DateCentral secondsLuminous handsChronometerRotating BezelScrew-Down CrownLuminous indices
Description
The model presented today is from the latest, current Submariner series, introduced by the brand in 2020 and which caused quite a bit of controversy among the brand's admirers, mainly due to the change in the case size.
We are sure that most of our readers are aware that Rolex calls its water-resistant cases Oyster. I.e., if this name is present in the watch's designation, it means it is water-resistant. And of course, the Submariner meets this qualification 100% - developed as a diver's watch in the 1950s, today the Submariner offers a water resistance of 300m, and despite the fact that 60 years have passed since the model's launch, the differences in the modern model's appearance compared to the original are not very significant. But as you might guess, all of this is only at first glance...
The watch's dial is very clean and easily legible, and the luminescence of the hands and indices facilitates its use at night. The luminescence is blue in color (which has been proven to be much more pleasant and harmless to the human eye) – and the so-called Chromalight used by Rolex allows the indices to appear milky white during the day. Furthermore, here Rolex uses the so-called "Maxi dial" style, which was launched at the beginning of the century and with which the manufacturer increases the size of the hands and markers – one of the reasons we like this model much more than the previous ones.
Despite the fact that the Submariner is a professional instrument, as was the manufacturer's intention from its very launch, it is clear to everyone that for quite some time it has become a luxury attribute – and for quite some time now, this function has prevailed over the original reason for its creation. Perhaps for this very reason, Rolex does many things in this model so that the appearance and the overall impression the watch creates prevail over its functionality. The first thing that makes an impression is the sapphire – Rolex applies the anti-reflective coating to the inner side of the crystal, but not the outer, and this allows the external part of the crystal to be more brilliant and shiny to behold.
For the case back of the watch, Rolex uses a simple solid case back (as, by the way, in all its models) – in the Submariner's case, it is devoid of any markings, inscriptions, or other "decorations." As we all know, for its watches Rolex uses noble 904L steel – the difference with the usual 316L for other brands is in its greater resistance (especially against salt water). It is a widely known fact that Rolex can be called fanatics when it comes to the steel they use – a large part of the metallurgical processes are done in-house to guarantee a uniform quality of the raw material – many watches have passed through our hands, but we can say with absolute certainty that no other brand dedicates so much attention and effort to the quality of the final product in terms of the case finish – and as a result, a unique quality and presence cannot fail to be achieved.
The overall impression is complemented by the watch's diver's bezel – its purpose is clear, to time your duration underwater – trivial, isn't it. In the first Sub models, the bezel insert was made of aluminum with printed minute indices on it, but this model uses the ceramic bezel introduced in the previous version. Here again, the material is a special creation and is different from the commonly used materials, which is why Rolex calls it - "Cerachrom." The traditional "pip" at 12 o'clock, and behold the final product – unlike the aluminum one, the ceramic one is shinier, stronger, and more scratch-resistant. Modest, isn't it? First, it was a proprietary material for luminescence, now a proprietary material for the bezel – what could possibly be next...
The important question, in fact, is what are the differences between the new version of the Submariner presented today and the previous one – 116610. The first significant difference is the movement – the new Sub has the honor of carrying the new caliber 3235 within it, which has an increased power reserve of 70 h, a seriously improved automatic winding system where the rotor is now on a ball bearing, and its efficiency has been increased by 15%. As for the lubrication, the reversing wheels, as one of the problematic areas in terms of friction, are Teflon-coated! The new 3235 has 14 integrated patents and more than 90% new components, and furthermore, it is twice as accurate as the requirements for an official COSC chronometer.
The most visible difference is the wider bracelet with its larger folding clasp – as a result of this change, the proportions have a more harmonious feel, as the "protrusion" of the lugs relative to the bracelet is gone. The end links of the bracelet no longer extend beyond the lugs (personally for me, it was incomprehensible how Rolex allowed this in the previous version...). Overall, the bracelet has been redesigned to be more flexible and comfortable, and the total number of links has been reduced by one compared to the previous model.
And of course, the biggest difference is in the size of the case – for the first time, Rolex has allowed itself to abandon the classic size for the Submariner and increase the case to the new 41 mm – some might say the differences are minimal, but believe me – when placing the two models side by side, the differences are obvious.
For many years, the Submariner has been offered with a three-piece steel bracelet with a profile that tapers towards the clasp – in this model, the tradition is maintained, and from this perspective, the bracelet is just as comfortable. Where is the difference with previous generations? It is mainly in the clasp – the new Submariner is equipped with a clasp with a micro-adjustment system – called Glidelock. The idea is that you can adjust the size of the bracelet by a few millimeters on the fly. We all know that our wrists change size depending on the weather, humidity, temperature, etc. – well, the guys at Rolex offer an ideal solution for such cases. It is important to know that this Glidelock system is offered exclusively with the Submariner and the Deepsea – another big plus for this model.
Indeed, in the 1950s, Rolex created a fantastic product and invested the next 60 years to improve and perfect it. If at the beginning it was valued by customers as a not very expensive everyday watch, today it is to a greater extent a fashion accessory, which, however, has all the qualities to become a long-term partner to its owner, one that will not only never abandon you, but will also not lose much of its value, because it is no secret to anyone here that this brand, besides not being available with large discounts when new, also has the reputation of a brand with the best value-retaining watches, and this particular model can boldly be ranked at the forefront of Rolex in terms of popularity and is consequently one of the most sought-after and desired. Certainly, one of the reasons for this is the fact that this watch looks equally good on your wrist whether you are in a formal suit or dressed in worn-out jeans and a white t-shirt – in both cases, the Submariner will help attract admiring glances to your appearance.