Page 64 - SHARP Summer 2024

PLUS ÇA CHANGE
THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF THE ROLEX SUBMARINER
By Jeremy Freed
T HE MODERN WRISTWATCH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MORE
than a century and, in that time, the most creative minds in the watchmaking industry have found countless innovative and appealing ways to mark each day’s hours and minutes. If you ask anyone with a passion for watches to pick one piece that represents the very best of modern watchmaking, however, more often than not their answer will be the same: the Rolex Submariner.
The Rolex Submariner is a diver’s watch with a 41 mm case made from either 904L stainless steel (better known as Oystersteel), gold (either 18K yellow or white), or a two-tone steel and gold combination known as Rolesor. It’s available in two versions, the Submariner and Submariner Date, both of which are equipped with self-winding automatic movements. The Submariner’s main features are a high-contrast dial with a set of white geometric markers, a distinctive handset including the famed “Mercedes” hour hand, and a unidirectional rotating bezel. These essential characteristics have remained the same for the last 60 years, but despite this (and perhaps because of it) the Submariner remains one of the most coveted, respected, and idolized watches on the planet.
“One can argue that it’s the most recognizable modern wrist- watch ever made,” says Yoni Ben-Yehuda, a vintage Rolex specialist and the co-founder of NYC-based luxury boutique Material Good. “It’s designed to be worn on any wrist, for any occasion, making it one of the most versatile timepieces ever made, too.”
The story of the Rolex Submariner is one of relentless improve- ment and constant innovation. Launched in 1953 and introduced to the world at the 1954 Basel Watch Fair, the “Sub” — as it’s called by its many admirers — was a new kind of diver’s watch for a new era. Following advances in underwater breathing technology in the 1940s, SCUBA gear was more accessible than ever, and a growing
number of professional and recreational divers were taking to the water. A reliable waterproof watch was an essential piece of equipment for these undersea adventurers, allowing them to safely time their dives and ascents.
Rolex had created the world’s first waterproof watch, the Oyster, in the 1920s, and by the mid-1950s the brand’s waterproofing technology had improved significantly. This allowed the first Rolex Submariner, the ref. 6204, to become the world’s first diver’s watch rated to 100 metres, a record that Rolex would smash within a year with the ref. 6200, which was rated to an astonishing 200 metres of depth. Other useful features, like a set of steel crown guards, a unidirectional bezel (as opposed to a bidirectional one), and a new, larger 40 mm case were soon added, locking in the Submariner’s aesthetic for decades to come.
Thanks to the endorsement of militaries such as Britain’s Royal Navy and underwater engineering outfits including COMEX (both of whom commissioned special-edition Submariners for use in the field), it didn’t take long for the Sub to earn a reputation as the diver’s watch against which all others were measured. Celebrities like Sean Connery (who wore the ref. 6538) and Steve McQueen (who was partial to the ref. 5512) also favoured the Sub’s rugged looks and assured performance, and helped raise the watch’s profile with cameos in the films Goldfinger and The Towering Inferno.
The Submariner’s steady evolution continued over the next four decades, with new features including a Cyclops lens (1969), the addition of gold (1969) and two-tone (1984) Submariner Date models, the introduction of 904L Oystersteel (1988), and the launch of a new ergonomic 41 mm case in 2020. The modern era has also seen its share of distinctive Submariners, such as the first white gold version (dubbed the “Smurf”), and versions with green bezels and dials dubbed “Kermit” and “Hulk.” With dozens of references to choose from, each with its own unique aesthetics, the Submariner’s diverse history has helped to make the watch a favourite among collectors. “With so many classic iterations dating back to the mid- 1950s, there’s a plethora of amazing Submariners to choose from,” says Ben-Yehuda. “The 6204 was the first reference to have the word ‘Submariner’ on the dial; the 6536 is also a sought-after classic, and of course, the 6538 worn by James Bond. I also love 116610LV, the ‘Kermit,’ which is a modern classic.”
As the product of 70 years of steady refinement, today’s Rolex Submariner has easily held on to its reputation as the ultimate diver’s tool and a potent style statement. Innovations such as the Triplock winding crown ensure that the modern Submariner and Submariner Date are waterproof to 300 metres, while other features including the scratch-proof Cerachrom ceramic bezel and ultra-bright Chromalight lume make them supremely durable. Their self-winding mechanical movements — calibre 3230 and calibre 3235, respectively — are equally evolved, with industry-leading features including a patented Chronergy escapement created using nickel-phosphorus, and a blue Parachrom hairspring that makes the watch impressively resistant to shocks, temperature changes, and magnetism.
Ask anyone with a passion for watches where the industry will be in 70 years, and you’ll get a wide range of answers. When it comes to the Submariner, however, it’s a fair bet that the next seven decades will be much like the last, and the Sub will continue its slow, steady, incremental evolution while remaining true to its original DNA. “I don’t think it will evolve beyond small changes to the movement for efficiency and accuracy,” offers Ben-Yehuda. “That perhaps, is the magic of this watch — it doesn’t require evolution. You can’t fix perfect, after all.”
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