Rolex · Submariner
6204
SpecificationsWS / 6204
- Production
- 1953–1954
- Model
- Submariner (First Reference)
- Case material
- Stainless Steel
- Case size
- 37mm
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- A260
- Dial colours
- Black
- Market value band
- $80k – $180k
The first Submariner. Rolex showed it at Basel in 1954, rated to 100 metres, with a rotating bezel a diver could use to track elapsed bottom time. Almost every dive watch built since borrows its basic grammar: rotating timing bezel, high-contrast dial, screw-down crown.
Record timeline
Key dates.
- Development models tested; the Oyster case is already two decades old
- Shown publicly at the Basel fair as the first Submariner
- Pencil-shaped hands and no crown guards are correct for the earliest Submariners — crown guards do not appear until the late 1950s.
- Depth rating is 100 m. A 6204 dial claiming 200 m or 660 ft is describing a later reference.
Common questions
Before you ask.
When was the Rolex 6204 produced?
The 6204 was produced from 1953 to 1954.
What movement does the Rolex 6204 use?
The Rolex 6204 runs the A260, an automatic movement.
How do I check a Rolex 6204 with Watch Safe?
Look up the watch's serial number in the Watch Safe registry to see whether a record exists or a theft flag is attached. A registry search identifies records for a specific serial; it does not authenticate the watch. Authentication is performed in person by an independent expert authenticator, and Watch Safe records and publishes the result.
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