Submariner
39 references catalogued, spanning production starts from 1953–2020.
The reference dive watch, and the template almost every other one follows. Introduced in 1954 with a rotating bezel so a diver could read elapsed bottom time, it has been refined continuously for seventy years without ever being redesigned. Its evolution is legible almost entirely through three things: depth rating, bezel material, and whether there is a date.
Collection history
Generations.
1954–1959
Early no-crown-guard
6204, 6538 and siblings. 100m then 200m, oversized crowns, no crown guards. The scarcest and most forged era.1959–1979
Crown guard, gilt and matte
5512 and 5513. Crown guards arrive; dials move from gilt to matte. The 5513 alone ran 27 years.1969–1989
First date models
1680 adds the date and cyclops. Early red-text dials are the collector target.1979–2010
Sapphire and 300m
16800, 16610. Sapphire crystal, 300m rating, aluminium bezel inserts, quickset date.2010–2020
Ceramic Maxi case
116610LN/LV. Cerachrom bezel, broader lugs, Glidelock clasp.2020–present
41mm
126610LN/LV and 124060. Case grows to 41mm with slimmer lugs; calibre 3235.References
Browse the Submariner collection.
Oldest to newest
016204Stainless Steel1953–1954026200King Sub / Big Crown1954–1956036205Stainless Steel1954–1955046536Stainless Steel1955–1955056538James Bond1955–1959066536/1Oystersteel1957–1959075508Stainless Steel1958–1962085510Big Crown1958–1958095512Oystersteel1959–1978105513Oystersteel1962–1989111680Oystersteel1967–1979121680/818k Yellow Gold1969–1980135517MilSub1971–1979145514Oystersteel1972–19781516800Oystersteel1979–1988161680818k Yellow Gold1979–198817168000Triple Zero1988–19891816610Oystersteel1988–20101916613Steel/18k Yellow Gold1988–2009201661818k Yellow Gold1988–20092114060Oystersteel1990–19992214060MOystersteel1999–20122316610LVKermit2003–201024116618LBBluesy2008–202025116618LN18k yellow gold2008–202026116619LBSmurf2008–202027116613LBBluesy2009–202028116613LNOystersteel/18k Yellow Gold2009–202029116610LNOystersteel2010–202030116610LVHulk2010–202031114060Oystersteel2012–202032126610LNOystersteel2020–present33126610LVCermit2020–present34126613LBBluesy2020–present35126618LB18k Yellow Gold2020–present36126618LN18k Yellow Gold2020–present37124060Oystersteel2020–present38126619LBCookie Monster2020–present39126613LNStainless steel and 18k yellow goldRecord pending
References without production years are catalogued but do not yet carry a verified production record. Those fields are added as they are confirmed rather than estimated.