Comparing The Rolex Submariner New And Old

If one watch can be called iconic it has to be the Rolex Submariner. Since its inception in 1953, the “Sub” has grown to become the best-known and sought-after timepiece ever. In order to understand the evolution of this model, here is a comparison between the modern Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner 116610LN and its ancestor, the vintage Rolex Submariner ref. 1680. The modern Submariner boasts an incremental but significant improvement over its vintage ancestor.

The vintage Submariner was not the first Submariner, however it was the first that came with an additional luxury touch on a highly professional-oriented watch. This Submariner featured a date indication and was the first Submariner to feature the date-magnifier on the crystal. More importantly, ref. 1680 was the first Sub that became available in solid 18k gold. The Ref. 1680 was first introduced in 1969 (or 1966 according to other sources) and continued in production until 1979. Its modern successor is the Rolex Oyster Submariner Date ref. 116610LN, introduced in 2010.

Even if the lineage between the two watches is clear, there are many subtle differences between them. First of all, the case and the bracelet. The old 1680 had, like all Rolex models from that era, a rather slim case, with tapered lugs with a bevel along the edge of the case. Although the case of the modern ref. 116610LN has the same diameter, with 40mm, the overall case is more robust and better fits contemporary taste. The same remark can be made for the protection of the crown, which has become more massive on the modern edition than on the vintage 1680. The bracelet has also evolved to a more solid construction, and now features solid links and end-links, and a very clever, spring-loaded Oysterlock clasp with quick-adjustment that allows for tiny adjustments to the bracelet length.

All those case improvements have also made it a better dive watch: water resistance has increased from 200 meters on the ref. 1680, to 300m for the new Submariner. This is thanks to the Triplock crown and a thicker sapphire crystal.

On first glance the bezel might have the same design, with a 60-minute scale and one-minute markers from 0 to 15, however there are some differences. The vintage ref. 1680 was fitted with an aluminium insert while the new ref. 116610LN features a black ceramic insert that does not fade because of the influences of sunlight, seawater, nor does it get scratched. It features an engraved scale and PVD-filled platinum numbers and markers.

Like everything on the new Submariner, also the dial of the new ref. 116610LN is also more luxurious. Instead of tritium the dial’s applied indices are now filled with Chromalight, a Rolex patented luminescent material that glows blue in the dark.

Finally, the movement also faced a huge evolution. The old 1680 was equipped with the calibre 1575, a robust self-winding movement that beats at a relatively slow 19,800bph, with an anti-shock device and 26 jewels. In 1972, Rolex added a stop-second to this movement. On the 1680 the date function was not quickset, meaning the hands had to be turned forward to advance the date, one day at a time.

Today’s Submariner Date features the Calibre 3135, a modern calibre with a faster beat (28.800 bph) and an antimagnetic balance spring (Rolex’s patented blue Parachom) that together promise more stable timekeeping over long period. And it has a quick-date that can be set instantaneously via the crown. A common feature of these 2 movements remains of course the Chronometer certification.

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