Reference:1680

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Submariner → 1680

The 1680 is the first Submariner with a date window. It entered production around 1969 and ran until somewhere between 1979 and 1981, depending on the source. Inside sits caliber 1575, the same date movement Rolex was already using in the Datejust and GMT-Master. The case is the familiar 40mm Oyster with crown guards, but now with a date aperture at 3 o’clock and an acrylic crystal fitted with a Cyclops magnifier.

The reference splits into two branches. Early watches carry the word “Submariner” printed in red on the dial — collectors call these Red Subs, and they absorb most of the reference’s collector energy. Later watches switch to white text. Rolex also produced a solid gold version (reference 1680/8) and a small allocation of COMEX-branded examples.

Core facts

detail value
reference 1680 (steel), 1680/8 (gold)
family Submariner Date
production approximately 1969 to 1979–1981
movement caliber 1575 (date, automatic)
case 40mm Oyster, crown guards
crystal acrylic with Cyclops
water resistance 200m / 660ft
bezel unidirectional, 60-minute graduated
lume tritium
successor reference 16800

Where it sits in the line

The 1680 does not replace the 5512 or 5513. It runs alongside them. The 5512 and 5513 are the no-date Submariners; the 1680 starts a new branch — the Submariner Date — which would eventually become the more popular half of the family.

The decision to add a date window came about two years after Rolex introduced the Sea-Dweller, which already had a date aperture without a Cyclops. One theory is that demand for a date on the more wearable Submariner case followed naturally from the Sea-Dweller’s example.

The 16800 succeeded the 1680, bringing a sapphire crystal and caliber 3035. That transition happened around 1979–1981.

Production outline

The simplest way to read the 1680 is in two halves:

  • Red Sub (roughly 1969–1975): the word “Submariner” is printed in red. Collector shorthand divides these into six Mark numbers based on text differences on the dial.
  • White Sub (roughly 1975–1979/81): the same word prints in white, matching the rest of the dial text. Less glamorous, but this is the reference in its most mature and standardized form.

The production end date is not settled. Monochrome gives 1979. The Field Manual gives approximately 1981. The gap may reflect whether the count ends at the last serial band or the last retail delivery.

Rolex also made a gold version (1680/8) and a small COMEX-branded allocation. Both are discussed under special branches below.

Movement notes

The 1680 uses caliber 1575 throughout its run. This is the date version of the 1570 family, and the rotor on many examples is stamped 1570 rather than 1575 — a quirk that can confuse identification. The 1575 was already in service in the Datejust and GMT-Master before the 1680 adopted it.

During the run, Rolex upgraded the 1575 with hacking seconds, which stops the seconds hand when the crown is pulled for time-setting. Early 1680s do not hack. The exact changeover point is not precisely documented.

The movement beats at 19,800 bph, carries 26 jewels, and stores roughly 48 hours of power reserve.

Dial map

Red Submariner dials

“Red Sub” is the standard collector term for early 1680 dials where the word “Submariner” appears in red. These are the watches that drive collector interest in the reference.

The Field Manual documents seven Red Sub dial variants. Mark Lerman’s collector guide maps six Mark numbers against serial ranges. The seventh is a Luminova service replacement, not an original production variant. The full taxonomy:

  • Mark I: meters-first depth line (200m = 660ft). Approximately 2.07M–2.2M serials.
  • Mark II: meters-first, red on white underlayer. Approximately 2.2M–2.45M serials. Also catalogued as “Meter First” at auction.
  • Mark III: meters-first, red printed directly on dial. Approximately 2.2M–2.45M serials. Simultaneous production with Mark II.
  • Mark IV: feet-first depth line (660ft = 200m). Approximately 2.45M–3.xM serials.
  • Mark V: feet-first, minor layout refinements from Mark IV. Approximately 2.xM–3.xM serials.
  • Mark VI: last red-text dials, feet-first, closed “6”. Approximately 3.xM–4.0M serials.
  • Luminova service dial: a replacement dial produced later with Luminova lume instead of tritium. Not an original production variant.

These serial boundaries are collector approximations, not factory records. They overlap and should not be treated as hard cutoffs.

Printing pad wear and dial variation

Forum research has identified a specific mechanical cause for much of the variation between Marks: printing pad wear. The pads used to transfer text onto dials degraded with use, subtly changing letter thickness, spacing, and definition over the course of a production batch. Some of the differences collectors classify as distinct Marks may reflect the progressive wear of a single printing tool rather than a deliberate design change. The insight does not invalidate the Mark taxonomy — the visual differences are real and useful for identification — but it reframes them as partly a manufacturing artifact rather than purely intentional revisions.

The meters-first versus feet-first transition happened during the Red Sub era. Early dials read “200m = 660ft”; later dials read “660ft = 200m.” This divide roughly splits the Marks into two groups and matters to collectors because meters-first examples are scarcer and earlier.

Visual dial characteristics per Mark — authentication

The Mark numbers are useful shorthand, but for authentication the specific visual tells on each Mark carry more weight than serial range alone.

Mark I (approximately 2.07M–2.2M serials). Meters first. The single easiest tell is the condensed font — letters are noticeably narrower than any subsequent Mark. Red lettering sits over a white underlayer. The “6” in the depth text is elongated and closed — this is the only meters-first Mark with closed sixes. The “f” in “ft” curls upward above the “t” — unique among all six Marks. The width of the “Submariner” stamp matches the width of the depth rating line. A Red Sub with text that looks distinctly compressed compared to later examples is likely a Mark I.

Mark II (approximately 2.2M–2.45M, simultaneous with Mark III). Meters first. Red lettering is printed on a white background layer, the same method as Mark I. The “6” is open. The font is thinner than Mark III and the “F” is longer. Dials appear in black and brown (tropical). The key to separating Mark II from Mark III is the printing method: a visible white underlayer beneath the red lettering means Mark II.

Mark III (approximately 2.2M–2.45M, simultaneous with Mark II). Meters first. Red lettering is printed directly on the dial surface — no white underlayer. The “6” is open. The font is thicker than Mark II and the “F” is shorter. Dials appear in black and brown (tropical). The two Marks are genuinely simultaneous — factory records do not establish which came first, and serial numbers alone cannot separate them. Lerman has suggested calling them Mark IIa and Mark IIb to avoid implying a sequence. Under good light or magnification, the distinction is the printing method: white beneath the red means Mark II; red directly on the surface means Mark III.

Mark IV (approximately 2.45M–3.xM serials, produced 1972–1973). The earliest feet-first dial. Red “Submariner” text is printed on a white underlayer — the white base is visible at the edges under magnification. The “6” in “660” is widely open. The first “E” in “Chronometer” aligns vertically with “D” in “Certified.” The “F” in “Ft” has an angular design. The Rolex crown oval opening is pointed with low branch bases. Bright red color intensity.

Mark V (approximately 2.xM–3.xM serials, produced 1972–1973). Feet first. Red “Submariner” text is printed directly on the black dial surface — no white underlayer, resulting in a duller red than Mark IV. The “6” in “660” is narrower and more closed than Mark IV. The “RO” in “Chronometer” aligns vertically with “ER” in “Certified.” The “F” in “Ft” has a rounded design with the F and T bars aligned (co-linear). The Rolex crown oval opening is rounded with high branch bases. Rarity is rated at 3 out of 5.

Mark VI (approximately 3.xM–4.0M serials, produced 1972–1975). Feet first. Red lettering printed directly on black dial surface. The “6” in “660” is closed — the only feet-first dial with closed sixes, making it immediately identifiable. The “S” in “Submariner” has a distinctly rounded appearance. Red is bright with thicker paint application than Mark V. The first “E” in “Superlative” aligns vertically with “O” in “Officially.” The Rolex crown oval opening is rounded with low branch bases. This is the last production red-text Mark and the least rare of the feet-first variants (rarity rated at 1 out of 5).

Luminova service dial (Mark VII in some frameworks, sometimes called Mark VIII). Not a production dial. The text at the bottom reads only “SWISS” — no depth rating. The lume glows brightly with Luminova rather than dimly with aged tritium. A Red Sub wearing this dial has had its collecting identity as a Red Sub erased by a service replacement. The dial makes the watch; this dial unmakes it.

Brown and chocolate dials

Some Red Sub dials have aged to brown or chocolate — a condition collectors call “tropical.” These occur only on Mark II and Mark III dials, typically in the 2.2M–2.3M serial range. The Rolex Passion Market guide documents at least one observed example: a dark chocolate meters-first 1680 with an unpolished case. Tropical examples carry significant premiums.

Lerman’s explanation for the color change: the dials were intended to be black, but unstable materials — likely caused by improper mixing ratios or impurities in the lacquer — changed color in the first years of production. The aging process is not ongoing; it stopped after several years. Watches stored unworn were more likely to develop tropical color than those worn regularly. Environmental factors — light, heat, humidity — affected both whether the dial browned and how intense the color became.

Many brown dials were replaced during service, because owners in the 1970s and 1980s did not prize the color change. A Brown Dial Red Sub that survived with its original dial intact is genuinely rare. The rarity is partly a function of how few escaped service undisturbed.

White Submariner dials

After the red-text era, the word “Submariner” switched to white. White-text 1680 dials appear from approximately serial 4.0M onward — matte black with white text throughout and a feet-first depth line. The white branch is less dramatic than the Red Sub, but it is the 1680 in its most standardized form, and its visual language begins to converge with the successor 16800.

Three White Sub dial marks are documented:

  • MK I: Lemrich caseback, 121 prefix serial.
  • MK II: Beyeler caseback, stamped “Beyeler Geneve.”
  • MK III: Lemrich caseback, with a shifted L of ROLEX on the dial.

Forum research adds two important details. First, the White MK I dials were made by Lemrich, and the coronet on Lemrich-made dials has distinguishing characteristics that separate it from dials by other suppliers.

Second — and this matters for authentication — all three White Sub marks were produced and used simultaneously, not sequentially. The Mark numbers should not be read as a timeline. Rolex appears to have sourced dials from multiple suppliers (Lemrich, Beyeler) concurrently, and the Mark designations reflect supplier and visual differences rather than production chronology.

The White Sub mark taxonomy is less established than the Red Sub taxonomy and appears less frequently in collector literature.

Lume patina

Tritium lume on Red Sub dials and hands ages over time as the radioactive material decays and the organic binder oxidizes. This patina is one of the most discussed — and most misunderstood — aspects of Red Sub collecting. Lerman devised a practical 0–6 scale:

grade description collector standing
0 Stark white Unworn appearance; desirable for NOS examples, unusual on anything with history
1 Off white Light aging, barely visible
2 Light yellow / light creamy Moderate aging
3 Golden yellow / creamy Collector sweet spot — commands strong premiums
4 Darker yellow turning brownish Collector sweet spot — commands strong premiums
5 Brown Heavy aging; Lerman considered this simulated
6 Brackish Extreme aging; considered simulated

Grades 3 and 4 are the most valued because they show unmistakable natural aging without the damage that comes with heavy degradation. A watch with grade 3 or 4 lume reads immediately as unrestored and well-preserved.

Two rules govern how patina is evaluated. First, the dial and hands must match. A dial at grade 3 paired with stark white hands signals that the hands were replaced — both pieces should have aged together, and mismatched color temperature is a warning sign. Second, the patina should be even. Marbling — uneven or blotchy lume within a single plot — and dark spots both reduce value compared to smooth, consistent color.

Regularly worn watches tend not to develop deep patina. It is the watches that sat stored for years — in boxes, in drawers, away from wrist heat and light — that developed the richest golden tones. The process slowed or stopped after several years and cannot be reversed or accelerated reliably.

Dial authentication and condition

Service dial warning

Red Sub dials are among the most faked and refinished components in vintage Rolex collecting. Because a correct original dial represents a large fraction of a Red Sub’s value, counterfeit and altered dials circulate in every market segment. The risks fall into four categories:

Aftermarket and fake dials. Avoid entirely. Fake dials are often paired with multiple other fake parts — one fake usually signals a broader problem. Walk away rather than try to buy around the dial.

Refinished dials. The original Rolex dial substrate is present, but all printed and lumed material has been stripped and redone, usually poorly. Some sellers describe these as “original Rolex dials,” which is technically true of the metal backing — but a refinished dial is effectively worthless for collecting purposes. The Red Sub characteristics that collectors pay for are entirely in the original printing and lume. Refinished dials are not always obvious and require careful inspection of font detail and lume depth.

Relumed dials. The dial printing is original, but the lume in the plots has been replaced. Relumed dials carry a steep discount and are almost always less attractive than factory tritium, regardless of the replacement material. The giveaway is lume that looks fresh, sits too high or too uniformly, or glows too brightly for a watch of this age.

Luminova service dials. Rolex installed these during servicing when the original was damaged. They read only “SWISS” at the bottom — no depth rating. The lume glows bright Luminova. An authorized Rolex service replacement, but the watch’s identity as a Red Sub is gone. Do not pay a Red Sub premium for a Luminova service dial.

Red-to-white dial replacement during RSC service. Rolex Service Centers have routinely replaced red-text dials with white-text service dials during maintenance. This is a critical buyer concern: a 1680 wearing a white dial may originally have been a Red Sub whose dial was swapped during authorized service. The serial number and caseback can help identify whether a white-dial 1680 falls within the Red Sub production range — if it does, the white dial may be a service replacement rather than a factory original. This practice has reduced the surviving population of original red dials and is one reason unserviced Red Subs command such strong premiums.

Reading dial condition

Not all dial imperfections are equal. Some confirm authenticity; others hurt value.

Normal and acceptable: minor chipping at the hash marks where they meet the dial edge is a natural consequence of disassembly. Small chips at the dial perimeter are similarly unremarkable. Minor tritium loss at the outer edges of lume plots is common on any watch of this age. These read as honest wear.

Damaging to value: large areas of tritium loss, especially across a full plot; missing complete hash marks; marbled or uneven lume patina; and any visible warping or lifting of the dial substrate. These conditions materially reduce value and should be reflected in price.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

Crown types

The winding crown is an authenticating checkpoint for early 1680s. Two types exist:

Twinlock crowns (cases with serials below approximately 3M): no dots under the Rolex crown logo on the winding stem. These are the factory-correct crowns for early Red Subs.

Triplock crowns (cases with serials above approximately 3M): three small dots beneath the crown logo. Triplock was introduced in 1973 and became standard on later production.

Most service-replaced crowns are Triplock regardless of case age, because Triplock eventually became the default service part. An early serial wearing a Triplock crown has had its crown serviced — not disqualifying, but relevant when assessing overall originality. A Twinlock on an early serial is a positive authenticity indicator.

Insert (bezel) authentication

The 1680 uses the same 60-minute unidirectional graduated bezel as the contemporary 5512 and 5513. Two insert types are relevant:

Fat Font inserts are the original factory fitment. The numerals are thicker, and the inserts fade over time as the aluminum anodizing wears. A well-faded fat font insert is highly desirable — faded examples command premiums even when scratched, because the fading is irreproducible. The luminous pearl at 12 o’clock is tritium. Forum collectors have developed a more granular taxonomy for fat font sub-variants, using names such as “Skinny 4,” “Long 5 FF,” and “Kissing 4” alongside the better-known “Kissing 40” — each referring to specific numeral shapes and spacing.

Thin Font inserts are service replacements. Thinner numerals, Luminova pearls, no fading — they remain vivid indefinitely. Still available from Rolex today. Functional and correct in fit, but they do not add to collectibility and are distinguishable from an original fat font at a glance.

Lerman’s assessment: “An attractively faded fat font insert makes the watch.” On a collector-grade Red Sub, budget the difference for a well-preserved fat font.

Crystal

The crystal is acrylic (typically reference 25-36, Tropic type), with a Cyclops magnifier bonded over the date window. This is the defining physical difference between the 1680 and the no-date 5512/5513.

Date wheel

All 1680 date wheels should show brushed silver with open 6’s and 9’s — except the 26, which has a closed 6. This is a useful quick-check for correct period components.

Caseback date codes

From approximately serial 2M through 3.4M, casebacks were stamped with a production date code on the inside surface. These codes record the quarter and year, beginning at “II 69” (second quarter 1969) and ending at “II 72” (second quarter 1972). Around serial 3M, the practice stopped. All watches from 1973 onward carry no caseback date code.

The codes are a useful cross-reference for early examples. A caseback stamped “IV 70” on a 2.3M serial is internally consistent; the same stamp on a 3.5M serial is not.

One caution: Rolex service replacement casebacks do not carry date codes. An early-serial watch missing its code may have had its caseback replaced during service. A missing code on an early watch is a yellow flag — not proof of anything wrong, but worth investigating. Casebacks are sometimes swapped in the secondary market as well.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging

Bracelets — authentication guide

Five bracelets have been documented on the 1680 in collector literature, listed in historical order. The same authentication framework applies to the 5512 and 5513, which shared these bracelet families.

7206 / 80 end pieces. The earliest fitment, found on early Red Subs. Riveted construction.

9315 folded link / 280 or 380 end pieces. Considered the correct bracelet for the Red Sub by serious collectors. Authentication: “9315” is stamped on the links just before the end piece. End pieces carry “280” or “380” stamps. Clasp date stamps range from “67” to “72”; an unstamped clasp is post-1973. The rarest version is the Patent Pending variant, produced approximately 1967–1970: when the diver extension is unfolded, “Pat Pend” is stamped inside. Patent Pending 9315 bracelets are actively sought and command premiums over standard examples.

USA Made Riveted. Found on some original-owner watches. No model number stamped on the bracelet. No diver extension and no flip lock. End pieces are not separately stamped. The clasp carries date stamps. These were made in the United States rather than Switzerland.

7836 folded link. Originally designed for the GMT-Master and Explorer II, but physically fits the Red Sub case. Lacks the flip lock and diver extension of the 9315. Documented on some Red Sub examples but less common.

93150 solid link / 580 end pieces. Introduced in the late 1970s and standard on White Subs from approximately 1976 onward. Solid side links, individually removable for sizing. The most comfortable bracelet for daily wear. Less expensive than the 9315 because more examples survive in good condition. Clasp date codes use a letter-letter format: VA=1976, VB=1977, and so on through the alphabet. The 93150 is less associated with the Red Sub era but is found on later Red Subs and all White Subs.

Bracelet dating does not need to match the caseback date code exactly. A clasp dated one or two years after the caseback year is entirely plausible — bracelets were stocked separately at retail. What matters is internal consistency and the absence of anachronisms: a 93150 on a very early Red Sub presented as “original” is a problem.

Papers and certificates

Two types of original punched green certificates exist, distinguished by serial range:

Small green punched certificate (roughly serials below 2.8M). Thicker paper stock, no watermark. Packaged with a small booklet titled “Your Rolex Oyster,” which could also be punched — creating what collectors call a “double punched” set. The combination of punched certificate and punched booklet is the most complete early paper set.

Large green-border certificate (roughly serials above 2.8M). Thinner paper with a Rolex watermark visible against light. The booklet was renamed “Your Rolex” and was no longer punched.

Only punched certificates with a case number matching the watch command the full papers premium. The number should be written or stamped at time of sale by the authorized dealer and correspond to the case serial. Handwritten numbers inconsistent with period ink, blank certificates, and mismatched numbers are worth little. Papers alone do not prove originality; they require internal consistency with the watch.

Packaging

Box and paper sets follow the general Rolex sports packaging evolution of the 1960s through 1980s. The red or burgundy Submariner box was standard. Period-correct boxes are desirable but do not carry the same premium as papers on Red Subs.

Special branches

Gold Submariner (1680/8)

The 1680/8 is the first solid yellow gold Submariner. It entered production in the same year as the steel 1680. The gold version came first with a black dial, later with a blue dial and matching blue bezel. Some examples carry a “nipple dial” with applied gold markers that have raised dots at center.

The gold 1680 marks the beginning of the Submariner’s crossover from tool watch to luxury piece. It is a separate collecting category from the steel Red Sub.

COMEX

Rolex produced a small number of 1680 Submariners for COMEX (Compagnie maritime d’expertises), the French deep-diving engineering firm. These carry the COMEX name on the dial and a COMEX engraving on the caseback. Rolex supplied them free in exchange for field testing feedback.

Unlike the COMEX 5514, the 1680 COMEX was not fitted with a helium escape valve. By most accounts, these were desk watches for COMEX office staff rather than diving tools. Never sold to the public. Rare in the market.

Military and special issue

The 1680 was not the primary military Submariner — that role fell to the 5513 and later the 5517 for British Ministry of Defence use. Individual 1680 examples with military provenance do surface, but these are case-by-case rather than a systematic program like the MilSub 5513/5517.

Historical market and auction record

The 1680 sits alongside the 5512 and 5513 as one of the three most popular vintage Submariner references. Within the 1680, the Red Sub is the collector magnet.

Market hierarchy within the reference, from most to least collected:

  1. Early Red Sub with meters-first dial (Mark I, II, III), especially chocolate/tropical examples
  2. Later Red Sub with feet-first dial (Mark IV, V, VI)
  3. COMEX 1680 (extremely rare, separate collecting tier)
  4. Gold 1680/8 (separate luxury collecting category)
  5. White-text 1680 (accessible entry point into vintage Submariner Date collecting)

Recent auction activity confirms this hierarchy:

  • Sotheby’s 2024: A Red Sub retailed by Tiffany & Co., circa 1974, case serial 3,740,344. Retailer-stamped Red Subs — especially Tiffany — carry substantial premiums.
  • Sotheby’s 2025: A Red Sub with case serial 2,215,952, placing it in the early meters-first Mark II/III serial range.
  • Sotheby’s 2024: A gold 1680/8 “Nipple Dial” circa 1984, previously owned by underwater cinematographer Al Giddings and screenworn by Bill Paxton in the 1997 film Titanic. Celebrity and Hollywood provenance adds its own premium layer to gold Submariner collecting.
  • Phillips December 2024: Red Sub examples with MK I and MK II “Meter First” tropical dials. Tropical meters-first Red Subs sit at the top of the 1680 price hierarchy.

Chocolate Red Subs and early meters-first examples command the strongest premiums. White-text 1680s are the most accessible vintage Submariner Date and trade at a significant discount to the Red Sub.

Sources

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