Vintage Rolex Submariner 1680 - Vintage of the Week Episode 2 | Bob's Watches

Join Justin and Ripley for another installment of Vintage of the Week, where they will review the Submariner Date 1680. Shop vintage Rolex watches: https://www.bobswatches.com/vintage-r...

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00:00 INTRO
00:32 Wrist Check
01:27 Rolex Submariner 1680
01:52 Rolex 1680 History
02:39 Rolex Submariner 16610 Comparison
03:02 Comparison with the Rolex Red Line
04:02 Comparison with the Rolex Red Line Part 2
05:54 Watch Condition
09:23 Outro

Our Vintage of the Week series will highlight an extraordinary watch from our inventory each week. Click here now to shop pre-owned Rolex watches just like the Submariner 1680: https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex/

The Submariner is one of the most iconic luxury watches ever made. While it wasn’t the first luxury dive watch to hit the market, it has become the most recognizable and memorable. It hit the market in 1954 with a time-only movement and a stainless steel finish.

The series has since evolved to include stainless steel, gold, and two-tone metal options, and of course, a date mechanism on the dial.

Initially, the Submariner was marketed solely for professional use, so a date mechanism wasn’t necessary. However, as the watch's popularity grew among collectors of all walks of life, a date display became a practical addition.

The first Submariner to feature the date on the dial was the ref. 1680. It’s an integral part of Rolex and Submariner history, which is why so many horology enthusiasts strive to own one.

With prices as low as $11k, it’s an excellent option to consider if you’re in the market for your first vintage Rolex.

ROLEX 1680 HISTORY
Reference 1680 hit the market in 1967. Until around 1975, it featured a red Submariner logo on the dial distinguished as Mark I to Mark VI, depending on the order and placement of the text. After that, the Submariner logo was printed in white font to match the rest of the text. There were three variations of the white logo dial characterized as Mark I to Mark III.

The Submariner 1680 featured three main bracelet types and a handful of bezels distinguished as Mark I to Mark IV. These factors and the condition of the watch and use of original or service parts play a huge role in the value of each Submariner 1680.

The 1680 Sub was the last Submariner Date to feature a bi-directional bezel and an acrylic crystal. Compare those features to modern Submariners, such as ref. 16610, which features a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, white gold-trimmed hour markers, and a safer uni-directional time-lapse bezel.

ROLEX 1680 REDLINE
As we stated above, the red logo Submariner features six different “Marks.” Those are categorized into three Marks featuring “Meters First” font and three Marks with “Feet First” font. This refers to the exact wording of the depth rating. For example, Marks I through III read “200M-660Ft,” and Marks IV through VI read “660ft-200M.”

From there, there are numerous variations, including how compressed or spaced out the font is, open or closed 6’s, and the shape of the “F.”

The white logo Mark VII dial has three sub-categories labeled by collectors as Mark I through Mark III. These dial variations are even harder to distinguish between each other than the Red Line Subs and differ primarily in the shape of the 6’s in the depth rating and the spacing of the text.

WATCH CONDITION
The Submariner 1680 presented in our video is a remarkable example of the series produced near the end of its run in 1978. It features a striking matte black Mark VII dial, complete with a white Submariner logo and feet first text.

The case is outfitted with a Triplock crown, distinguished by three small dots underneath the coronet insignia. It also features a rather handsome acrylic crystal coined by avid collectors as a “Top Hat” crystal because it sits about 3mm above the case.
Our example wears on the older-style 93150 Oyster bracelet with solid side links and a clasp stamped with DT3 to signify the date it was produced.

However, what we love most about this vintage Submariner is the Tritium lume, which has aged nicely over the years to a vibrant custard yellow.

The Rolex 1680 Submariner plays a huge role in the brand’s history as the first dive watch in their portfolio to feature a date display. When coupled with a relatively attractive price point, it’s no surprise why it’s the grail watch of so many collectors.

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