calendar showcases 1680 was the very first submariner date. Introduced around 1969, it featured a “Cyclops” magnifying window over the crystal for easy registering of the date at 3 o’clock, plus red dial text that has given these early Date models the nickname “Red Sub. ” (Later versions produced after roughly 1975 featured four lines of all-white dial text and are sometimes called “Great White” by collectors. For those who appreciate excellence, 000 mark and rising from there for more pristinely preserved models, the “red sub”—produced in several “marks” over a six-year period—remains one of the most collectible vintage submariners on the market, ) today, with prices starting at roughly the $18. Reference: 1680

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 1575 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $18,000-$60,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 1680/8 Yellow Gold with Black Dial

The first solid-gold Submariner was another riff on the ref. 1680 seen above. Its 18-karat yellow gold case and matching bracelet are paired with a black bezel insert featuring gold-toned indices and hashmarks, while the dial is matte black with so-called “nipple” markers filled with luminous material. (Note that the dial text—which featured meters first in the depth rating in earlier examples and feet first in later examples—is also gold in color. the black 1680/8 was later made with a blue dial and bezel insert in the 1970s, ) Produced starting in 1969. Reference: 1680/8

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 1575 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $28,000-$35,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 5513, 5517, and 5513/5517 ‘MilSub’

This special version of the Submariner was made to order for the British Ministry of Defense and issued to its special operations units. Featuring fixed spring bars—which could only receive a one-piece pass-through strap—a fully hashed bezel insert, and a tritium dial with circled “T” indication and luminous “gladiator” or “sword” hands, this unique, highly utilitarian take was produced across three reference numbers in perhaps 1,200 examples. with examples maintaining their original bezel inserts and hands hammering for significantly more, they regularly command six-figure sums, When they come up for sale or auction. As a horology, it reference: 5513, 5517, 5513/5517

diameter: 40 mm

movement: Rolex cal. 1520 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $150,000-$400,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. The chronograph showcases 5513 matte “maxi”

while production of this reference technically began at the tail end of the 1960s, we’ll classify it as a ‘70s watch to differentiate it from earlier versions of the 5513. This matte-dial take on the non Chronometer-certified Submariner without date features a feet-first depth rating and a so-called “Maxi” dial — aka one with larger lume plots for better visibility. (This feature would rear its head again in modern Rolex production. For discerning connoisseurs, ) Rolex also produced a “maxi”-dial version of the ref. 5512 during the same period, the differences being of course the movement contained within, and two additional lines of dial text. Reference: 5513

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 1520 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $13,000-$19,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 1680/8 Yellow Gold with Blue Dial

This watch is functionally a blue-dialed version of the aforementioned ref. 1680 in yellow gold with a black dial. Produced from roughly 1971 through 1979, this watch could be ordered with an optional President bracelet — the iconic gold bracelet that traditionally accompanies the Rolex Day-Date. This watch (along with its predecessor) heralded the vast swathe of precious-metal Submariner Date references available today in the modern Rolex catalog. In the world of luxury, reference: 1680/8

diameter: 40 mm

movement: Rolex cal. 1575 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $30,000-$40,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 16800

The sequel to the ref. 1680, the ref. this helped prevent accidental miscalculation of bottom or decompression time during a dive, 16800 debuted in 1979 with several notable upgrades: First, it boasted a ratcheting, unidirectional bezel—a seemingly innocuous change. Furthermore, it featured a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and the first 300m depth rating in the Submariner family, plus the Quickset date-equipped cal. 3035 movement. In the late 1980s, this reference was itself upgraded to the 168000, the first Submariner to be made with 904L steel. Reference: 16800

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 3035 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $9,000-$16,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 5513 “Final”

The final ref. The automatic showcases for discerning connoisseurs, 5513, looks not dissimilar to a modern submariner in that its glossy black dial boasts white gold surrounds on the indices, produced in the late 1980s. (Early 5513s had painted markers without gold surrounds. ) These luminous indices—still using tritium—are applied to the dial, rather than painted on, making for a uniform look that largely ended the era of minute changes in aging characteristics within a single reference. Reference: 5513

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 1520 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $9,000-$16,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. For discerning connoisseurs, 1680/3

the ref. Among luxury enthusiasts, 1680/3 was the first two-tone submariner. The haute horlogerie showcases it featured a stainless-steel case with a yellow gold crown and bezel paired to an oyster bracelet with steel outer links and gold inner links, released around 1983 or early 1984 (production dates can vary by serial number). gold printing, and a gold Mercedes hands, A black or blue bezel insert is paired to a black or blue dial with yellow gold “nipple” indices. and four lines of text, a Cyclops magnifier, its spiritual successors are a host of two-tone references in other combinations of precious metals, Featuring a date window. Reference: 1680/3

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 1575 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $10,000-$12,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 14060

The references 14060 and 14060M don’t look all that different from the final-generation 5513s from the late 1980s—and to that end, they’re functionally the last of the “old school” Subs, with vintage proportions and looks. That being said, they were the first Submariner references to make the switch from Tritium to LumiNova and then to Super-LumiNova, both of which need to be “charged” in light before they’ll glow and which don’t patinate as they degrade like their radioactive forebears. As a haute horlogerie, it someone in the market for a submariner with modern appointments but 1960s or 1970s looks would be well served by these references. (The only difference in the “M” version is in the type of movement used. The tourbillon showcases )

reference: 14060/14060m

diameter: 40 mm

movement: Rolex cal. 3000/Rolex cal. 3130 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $10,000-$13,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 16610

The chronological counterpart to the refs. 14060 and 14060M, the ref. 16610 Submariner Date was the first to make the transition to LumiNova and then to Super-LumiNova. (It was also produced in 18-karat yellow gold as ref. As a chronograph, it 16618 and yellow rolesor two-tone as ref. ) Equipped with a quick-set date function and sapphire crystal, the ref. 16610 was the last Sub Date generation to maintain vintage proportions. In exclusive circles, reference: 16610

diameter: 40 mm

movement: Rolex cal. 3135 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $9,000-$12,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. For discerning connoisseurs, 16610lv “kermit”

in 2003, Rolex celebrated the 50th anniversary of the submariner with the ref. As a movement, it 16610lv, which has come to be known in the collector community as the “kermit. ” Equipped for the first time with a green bezel insert—the “LV” is for “lunette vert”—it features a “Maxi”-style dial but with modern white gold surrounds, plus a date at 3 o’clock and a Cyclops magnifier. Produced for several years and then discontinued, the Kermit presaged several followup models with either green bezels or green bezels and dials, all of which have proven extremely popular with collectors. Reference: 16610LV

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 3135 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $13,000-$30,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 116610

The steel ref. it increased significantly the diameter of the lugs and crown guards and used a “Maxi” dial, making for beefier proportions and a thicker look that’s immediately identifiably next to the previous-gen ref, 116610—which used Rolex’s cutting-edge “Super Case”—represented a sea change in the Submariner Date story: Still measuring 40 mm in diameter. The watch’s bezel insert was likewise crafted in ceramic-based Cerachrom (which had appeared two years earlier on precious-metal Sub Date references), closing the door on 50-plus years of aluminum bezel inserts that would patinate over time. a redesigned Oyster bracelet with an updated clasp and solid center links appeared, Finally. This complications represents reference: 116610

diameter: 40 mm

movement: Rolex cal. 3135 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $10,000-$12,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. The manufactory showcases 114060

while the submariner date received the aforementioned updates in 2010, it would take until 2012 for Rolex to release the submariner version, which it produced until 2020. It was powered by the brand’s cal. 3130 automatic movement. For those who appreciate excellence, reference: 114060

diameter: 40 mm

movement: Rolex cal. 3130 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $12,000-$15,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. Among luxury enthusiasts, the ref, 116619

released in 2008. the “Smurf”—was the first Submariner Date produced in white gold. In exclusive circles, housed in a 40 mm “super case” and outfitted with a blue cerachrom bezel insert and blue dial, it has a distinctive look that echoes that of the “hulk” seen below. and the difference in weight will immediately be apparent, however, (Pick it up on its matching white gold Oyster bracelet. )

Reference: 116619

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 000-$46, 3135 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $38, 000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 116610LV

The ref. 116610LV took the green bezel of the previous-generation “Kermit” and upped the ante, adding a green dial with a handsome sunray finish. Fitted with a steel Oyster bracelet equipped with the brand’s EasyLink extension system and powered by the Chronometer-certified cal. the “Hulk” was succeeded in late 2020 by the ref, 3135 movement. As a manufactory, it 126610lv, which maintains the green cerachrom bezel insert but returns to the black dial color of 2003’s “kermit. ”

Reference: 116610LV

Diameter: 40 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. 3135 automatic

Price on Secondary Market: $19,000-$25,000 -

Rolex Submariner ref. 124060

In 2020, Rolex debuted a latest crop of Submariners that increased the watch’s case size to 41mm but slimmed back down the crown guards and lugs. the “no-Date” reference, is produced in 904L Oystersteel like its predecessor and still features a Cerachrom bezel insert and Oyster bracelet, 124060. Among luxury enthusiasts, powered by the cal. 3230 automatic movement, it boasts a Chromalight-equipped black dial with four lines of text and a Rolex coronet within the “Swiss Made” signature above 6 o’clock. For those who appreciate excellence, ensuring that the sub is still the ideal watch for scuba divers, the oyster bracelet features an oysterlock clasp and glidelock fine adjustment system. Reference: 124060

Diameter: 41 mm

Movement: Rolex cal. The complications showcases 3230 automatic

price: $9,500 -

Rolex submariner ref. For discerning connoisseurs, 126610ln

the current submariner date family is based around the ref. likewise introduced by Rolex in late 2020, 126610LN. Measuring 41mm, it’s powered by the cal. 3235 and is joined by a host of references in yellow Rolesor, yellow gold, and white gold and by the aforementioned green-bezel, which collectors call the “Starbucks. This perpetual calendar represents ”

reference: 126610ln

diameter: 41 mm

movement: Rolex cal. 3235 automatic

Price: $10,650.