The Rolex Submariner Date is the diving watch par excellence. One of its essential features is the Cyclops lens on the date. The series offers versions in steel, gold and two-color with spheres of blue, black or green.

The diving watch par excellence

Most watch making enthusiasts cannot imagine a Rolex Submariner without its characteristic window for the date. The Cyclops lens is also an indispensable element of this diver in the eyes of some, even though it is not appreciated by many. Rolex first added the function of the date to this line in the mid-1960s, starting with the models with the reference number 1680. Currently, the Submariner Date is one of the most popular watches of this Swiss brand. Thanks to the Oyster construction, the 40 mm case includes a bolted bottom and a patented Trip lock crown offering 300 m (30 bar) of tightness. It also has a unidirectional bezel, and the indexes and hands are bright and easy to visualize.

Unlike the Submariner No Date version , the date Submariner surprises with a wide selection of boxes made of stainless steel, yellow or white gold, as well as the prestigious combination of materials known as Roles or. The latter offers a two-tone design that contrasts stainless steel with 18-carat yellow gold. It also offers spheres and bevels in green, blue and black.

How much does a Submariner cost with a date?

In addition to the date of manufacture and the state of conservation, the material used is another factor that plays a decisive role in the price of the Submariner Date. The steel models are usually more affordable than gold versions. A brand-new Submariner Date manufactured in stainless steel with a black dial and a ceramic bezel (reference 116610LN) costs around 8200 euros. The second-hand models of the same type are around 6600 euros. Vintage specimens such as the Submariner Date with reference 1680 reach higher figures, which currently hover around 8900 – 13,600 euros.

With a green bezel and a black dial, the 2003 edition, launched on the occasion of the model’s anniversary, is highly coveted by collectors. Reference 16610LV, known by fans of the brand as “Kermit” or “frog” costs about 13,300 euros without being released, while the used models are around 9600 euros. A little more affordable is reference 116610LV. This watch not only offers a green bezel, the dial also dresses in the same shade and, for that reason, has acquired the nickname of “Rolex Hulk” . The second-hand models used cost 8500 euros and the unused copies reach 9300 euros.

The Submariner Date in gold

The first Submariner Date with a box and a yellow gold bracelet has the reference 16618. Rolex presented this watch with a bezel and a black dial, as well as another variant with the same elements in blue. Independent of color, the price of this watch is available between 16,500 and 23,400 euros. Unused, gold watches with the reference 116618, which are also available in black and blue versions, are around 23,300 euros. The models used are close to 21,500 euros.

Called Roles or, the two-color versions of stainless steel and yellow gold are identified by reference number 116613LB or LN. The letters “LB” and “LN” are a reference to the type of bevel of the model, ie “lunette bleu” (blue bevel) or “lunette noir” (black bevel) , respectively. It should be noted that the spheres also have the same color tone as the bevel. The second-hand market offers copies used for 9500 euros, while the models without brand new cost about 1000 euros more. Reference 16613 allows you to save some money. Depending on your state, the price of this vintage copy is between 7100 and 7900 euros.

The Oyster box, resistant up to 300 m

Thanks to its careful and elaborate construction, from the ref. The 16800 Submariner Date is capable of supporting up to 300 m (30 bar) of depth , while the older models only offer 200 m (20 bar) of pressure resistance. Like all Oyster models, the boxes are made up of a single piece, that is, they are monobloc type, and the bottom is screwed to the central section. Reference 16800 introduced scratch-resistant sapphire crystal in the series . For a diving watchIt is extremely important to have a high degree of tightness. In itself, the crown with the stem of winding is one of the weakest points in this type of watches. Through it it is very easy for water to seep in; For this reason, Rolex has developed four O-rings in the area of ​​the Submariner’s crown to reinforce hermeticism and prevent the entry of water or dirt into the diver. In fact, the Rolex Trip lock crown remains twisted even in its normal state and is only released in the case of adjusting the time or winding the clock manually.

The Submariner with date also approves mandatory standards for diving as it is equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel, very useful for measuring dive times and preventing them from lengthening accidentally, which prevents possible problems with decompression. It also provides the excellent readability in the darkness that is required in diving. To do this, their indexes and needles are coated with a luminescent material. This substance, called Chromalight, is characterized by glowing in a bluish color, unlike the green tone provided by the Superluminova, another luminous product well known in the field of watch making.