Reference:16808
Submariner → 16808
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 gold Submariner lineage runs from 1969 to the present (1680/8 → 16808 → 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.
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.
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
The gold Submariner is one of the most continuous threads in the entire Submariner family. It has existed in every generation since 1969:
- 1680/8 (1969): first gold Submariner, acrylic crystal, caliber 1570/1575
- 16808: sapphire crystal, 300m rating, caliber 3035, nipple dial ← this reference
- 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:
- 16800: steel — widest market, most production
- 16803: Rolesor (two-tone) — gold in visible positions, steel case
- 16808: full 18k yellow gold — maximum commitment ← this reference
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dial map
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.
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.
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.
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.
All dials carry tritium for the full run. No lume transition applies to this reference.
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.
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.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Special branches
No known special branches beyond the gilt nipple dial variant, which the Field Manual treats as the most collectible configuration.
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.
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.
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 — Morning Tundra
- RolexForums 16808 thread bundle — RolexForums community, RolexForums