Rolex Submariner Date Ref. 1680 - 'Red Sub' - 'Tiffany & Co.'

The Rolex Submariner is a true icon — and the word "icon" does get thrown around an awful lot. If you were to ask ten people at random to draw you their idea of what a watch looks like, there is a significant chance that they would draw or describe something that looks like a Rolex Submariner. It’s the dive watch of reference, and good/bad/indifferent there is no escaping it. Throughout its 70-year production, there have been countless small changes made to the model, particularly in the first decade or so, with the 1680 representing a true landmark in the history of the model.

The Ref. 1680 was the first Submariner to feature a date and enjoyed a long production run spanning close to 15 years. Why would a dive watch need a date? Well, this was the first step in marketing a tool watch beyond the diving community and crowd - because you definitely do not need to know the date underwater! The 1680 started a shift to civilian friendly models, and to this day, the Submariner Date outsells and outnumbers its 'no-date' sibling something like 10-1. Purity aside, this does make sense for most buyers. It utilizes the iconic Rolex cyclops married with the date function, yet remains clean and functional as ever. 

The piece that we have here, however, is no run of the mill Ref. 1680...

This piece features a line of text on the dial that reads: “Submariner” in red, rather than the usual white. It has since become known to collectors as the "Red Sub."

And in fact, this is no run of the mill Red Sub!

If you look just above the red "Submariner" text you will find a white "Tiffany & Co." stamped, and while not as rare as the red text, the combination of the two together is quite something!

Dating to circa 1974, this piece features a strong case having seen a very light polishing at an earlier time, with honest wear and visible factory chamfers. The Tiffany & Co. stock engraving is also visible. The dial is outstanding — remarkably-well preserved with an even custard patina across the luminous elements with matching handset pip in the bezel insert. The insert itself has taken on a faint fade, resulting in a beautiful deep navy color. It comes fitted to a slightly later solid-link Oyster bracelet with a dive clasp.

This piece offers so much... depth... in its collectability, elevating an already classic vintage reference one level up with the red text, and another with the Tiffany stamp. Watch collecting is a funny thing isn't it?