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Introduction
Rolex needs no introduction. A pioneer in the field of dive-watches, the Rolex Submariner is the most-imitated watch in the entire world. In fact, it’s one of the most instantly recognizable watches of the last century. For many hobbyists, the Submariner is the ultimate grail, a watch that many spend a life-time saving for and pursuing.
Some may do it for the “status” that wearing a Rolex affords ? but to do so would be selling yourself short. For the true watch aficionado, owning a Sub is a ticket to owning an important piece of dive-watch history. Not many other watches can lay claim to the long and interesting story that belongs to this iconic dive watch.
For vintage watch fans, finding the perfect vintage Sub is all about the details. Rolex is a very experimental company, and because of that you see many variations within each reference. It’s part of what makes collecting Submariners so interesting and rewarding. And of course, each individual piece can carry with it a unique story of it’s original owner that only adds to the appeal. This is not an exhaustive guide. We spend just a few paragraphs for each model, intending to give would-be collectors a general overview of the Submariner lineage. There are many resources online that provide a deep-dive into the history of an individual reference, and all of the nuances of that particular model’s evolution. Many details in this guide are disputed or in disagr...