Rolex Submariner
by Jay
(your-guide-to-watches.com)
Rolex Submariner 50th Anniversary Watch
In 1953 Rolex created the Rolex Submariner Oyster Perpetual Diving watch. It was the first diving watch guaranteed to be waterproof to a depth of 100 meters. However, this watch was almost given a different name. Rolex was considering three different names - Deep-Sea Special, Frogman and Nautilus. At the last minute they decided to go with the name we all know today - Submariner. Perhaps the most popular Rolex model, the Submariner was made famous by it's most recognized wearer, James Bond.
Rolex Submariner Watch Ad from 1956
Click to Enlarge
From it's inception, the Rolex Submariner has undergone rigorous testing - not in the laboratory, but in the world in which it was designed to live. In 1953, Demitri Rebikoff subjected a prototype to 132 dives up to depths of 60 meters over a five month period of time. These tests actually led to a change in the color of the luminous triangle at the twelve o'clock position from red to white when it was discovered that the red could not be seen below 10 meters.
The next year saw the Submariner embark on a 37-month journey around the world with four men. They wore the watch for over one thousand dives. Their conclusion of the Rolex Submariner - "perfect". In 1965 the Submariner was worn by a team of scientists on a 15 month expedition to Antartica. During their journey the watch was exposed to extreme temperatures as low as fifty degrees below zero. Once again, the Rolex Submariner proved its worth.
Over the last fifty years, the Rolex Submariner has undergone some changes. In 1954, the watch was guaranteed to be waterproof up to 200 meters. 1959 saw the addition of protective shoulders on the sides of the crown and the overall diameter was increased to 40 millimeters. In 1969 the first date models and the first gold models were introduced. Ten years later the plexiglas crystal was replaced with a more scratch resistant sapphire crystal and the waterproof guarantee was increased to 300 meters. Finally, in 2003, the commemorative 50 year anniversary model was introduced featuring a green bezel and a black dial.
If you are considering buying a Rolex Submariner watch, as we have stated in previous Rolex watch articles - please be very careful who you buy from in order to avoid the potential risks involved when buying Rolex watches. The quality of work done by manufacturers of replica Rolex watches is making it almost impossible to discern whether a watch is a fake Rolex or authentic. If you would like to learn more, here are links to some other aticles we have written:
- What You Need To Know About Rolex Replicas - It is probably safe to say that there are more Rolex replicas manufactured each year than there are authentic Rolex watches. Rolex is probably copied more than any other brand of watch.
- Rolex Submariner Replica Watch Video Tutorial - Would you like to know how to identify a Rolex Submariner replica watch? Here is an excellent 15 minute replica watch video that will give you a close up look at how difficult it is to identify a fake Rolex and show you the specific things to look for so you won't get fooled by deceptive dealers.
- Replica Watch Report: Don't Go Shopping Without It - Thousands of replica watches are flooding the market every single day. If you are considering buying a Rolex, Cartier, Panerai, Patek Philippe or other high-end watch and want to make sure you are not getting a fake, then please get the Replica Watch Report - now available as an e-book (pdf file).
