Rolex Monuments - The Iconic Submariner

[illiguy]

Alongside the Omega Speedmaster Professional, JLC Reverso, Cartier Tank, AP Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Calatrava, I would place the Rolex Daytona, Rolex Day-Date (“President”) and the Rolex Submariner lines.

If you agree on the Submariner line, my question to you is which version: Rolex Submariner or Rolex Submariner Date?

[SearChart]

Submariner, the OG.

[watchmework]

It has to be the Submariner.

[garyk]

Date. When I bought my first Rolex Submariner Date (1979), I fell in love with the thick crystal and cyclops. I had never seen those things on the crappy digital I was wearing at the time...so sub date all the way...

[padi56]

The one and only Submariner get my vote.

Now old Hans Wilsdorf of the RWC was a clever man his first waterproof watch was called the submarine,now he wanted to increase sales worldwide and especially in tropical climates like Asia.So he tried to make a watch that was waterproof,now the evolution of the first oyster case was started.His idea was very simple,he would fit a case inside a case,and he called it the Submarine watch.Now this worked,but had certain drawbacks you had to open the case to wind it,and the outer case had a threaded screw on bezel to protect the watch.This was not very user owner friendly and caused wear on the hinges and bezel threads.So he started to look for a new idea for a truly waterproof wrist watch.

So later in 1925 he heard that two watchmakers one was Paul Perregaux other George Perrolet they had taken out a Swiss patent for the first twin lock screwed stem system crown.Now Hans Wilsdorf of Rolex grasped that a hermetically sealed case, together with careful fitting of the crystal and a special stem mechanism, would produce a better water proof wristwatch.He quickly negotiated to have the Perregaux patent assigned to him. Wilsdorf then obtained a British patent on October 18 1926,and then soon after the Rolex Oyster was born and became a commercial success..
Then in 1927, a stenographer, Mercedes Gleitze, swam the English Channel with the unheard of accompaniment of a wristwatch –the Rolex Oyster— on her person for the entire 15 hour, 15 minute,swim and the rest is Rolex history and a great first big advertising first for Rolex a fully waterproof watch,and then we had to wait 30 odd years for the rebirth from Submarine, to the first Submariner as we know it today.

First Rolex Submarine.



Paul Perregaux patent screwed stem system 1925,which Hans Wilsdorf of Rolex acquired,to make the first oyster cased Rolex.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by padi56

The one and only Submariner get my vote.

[Papanas]

Even though I like the date reference the original
is the classic submariner... Toss up !
Which looks better on your wrist?

[AJMarcus]

Easy. There’s only one Submariner and it came first

[Etschell]

There is only one

20200613_144800_copy_768x1129.jpg

[southtexas]

Older the better:




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[Pw92676]

Sub.

Even in a hypothetical situation, does it really matter though?

[Kirsty87]

Originally Posted by Pw92676

Sub.

Even in a hypothetical situation, does it really matter though?

Not to get all deep...but none of this really matters. It's all just a bit of fun.

[scheers]

I prefer the Submariner. It’s simply beautiful.


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[DCheeta]

This one, of course.

[Xenon]

Any 5 digit Sub will do

[BNA/LION]

Submariner Date

[KBM]

Originally Posted by DCheeta

This one, of course.

What a great pic, my friend!

[fskywalker]

There can be only one!




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[KBM]

Originally Posted by padi56

The one and only Submariner get my vote.

Now old Hans Wilsdorf of the RWC was a clever man his first waterproof watch was called the submarine,now he wanted to increase sales worldwide and especially in tropical climates like Asia.So he tried to make a watch that was waterproof,now the evolution of the first oyster case was started.His idea was very simple,he would fit a case inside a case,and he called it the Submarine watch.Now this worked,but had certain drawbacks you had to open the case to wind it,and the outer case had a threaded screw on bezel to protect the watch.This was not very user owner friendly and caused wear on the hinges and bezel threads.So he started to look for a new idea for a truly waterproof wrist watch.

So later in 1925 he heard that two watchmakers one was Paul Perregaux other George Perrolet they had taken out a Swiss patent for the first twin lock screwed stem system crown.Now Hans Wilsdorf of Rolex grasped that a hermetically sealed case, together with careful fitting of the crystal and a special stem mechanism, would produce a better water proof wristwatch.He quickly negotiated to have the Perregaux patent assigned to him. Wilsdorf then obtained a British patent on October 18 1926,and then soon after the Rolex Oyster was born and became a commercial success..
Then in 1927, a stenographer, Mercedes Gleitze, swam the English Channel with the unheard of accompaniment of a wristwatch –the Rolex Oyster— on her person for the entire 15 hour, 15 minute,swim and the rest is Rolex history and a great first big advertising first for Rolex a fully waterproof watch,and then we had to wait 30 odd years for the rebirth from Submarine, to the first Submariner as we know it today.

First Rolex Submarine.



Paul Perregaux patent screwed stem system 1925,which Hans Wilsdorf of Rolex acquired,to make the first oyster cased Rolex.

Thanks for yet another history lesson, Peter.

[DCheeta]

Originally Posted by kauebm

What a great pic, my friend!

Thanks a lot, Kauê!

[scheers]

Looks great my man.


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[MrMercedes]

Sub Date for me!

[Oldfellow]

Submariner for me.

[Jefferyasher]

submariner 14060m 2-liner!

[DG123]

I consider Submariners to be watches designed and produced for diving under water, so to me any "iconic status" for the watch would be related to diving.

[abozz]

The Submariner Date for me is the most iconic and the maxi case, cerachrome bezel the better.

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[ltmgeller]

No date

[Old Expat Beast]

The Submariner 5513, which is the longest running reference at about three decades.

[Brny11]

Not a single modern reference has any iconic significance other than it resembles the classic aesthetics of the original iterations (which are iconic). The date is an advancement. An upgrade to the original submariner. It is more useful and has a bit more “Rolex” presence with the cyclops. It is unequivocally my preference. However, if we are talking iconic status, it is not even a debate... the original submariner wins.

[mimo5000]

Submariner indeed!