Reference:16808: Difference between revisions

[checked revision]

Latest revision as of 23:45, 9 August 2026

The 16808 is the full 18k yellow gold Submariner Date, with case, bezel, bracelet, crown, and crown tube all in gold, caliber 3035 inside, and a sapphire crystal over the top. It is the gold apex of a three-reference generation that also ran the steel 16800 and the two-tone 16803, and the scarcest of the three by some margin. Colin A. White's The Vintage Rolex Field Manual (Morning Tundra) singles out its gilt nipple dial as the most desirable configuration the reference produced.

The gold Submariner lineage runs from 1969 to the present (1680/8 → 16808 → 16618 → 126618), and the 16808 bridges the vintage gold Submariner and the modern one. It carried the advances the 16800 brought to the steel line (sapphire crystal, 300m rating, quick-set date) into a full-gold case.

Launch date discrepancy

Sources differ on when the 16808 entered production. White's running text gives 1977, while the reference table in the same book gives 1979 to 1987. Monochrome places the run at roughly 1984 to 1988. The spread is wide enough that the three dates are probably measuring different things. 1977 fits internal planning or a small first run, 1979 the Field Manual's own estimate of retail availability, 1984 the point at which production reached real market volume. Rolex has published nothing from its archives and no serial band has been confirmed, so the question stays open. For retail availability, 1979 is the date to work from.

End of production is generally placed at 1987 to 1988, when the 16618 replaced the reference with caliber 3135.

Core facts

detail	value
reference	16808
family	Submariner Date
production	DISPUTED: c.1977 (FM text), 1979–1987 (FM table), ~1984–1988 (other sources) — see launch date note
movement	caliber 3035 (date, quick-set, 28800 bph)
case	40mm, full 18k yellow gold
crystal	sapphire with Cyclops
water resistance	300m
bezel	18k gold with aluminum insert (blue or black)
lume	tritium
bracelet	Oyster ref.93158 (full gold), hollow end links
successor	16618

Where it sits in the gold Submariner lineage

Rolex has built a gold Submariner in every generation since 1969, which makes it one of the few unbroken threads running the length of the family. The 1680/8 opened the line in 1969 with an acrylic crystal and caliber 1570/1575. The 16808 brought the sapphire crystal, the 300m rating, caliber 3035, and the nipple dial. The 16618 (~1988–2009) followed with caliber 3135, Microstella regulation, and the SEL bracelet transition, and the 126618 (2020–present) carries the line at 41mm with caliber 3235 and a ceramic bezel. Across all four the brief held steady, a working dive watch built in precious metal.

Within its own generation, the 16800 in steel had the widest market and the most production, the 16803 split the difference in two-tone Rolesor with gold in the visible positions over a steel case, and the 16808 went full 18k yellow gold.

Production outline

Taking 1979 for retail availability and 1987–1988 for the changeover to the 16618, the run lands at roughly eight to nine years, close to the steel 16800 that ran alongside it.

Forum collectors point to 1981–1982 as a transitional window inside the run, with dial finishing and bracelet components both reported to have shifted. The timing fits the wider churn across the Submariner line in the early 1980s, when Rolex was revising specifications on the steel 16800 at the same time. Early and late 16808 examples divide along that seam.

Production numbers were low, as they were for every full-gold sport Rolex, though no confirmed serial-band data exists to put a figure on it. Beyond dial color and the nipple dial distinction, the reference does not split into meaningful sub-families.

Movement notes

The 16808 uses caliber 3035, the same quick-set date movement that powered the 16800 and 16803, running at 28,800 vph. When the 16618 replaced the 16808, the movement upgraded to caliber 3135 with Microstella regulation.

Dial map

All dials carry tritium for the full run. No lume transition applies to this reference.

Gilt nipple dial — the collector configuration

Nipple dials carry a small raised dot, or boss, at the center of each applied gold hour marker, which gives the marker set a three-dimensional texture that flat markers do not have. Paired with a gilt finish, that is the configuration the Field Manual rates highest on this reference.

The nipple marker appears across the gold-involved Submariners of the 1980s (the 1680/8, the 16803, and the 16808). The 16808 pushes it furthest, a full gold case and bracelet under a gilt nipple dial.

Blue dial

The blue dial is a sunburst finish with gold applied markers, gold hands, and gold printed text. It is the configuration that turns up most often.

Black dial

The black dial carries the same gold applied markers against a black base and turns up less often than the blue. Whether that reflects lower production or lower survival is not documented.

Violet dial variant

Forum collectors identify a violet dial as a variant in its own right, separate from the standard blue and black. It reads as a deep purple-blue, and the collectors who track it distinguish it both from the standard blue sunburst and from blue dials that have simply shifted with age. Whether the color left the factory that way or arrives early in the aging process is unsettled. Either way it has a name and a following.

Nipple dial color change phenomenon

Forum collectors have documented an aging pattern particular to nipple dials. The raised gold bosses shift tone over time, warming or darkening against the applied markers around them, so the marker set ends up two-tone within itself. The change is oxidation, and a refinished dial cannot easily be made to fake it, which is why a well-aged example showing it reads as honest.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

Body, bezel, crown, and crown tube are all 18k yellow gold, with crown guards in the standard Submariner shape. The Triplock crown seals the watch to 300m. The Field Manual is blunt about the trade-off: a gold case this size is heavy, and it scratches.

The crystal is sapphire with Cyclops over the date window. The bezel insert is aluminum in blue or black, set into the gold bezel surround. Aluminum inserts fade and scratch over time.

The rehaut is plain. Solid 18k gold Rolex cases carry the Helvetia bust with G, the Geneva assay mark, struck on the mid-case under the lugs. Rolex moved to the St. Bernard dog Barry mark for all precious metals after 1995, well past the end of 16808 production.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

The standard bracelet is the 93158, a full 18k yellow gold Oyster with Fliplock clasp. Forum collectors also cite 92908 for the reference. Nothing published settles whether 92908 is an alternate production bracelet, an earlier variant, or a misidentification, so both numbers stay in circulation.

End links are hollow. Gold is softer than steel, and a heavy gold case worn daily works the links loose, so almost every well-used 16808 shows visible play in the bracelet. Stretch is the first thing to check on a candidate. The weight difference against a steel 16800 registers the moment the watch goes on.

The 93158 stayed on the 16808 for the full run. No solid-end-link transition happened here; that came with the 16618 and the 93258.

Clasp date codes for this era follow the standard Rolex scheme, running A for 1976 through M for 1988. The clasp code dates the bracelet, not the watch head.

Historical market and auction record

The 16808 is scarce at auction, since low production over a short run means few examples circulate. When one does appear, the full gold construction puts it at the top of the 3035-era Submariner range, above the two-tone 16803 and the steel 16800.

No hammer figures are documented for the reference. Full gold Submariners of this era hold steady collector interest, though the 16808 falls into an awkward gap, too modern to draw the vintage premium the 1680/8 commands and too old to ride the 16618's long production story. A genuine gilt nipple dial in strong condition takes the top of whatever range the reference makes.

Related references

Submariner 1680 — First Date Sub, 'Red Sub' (1969–1979)
Submariner 3666
Submariner 5508 — 1957–1961
Submariner 5510 — Big Crown, Cal 1530 (1957–1958)
Submariner 5512 — First Crown-Guard (1959–1978)
Submariner 5513 — Non-Date Classic (1962–1989)

Sources

History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
Bob's Watches two-tone Submariner history — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
Gray & Sons Submariner Date history — Gray & Sons editorial, Gray & Sons
Rolex Submariner Reference Guide — Professional Watches editorial, Professional Watches
The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
RolexForums 16808 thread bundle — RolexForums community, RolexForums

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 16808 Submariner}}
 {{#seo:
-|title=Rolex 16808 Submariner — Production, Dial Variants, Serial Ranges | BezelBase
+|title=Rolex Submariner 16808 — Production, Dials & Serial Ranges &#124; BezelBase
 |description=The 16808 is the full 18k yellow gold Submariner Date — case, bezel, bracelet, crown, and crown tube all in gold — with caliber 3035 and sapphire crystal.…
 |keywords=Rolex, 16808, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
 |image=Ref 16808 hero.jpg
 |image_alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 16808
-|type=article
+|type=Article
 |og_type=article
 |published_time=2026-04-14T16:13:29Z
-|modified_time=2026-04-29T02:48:22Z
+|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:10:23Z
 |robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
 }}
@@ Line 14: / Line 15: @@
 <small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] -> '''16808'''</small>
-The 16808 is the full 18k yellow gold Submariner Date (case, bezel, bracelet, crown, and crown tube all in gold) with caliber 3035 and sapphire crystal. It is the most materially committed member of its generation, the gold apex in a trio that also included the steel 16800 and the two-tone 16803. Among the three, the 16808 is the scarcest, and the Field Manual singles out its gilt nipple dial variant as the most desirable and collectible configuration.
+The 16808 is the full 18k yellow gold Submariner Date, with case, bezel, bracelet, crown, and crown tube all in gold, caliber 3035 inside, and a sapphire crystal over the top. It is the gold apex of a three-reference generation that also ran the steel 16800 and the two-tone 16803, and the scarcest of the three by some margin. Colin A. White's ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' (Morning Tundra) singles out its gilt nipple dial as the most desirable configuration the reference produced.
-The gold Submariner lineage runs from 1969 to the present (1680/8 → [[Reference:16808|16808]] → [[Reference:16618|16618]] → 126618), and the 16808 sits as the bridge between the vintage gold Submariner and the modern one. It carried the same advances that the 16800 brought to the steel line (sapphire crystal, 300m rating, and quick-set date) into the full-gold reference.
+The gold Submariner lineage runs from 1969 to the present (1680/8 → 16808 → [[Reference:16618|16618]] → 126618), and the 16808 bridges the vintage gold Submariner and the modern one. It carried the advances the 16800 brought to the steel line (sapphire crystal, 300m rating, quick-set date) into a full-gold case.
 <span id="launch-date-discrepancy"></span>
-[[File:Ref 16808 hero.jpg|thumb|right|340px|alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 16808|Rolex Submariner Ref. 16808]]
+[[File:Ref 16808 hero.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 16808|Rolex Submariner Ref. 16808]]
 == Launch date discrepancy ==
-Sources differ on when the 16808 entered production. The Vintage Rolex Field Manual text gives 1977, though the same book's reference table gives 1979 to 1987. Monochrome and Gray & Sons place the run at roughly 1984 to 1988. The 1977 figure is more consistent with internal planning or a small prototype run; 1979 reads as the Field Manual's own retail-availability estimate; the 1984 figure from the secondary sources probably tracks when production reached meaningful market volume. Absent primary documentation from Rolex archives or confirmed serial-band data, the launch date is uncertain and 1979 is the working assumption for retail availability.
+Sources differ on when the 16808 entered production. White's running text gives 1977, while the reference table in the same book gives 1979 to 1987. Monochrome places the run at roughly 1984 to 1988. The spread is wide enough that the three dates are probably measuring different things. 1977 fits internal planning or a small first run, 1979 the Field Manual's own estimate of retail availability, 1984 the point at which production reached real market volume. Rolex has published nothing from its archives and no serial band has been confirmed, so the question stays open. For retail availability, 1979 is the date to work from.
 End of production is generally placed at 1987 to 1988, when the 16618 replaced the reference with caliber 3135.
@@ Line 73: / Line 74: @@
 == Where it sits in the gold Submariner lineage ==
-The gold Submariner is one of the most continuous threads in the entire Submariner family. It has existed in every generation since 1969:
+Rolex has built a gold Submariner in every generation since 1969, which makes it one of the few unbroken threads running the length of the family. The 1680/8 opened the line in 1969 with an acrylic crystal and caliber 1570/1575. The 16808 brought the sapphire crystal, the 300m rating, caliber 3035, and the nipple dial. The [[Reference:16618|16618]] (~1988–2009) followed with caliber 3135, Microstella regulation, and the SEL bracelet transition, and the 126618 (2020–present) carries the line at 41mm with caliber 3235 and a ceramic bezel. Across all four the brief held steady, a working dive watch built in precious metal.
-* 1680/8 (1969): first gold Submariner, acrylic crystal, caliber 1570/1575
+Within its own generation, the [[Reference:16800|16800]] in steel had the widest market and the most production, the [[Reference:16803|16803]] split the difference in two-tone Rolesor with gold in the visible positions over a steel case, and the 16808 went full 18k yellow gold.
-* '''[[Reference:16808|16808]]''': sapphire crystal, 300m rating, caliber 3035, nipple dial ← this reference
-* [[Reference:16618|16618]] (~1988–2009): caliber 3135, Microstella regulation, SEL bracelet transition
-* 126618 (2020–present): 41mm case, caliber 3235, ceramic bezel
-Each generation brought the gold Submariner forward technically while keeping its fundamental character (a functional diving watch in precious metal) intact. When the 16618 replaced the 16808, the platform modernized with the 3135. When the 126618 replaced that, the case grew to 41mm and the ceramic bezel arrived.
-Within its generation:
-* [[Reference:16800|16800]]: steel — widest market, most production
-* [[Reference:16803|16803]]: Rolesor (two-tone) — gold in visible positions, steel case
-* [[Reference:16808|16808]]: full 18k yellow gold — maximum commitment ← this reference
 <span id="production-outline"></span>
 == Production outline ==
-Given the launch date uncertainty described above, production is best treated as spanning from about 1979 (retail availability working assumption) to about 1987–1988 (when the 16618 replaced it). That gives a run of roughly eight to nine years, comparable to the steel 16800 running alongside it.
+Taking 1979 for retail availability and 1987–1988 for the changeover to the 16618, the run lands at roughly eight to nine years, close to the steel 16800 that ran alongside it.
-Forum research highlights 1981–1982 as a transitional period within the 16808's production, during which specification details (including dial finishing and bracelet components) may have shifted. This aligns with the broader transitional activity across the Submariner line in the early 1980s, as Rolex was simultaneously updating specifications on the steel 16800. Collectors tracking early versus late 16808 examples should pay attention to this window.
+Forum collectors point to 1981–1982 as a transitional window inside the run, with dial finishing and bracelet components both reported to have shifted. The timing fits the wider churn across the Submariner line in the early 1980s, when Rolex was revising specifications on the steel 16800 at the same time. Early and late 16808 examples divide along that seam.
-Production numbers are believed to be very low. Full gold sport Rolex watches have always been a small fraction of total output. No confirmed serial-band data exists. The reference does not split into meaningful sub-families beyond dial color and the nipple dial distinction.
+Production numbers were low, as they were for every full-gold sport Rolex, though no confirmed serial-band data exists to put a figure on it. Beyond dial color and the nipple dial distinction, the reference does not split into meaningful sub-families.
 <span id="movement-notes"></span>
 == Movement notes ==
-The 16808 uses caliber 3035, the same date movement with quick-set date that powered the 16800 and 16803, running at 28,800 vph. When the 16618 replaced the 16808, the movement upgraded to caliber 3135 with Microstella regulation.
+The 16808 uses caliber 3035, the same quick-set date movement that powered the 16800 and 16803, running at 28,800 vph. When the 16618 replaced the 16808, the movement upgraded to caliber 3135 with Microstella regulation.
 <span id="dial-map"></span>
 == Dial map ==
+All dials carry tritium for the full run. No lume transition applies to this reference.
 <span id="gilt-nipple-dial-the-collector-configuration"></span>
 === Gilt nipple dial — the collector configuration ===
-The Field Manual singles out the gilt nipple dial version as the most desirable and collectible 16808 configuration. Nipple dials have small raised dots (bosses) at the center of each applied gold hour marker, giving them a distinctive three-dimensional texture. The gilt finish and nipple markers together define the most collected variant.
+Nipple dials carry a small raised dot, or boss, at the center of each applied gold hour marker, which gives the marker set a three-dimensional texture that flat markers do not have. Paired with a gilt finish, that is the configuration the Field Manual rates highest on this reference.
-The nipple marker appears across the gold-involved Submariners of the 1980s (the 1680/8, the 16803, and the 16808). On the 16808 it sits at the strongest expression of the format: full gold case, full gold bracelet, gilt nipple dial.
+The nipple marker appears across the gold-involved Submariners of the 1980s (the 1680/8, the 16803, and the 16808). The 16808 pushes it furthest, a full gold case and bracelet under a gilt nipple dial.
 <span id="blue-dial"></span>
 === Blue dial ===
-The blue dial is a sunburst finish with gold applied markers, gold hands, and gold printed text. It is the more commonly encountered standard configuration and carries tritium lume throughout.
+The blue dial is a sunburst finish with gold applied markers, gold hands, and gold printed text. It is the configuration that turns up most often.
 <span id="black-dial"></span>
@@ Line 121: / Line 113: @@
 The black dial carries the same gold applied markers against a black base and turns up less often than the blue. Whether that reflects lower production or lower survival is not documented.
-All dials carry tritium for the full run. No lume transition applies to this reference.
 <span id="violet-dial-variant"></span>
 === Violet dial variant ===
-Forum collectors identify a distinct violet dial variant on the 16808, separate from the standard blue and black options. The violet dial presents as a deep purple-blue, distinguishable from both the standard blue sunburst and from blue dials that have merely shifted color with age. Whether this represents a factory-intentional color or an early-stage aging phenomenon is debated, but collectors treat it as a recognized variant.
+Forum collectors identify a violet dial as a variant in its own right, separate from the standard blue and black. It reads as a deep purple-blue, and the collectors who track it distinguish it both from the standard blue sunburst and from blue dials that have simply shifted with age. Whether the color left the factory that way or arrives early in the aging process is unsettled. Either way it has a name and a following.
 <span id="nipple-dial-color-change-phenomenon"></span>
 === Nipple dial color change phenomenon ===
-An aging pattern specific to nipple dials has been documented by forum collectors. The raised gold markers on nipple dials can change color over time. The gold bosses may develop a warmer or darker tone relative to the surrounding dial and applied markers, creating a two-tone effect within the markers themselves. This color change is a natural oxidation process and is considered a mark of authenticity on well-aged examples; it cannot be easily replicated on refinished dials.
+Forum collectors have documented an aging pattern particular to nipple dials. The raised gold bosses shift tone over time, warming or darkening against the applied markers around them, so the marker set ends up two-tone within itself. The change is oxidation, and a refinished dial cannot easily be made to fake it, which is why a well-aged example showing it reads as honest.
 <span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown-notes"></span>
@@ Line 138: / Line 128: @@
 [[File:Ref 16808 detail.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=Detail view|Detail view]]
-The case is 18k yellow gold throughout: body, bezel, crown, and crown tube. Crown guards follow the standard Submariner shape. The Triplock crown seals the watch to 300m, and the Vintage Rolex Field Manual notes that the gold case is heavy and prone to scratching.
+Body, bezel, crown, and crown tube are all 18k yellow gold, with crown guards in the standard Submariner shape. The Triplock crown seals the watch to 300m. The Field Manual is blunt about the trade-off: a gold case this size is heavy, and it scratches.
 The crystal is sapphire with Cyclops over the date window. The bezel insert is aluminum in blue or black, set into the gold bezel surround. Aluminum inserts fade and scratch over time.
-The rehaut is plain. Hallmarks on solid 18k gold Rolex cases include the Helvetia bust with G (Geneva assay) on the mid-case underside of lugs; after 1995, the St. Bernard dog Barry mark was used for all precious metals.
+The rehaut is plain. Solid 18k gold Rolex cases carry the Helvetia bust with G, the Geneva assay mark, struck on the mid-case under the lugs. Rolex moved to the St. Bernard dog Barry mark for all precious metals after 1995, well past the end of 16808 production.
 <span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
 == Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==
-The standard bracelet is the 93158, a full 18k yellow gold Oyster bracelet with Fliplock clasp. Forum collectors also reference bracelet number 92908 for the 16808. Whether 92908 represents an alternate production bracelet, an earlier-production variant, or a misidentification has not been resolved; both references are recorded here pending further documentation.
+The standard bracelet is the 93158, a full 18k yellow gold Oyster with Fliplock clasp. Forum collectors also cite 92908 for the reference. Nothing published settles whether 92908 is an alternate production bracelet, an earlier variant, or a misidentification, so both numbers stay in circulation.
-End links are hollow. The gold bracelet stretches over time; gold is softer than steel, and the combination of a heavy gold case and daily wear leaves the links with visible play on almost every well-worn example. Stretching is one of the most important condition factors when evaluating a 16808. The weight difference from the steel 16800 is immediately obvious on the wrist.
+End links are hollow. Gold is softer than steel, and a heavy gold case worn daily works the links loose, so almost every well-used 16808 shows visible play in the bracelet. Stretch is the first thing to check on a candidate. The weight difference against a steel 16800 registers the moment the watch goes on.
-The 93158 stayed on the 16808 for its full run. No solid-end-link transition occurred during this reference's production; that upgrade came with the 16618's transition to the 93258.
+The 93158 stayed on the 16808 for the full run. No solid-end-link transition happened here; that came with the 16618 and the 93258.
 Clasp date codes for this era follow the standard Rolex scheme, running A for 1976 through M for 1988. The clasp code dates the bracelet, not the watch head.
-<span id="special-branches"></span>
+<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
-== Special branches ==
+== Historical market and auction record ==
+The 16808 is scarce at auction, since low production over a short run means few examples circulate. When one does appear, the full gold construction puts it at the top of the 3035-era Submariner range, above the two-tone 16803 and the steel 16800.
+No hammer figures are documented for the reference. Full gold Submariners of this era hold steady collector interest, though the 16808 falls into an awkward gap, too modern to draw the vintage premium the 1680/8 commands and too old to ride the 16618's long production story. A genuine gilt nipple dial in strong condition takes the top of whatever range the reference makes.
-No known special branches beyond the gilt nipple dial variant, which the Field Manual treats as the most collectible configuration.
-<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
+== Related references ==
-== Historical market and auction record ==
-The 16808 is scarce at auction. Low production and a short run mean few examples circulate. When they appear, the full gold construction places them at the top of the 3035-era Submariner range, above the two-tone 16803 and steel 16800.
+* [[Reference:1680|Submariner 1680]] — First Date Sub, 'Red Sub' (1969–1979)
+* [[Reference:3666|Submariner 3666]]
+* [[Reference:5508|Submariner 5508]] — 1957–1961
+* [[Reference:5510|Submariner 5510]] — Big Crown, Cal 1530 (1957–1958)
+* [[Reference:5512|Submariner 5512]] — First Crown-Guard (1959–1978)
+* [[Reference:5513|Submariner 5513]] — Non-Date Classic (1962–1989)
-No specific hammer prices have been captured. Full gold Submariners from this era attract steady collector interest, and the 16808 sits in a historically specific gap: too modern for the vintage gold 1680/8 premium, too old for the 16618's sustained production story. The gilt nipple dial, when genuine and in strong condition, commands the most from the reference.
+See also the [[Reference:submariner|Submariner family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].
 == Sources ==
@@ Line 177: / Line 174: @@
 [[Category:Submariner]]
-[[Category:Working Draft]]