RolexSubmariner

KEY FACTS

• ​A rare ‘red’ Submariner ref. 1680 from 1970
• ​Owned in the family since new, the watch was purchased by the vendor’s late father from a Rolex authorised dealer in Cape Town, South Africa
• ​Presented with a Rolex box
• ​The watch is accompanied by some documentation including a service receipt from a Rolex Dealer date to 2009, a certificate of authenticity from a Rolex Dealer dated to 2013, and a letter from Rolex South Africa with an offer to service the watch dated to 2019
• ​Graded ‘B’ for condition by the vendor who reports the watch to be in good working order and has not been worn since its last service in 2009

FUNCTIONS

• Time and date
• Powered by the Rolex calibre 1575
• Self-winding movement with a 48-hour power reserve
• ​Screw-down crown delivers 200m of waterproofness (not tested)
• Rotating dive bezel with 60-minute graduation

SUMMARY

In the world of watch collecting, a discrete dial detail can take an already popular model to new heights in desirability. A marking or logo small enough to go unnoticed can indicate a special provenance, and when it comes to watches with unrivalled history, very few compare to ‘Red’ Submariners.

The reference 1680 is one of the most important references to the brand’s famous dive watch. Produced from 1967 – 1975 (approx.) it was the first Submariner to feature a date aperture and featured the ‘SUBMARINER’ name in red letters, hence the nickname ‘Red Sub’. This particular example has a ‘meters first’ depth rating and the ‘open sixes’ on the 660ft depth rating. The markers have aged to a warm and even patina, with a different tone on the hands indicating that they may have been replaced at service. The watch is paired with an Oyster bracelet number 9315 with a production date of 1970 stamped in the clasp.

All watches offered for sale are searched and cleared against The Watch Register database and a certificate is available to the winning bidder upon request.

Any watch not covered by a current sales or service warranty should be considered as potentially requiring a service, even if in full working order on the date of purchase.

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