Central secondsLuminous handsChronometerRotating BezelScrew-Down CrownLuminous indices
Description
The Submariner is neither the most expensive, the most robust, the most complicated, nor the most beautiful diver – so why is it so desired, valued, and successful? Certainly, one of the reasons lies in its renowned in-house movement, Caliber 3130, which has a reputation for being robust, accurate, long-lasting, and easy to service. The Parachrom used in the production of this Submariner model's movement improves accuracy, allows the power reserve to be increased to over 48 hours, and enhances the movement's robustness and operational life. The model presented here is from the previous Submariner series, introduced by the brand in 2010 and sold until 2021. The new one is already different – a 41 mm size, different lugs, a wider bracelet, etc.
I also do not want to raise the topic again of which of the two Submariner variants is more attractive, "more Sub," etc. – I will only mention that the original is without a date, and this particular model, at least in my opinion, is much more balanced due to the absence of the cyclops and the date on the dial.
We are sure that most 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 that it is water-resistant. And of course, the Submariner meets this qualification 100% – developed as a diver's watch in the 50s, today the Submariner offers 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 on the hands and indices facilitates its use at night. This particular model is one of the first in which Rolex replaced the green color of the luminescence with blue (which is 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. Here, Rolex also uses the so-called "Maxi dial" style, which was launched about 15 years ago and with which the manufacturer increased the size of the hands and markers – one of the reasons I like this model much more than the previous ones.
Regardless of 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 a long 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 in such a way that the appearance and the overall impression the watch creates prevail over its functionality.
For the case back of the watch, Rolex uses a simple solid case back (as, by the way, in all its models) – in the case of the Submariner, it is devoid of any markings, inscriptions, or other "decorations." As we all know, for its watches Rolex uses 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 finishing – and as a result, a unique quality and presence is inevitably 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 previous Sub models, the bezel insert was made of aluminum with printed minute indices on it, but this model introduces the ceramic bezel. Here again, the material is a special creation and is different from commonly used materials, which is why Rolex calls it - "Cerachrom." The traditional "pip" at 12 o'clock, and there you have the final product – unlike the aluminum one, the ceramic one is glossier, more robust, and more scratch-resistant. Modest, isn't it? First, it was their own material for luminescence, now their own material for the bezel – what could possibly be next...
For many years, the Submariner has been offered with a three-piece steel bracelet with a profile that tapers towards the clasp – with this model, the tradition is maintained, and from this perspective, the bracelet is just as comfortable. Where is the difference from 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 their size depending on the weather, humidity, temperature, etc. – well, the folks at Rolex offer an ideal solution for such cases. It is important to know that this Glidelock system is offered only with the Submariner and the Deepsea – another big plus for this model.
Indeed, in the 50s, Rolex created a fantastic product and invested the next 60 years to improve and perfect it. If in the beginning it was valued by customers as a not very expensive daily 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, who not only will not 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 rank among 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 appreciative glances to your appearance.