The current Rolex Submariner Date brings together a virtually unrivaled brand heritage and state-of-the-art watchmaking in perfect harmony. The most widespread version of this dive watch classic is probably the stainless steel model with a black dial and black bezel. Yet the watch's maritime charm comes into its own particularly well in the blue and gold color combination.
A Market Success for 65 Years
The Rolex Submariner is undoubtedly one of the most successful watch models ever brought to market. On the one hand, this is evident from the fact that it has now been available for 65 years and remains in high demand, even though its design has barely changed, apart from a few details, over this relatively long period. On the other hand, its unparalleled success is reflected in the fact that it has been copied and imitated more than almost any other watch model in the world. This applies not only to the unfortunately numerous fakes, but above all to a remarkable number of sports and dive watches from other manufacturers whose looks are unmistakably inspired by the design of the Submariner.
Given all this, it is by no means an exaggeration to say that this first dive watch decisively shaped the entire dive watch segment. One key reason is surely how early it was launched. When it was developed and brought to series production in the early 1950s, practically at the same time as the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, these were the very first dive watches ever produced in larger numbers. At that early stage, of course, a date display – the Date complication – was not yet on the agenda.
A Pioneering Role in Water-Resistant Watches Pays Off
The fact that Rolex in particular was among the first to offer production-ready dive wristwatches was owed not least to the brand already being able to look back on around a quarter century of experience in developing and manufacturing water-resistant watches. As early as the 1920s, Hans Wilsdorf had been working intensively on ways to protect the inside of a watch against water ingress, thereby laying the foundation for the later development of dive watches, even though these were not yet a topic at the time.
A fateful day in this context was October 7, 1927, when British swimmer Mercedes Gleitze set out to become the first woman to swim across the English Channel.
Although she had to abandon the attempt after more than 15 hours due to low temperatures and rough seas, she nevertheless earned great recognition for her courage and performance. Even though the Channel crossing did not succeed that day, her profile rose considerably as a result, and the following year she set an internationally acclaimed sporting record by successfully swimming the Strait of Gibraltar.
Her more than fifteen hours in the cold waters of the English Channel also proved a remarkable success in an entirely different respect. Throughout the entire time, Gleitze had carried a wristwatch given to her by Hans Wilsdorf: the Rolex Oyster. The word Oyster in the watch's name alludes to the hard, tightly sealing shells of an oyster, which protect the animal – and any pearl it may form – highly effectively against all external hazards. That is exactly how Wilsdorf envisioned his case working, and the company he founded still produces it under the name Oyster today.
A Brilliant Marketing Coup Makes the Oyster Concept Famous Worldwide
The idea that Mercedes Gleitze swam with a wristwatch on her wrist is merely a legend, albeit a persistent one. In fact, she wore the watch she had received from Wilsdorf on a cord around her neck. Either way, the "Oyster" had spent the entire time in cold, salty seawater. Yet the case and its seals proved so robust and reliable that no water got into the watch and its function was in no way impaired.
Wilsdorf used this fact for a brilliant marketing coup. On November 24, 1927, just a few weeks after Gleitze's attempted Channel crossing, he booked a full-page advertisement on the front page of London's "Daily Mail" that referred to the spectacular event and promoted the Rolex Oyster as a waterproof watch and the "greatest Triumph in Watch-making." The ad copy was accompanied by a photo of Mercedes Gleitze and drawings of four different watch models. With the publication of this ad, not only the swimmer but above all the demonstrably water-resistant watches from Rolex gained worldwide fame.
From the First Oyster to the Rolex Submariner Date
In the years that followed, Wilsdorf and his team continually refined the Oyster concept, for example by adding automatic winding in the case of the Oyster Perpetual. This laid essential groundwork for the development of the dive watch. To be used as such, however, the water resistance still had to be increased and the design supplemented with a number of details required for this purpose.
Unlike some other manufacturers, however, the Geneva manufacture did not have to start from scratch when developing dive watches, which would prove to be an important competitive advantage.
The most striking external feature distinguishing the Submariner from earlier Oyster models and those produced alongside it is the rotating bezel, which is used to time dives. To avoid safety risks from accidentally moving the bezel, on a "genuine" dive watch such as the Submariner Date it may only turn in one direction.
The edge of the bezel is notched rather than smooth, so that it can be operated easily even with gloves and underwater. Added to this are the distinctive hands and hour markers, which are sized to hold a generous amount of luminous material. This ensures that the legibility of the Date is not compromised even in poor visibility or in the absence of light.
The Cyclops Lens – A Hallmark of Rolex Watches with a Date
Admittedly, a date display on a dive watch is not really necessary – after all, no diver stays in the water for several days. Soon after its launch, however, the Submariner was highly prized not only by divers but also by other lovers of sporty, rugged watches, and it was by no means worn only in the water, so adding a date seemed entirely sensible. To ensure better legibility, a small magnifying lens was built into the crystal directly above the date; it remains a distinctive feature of the Submariner Date to this day and is also used on numerous other models from the brand.
Perfect for the Captain's Dinner, Sailing Attire – and a Naval Uniform: The Rolex Submariner Date in Blue and Gold
If you opt for the Date in blue and gold, you get an aesthetically particularly appealing watch for your money – one that leaves its wearer perfectly equipped not only for an elegant captain's dinner. This model also looks superb on the wrist of a sun-tanned skipper in sailing gear or paired with a navy blue or white naval uniform with gold accents. The very fact that the case and bracelet are made of 18-karat gold attests to the high and lasting value of this Date version. Naturally, the craftsmanship and technology inside live up to what the refined looks promise.
Precise display of the time and date is ensured by the in-house caliber 3135, which is certified as a chronometer by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) and is distinguished by exceptionally high reliability.
The bezel insert is made of Cerachrom, an extremely hard, corrosion-resistant and scratch-resistant ceramic material. Not only does it look good, it also does not fade, even under intense sunlight and frequent contact with salty seawater.
