The Submariner is neither the most expensive, nor the toughest, nor the most complicated or most beautiful diver – so why is it so desired, valued and successful? Certainly, one of the historical reasons is the famous in-house Calibre 3135 movement, which has a reputation for being robust, accurate, long-lasting and easy to service. The faithful “service” of this movement to the glory and honour of Rolex began back in 1989, and over more than three decades it earned a reputation as one of the most reliable and durable movements in general.
The model presented today is the heir to the so-called two-tone Submariner, which began its commercial life in the 1980s, and has become one of the most pursued and desired Rolex models overall. This particular version was launched in 2020 and replaced the previous one, which had been produced since 2009. The so-called two-tone Submariner is offered in several dial and bezel colour configurations, and the one presented today is undoubtedly the most sought-after and desired – with the incomparable blue colour of the dial and bezel, which gives it a worthy place among Rolex models with their own nicknames. Its nickname is “Bluesy”.
The dial of the watch is very clean and easy to read, while the luminescence of the hands and indexes makes it easier to use at night. The two-tone Submariner is one of the models in which Rolex replaced the green luminescence with blue, and the so-called Chromalight used by Rolex allows the indexes to appear milky white during the day. Here Rolex also use the so-called “Maxi Dial” style, with which the manufacturer increased 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 the very launch of the model, it is clear to everyone that for quite some time it has also become a luxury attribute – and for a long time this function has prevailed over the original reason for its creation. Perhaps precisely for this reason, Rolex do many things in this model so that the appearance and the overall impression created by the watch prevail over its functionality. The first thing that makes an impression is the sapphire crystal, the next is, of course, the use of gold elements, and finally – the noble blue colour, which seems to add a slight hint of “aristocratic origin”.
For the caseback of the watch, Rolex use a simple solid back, as they do on all their models – in the case of the Submariner, it is free of any markings, inscriptions or other “decorations”. As we all know, Rolex use noble 904L steel for their watches – the difference compared with the 316L commonly used by other brands lies in its greater resistance, especially against salt water. And in this particular model, “everything yellow is gold” – bezel, crown, centre links of the bracelet, hands and indexes – everything is made of 18-carat gold and, in combination with the main blue colour of the dial, gives the final result a superb finish.
It is widely known that Rolex can be called fanatics when it comes to the steel they use – a large part of the metallurgical processes are carried out in-house in order to guarantee consistent quality of the raw material. Many watches have passed through our hands, but we can state absolutely categorically that no other brand devotes as much attention and effort to the quality of the final product from the perspective of case finishing – and as a result, a unique quality and presence are inevitably achieved. As far as the gold elements are concerned, Rolex also have their own foundry and produce their gold cases and components in-house.
The overall impression is complemented by the watch’s diver’s bezel – its purpose is clear: to measure time while you are under water. Trivial, isn’t it? In older Submariner models, the bezel insert was made of aluminium with printed minute indexes, but in the modern generations a ceramic Cerachrom insert is used, while the bezel itself is made of solid 18-carat gold. The material for the insert is again a special development and differs from the commonly used materials, which is why Rolex call it “Cerachrom”. The traditional “pearl” at 12 o’clock and there you have it – the final product. Unlike aluminium, the ceramic insert is glossier, stronger and more scratch-resistant. Modest, isn’t it?
The important question, in fact, is what the differences are between the new Submariner version presented today and the previous one – 116613. The first significant difference is the movement – the new Submariner has the honour of carrying inside it the new calibre 3235, which has an increased power reserve of up to 70 hours, a seriously improved automatic winding system, in which the rotor is now on bearings and its efficiency has been increased. As for lubrication, the reversing wheels, being one of the problematic zones from the point of view of friction, have a special coating. The new 3235 has numerous built-in patents and more than 90% new components, and in addition it is twice as precise 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 feel more harmonious, because the lugs no longer seem to “stick out” relative to the bracelet. The end links of the bracelet no longer protrude above the lugs, which for us personally was one of the things that seemed difficult to understand in the previous version. Overall, the bracelet has been reworked to be more flexible and comfortable, while the total number of links has been reduced by one compared with the previous model.
And of course, the biggest difference is the size of the case – for the first time Rolex allow themselves to move away from the classic Submariner size and increase the case to the new 41 mm. Some may say that the differences are minimal, but believe us – when the two models are placed 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 preserved and from this point of view the bracelet remains just as comfortable, while the centre links are made of solid 18-carat gold. Where is the difference compared with previous generations? Mainly in the clasp – the new Submariner is equipped with a clasp featuring a micro-adjustment system called Glidelock. The idea is that you can adjust the size of the bracelet by several millimetres on the go. We all know that our wrists change size depending on the weather, humidity, temperature and so on – well, the engineers at Rolex offer the perfect solution for such cases. It is important to know that this Glidelock system is offered only with the Submariner and Deepsea – another major plus for this model.
In the 1950s, Rolex truly created a great product and invested the following decades in improving and refining it. If at the beginning it was appreciated by customers as a not-too-expensive everyday watch, today it is to a greater extent a fashion accessory, which nevertheless has all the qualities to become a long-term partner of its owner – a watch that will not abandon you and will not lose much of its value either. It is no secret to anyone that this brand not only cannot be found with large discounts when new, but also has the reputation of making watches that best preserve their value, and this particular model can boldly be placed among the front ranks of Rolex in terms of popularity and accordingly among 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 wearing a formal suit or worn jeans and a white T-shirt – in both cases, the Submariner will help you attract approving glances towards your appearance. And this particular model, with its gold elements, adds extra aristocratic character both to its own appearance and to the overall presentation of its owner.
