In part one of this two-part series (a first for the blog!), I told the story of my father’s Rolex Submariner, and how I came to acquire it. In this thrilling conclusion, I will go into the details of the watch itself.
Let’s start by breaking down the model number – 16613 – and what it means. Rolex reserves the first three numbers, 166, to reference the various Submariner models. The most ubiquitous may be the 16610, which is the basic no-frills Submariner Date.
The 16610 is what most people think of when they hear Rolex. There is also a solid gold version, the 16618. My 16613 turns the dial blue and mixes in some yellow gold with the stainless steel for a two-tone look.
This blue and gold two-tone model also goes by the nickname Bluesy, rather appropriately. Other models haven been given similar nicknames based on their color schemes, with the Kermit (green and black), Hulk (all green), Batman (blue and black), and Pepsi (red and blue) and Coke (red and black) rounding out the mix. These monikers are by no means official, but if you speak the phrase ‘Rolex Batman’ to any watch idiot savant, they’ll instantly know you’re talking about a GMT with a blue and black bezel. And now you will too!
With that basic nomenclature out of the way, let’s look at the movement, the beating (okay, ticking) heart of any mechanical watch. This particular piece features the Rolex Caliber 3135. The 3135, part of the 3000 series introduced in 1977, is a workhorse. The movement is covered by a 316L stainless steel case back, which is just as well. If you could see it, you would find that it’s rather plain, as is typical of most Rolex movements. But while it is not ornate, it is robust. It is a certified Chronometer, which is something that I covered in my review of my Seiko Turtle.
In my follow-up on the Turtle, I noted that while it is not COSC certified, it certainly holds its own. So how does the Rolex stack up? I didn’t hold out for a full month of measurements, but here are the results I found after a couple of weeks of wear.
The Submariner gains approximately 6.4 seconds a day, which is higher than I expected, but gives me an excuse to pay a visit to Throckmorton’s again. Over the course of a month, that works out to approximately an additional 3 minutes. Having to set the time once a month when I reset the date seems like a fair cost of ownership, and one I’m all too happy to pay. And given the choice, I’d much rather have a watch run fast than slow – at least I won’t be late showing up. Speaking of appearances, let’s turn our attention to the outside of the watch.
I briefly mentioned the bezel in part one, and now I’d like to examine the dial as a whole. While the bezel of the watch has beautifully faded with time, the dial underneath the sapphire crystal remains a brilliant dark blue. It catches whatever light is available and holding the watch at an angle reveals a subtle sunburst – two beams of light extending from the center in either direction.
The hands are instantly recognizable. The Mercedes hands, as they’re called, are named due to the resemblance they have to the Mercedes-Benz logo. For the longest time, I thought this handset design was exclusive to Rolex. Certainly, while there are other brands that use this design, none are so linked to it as Rolex is. The hour markers are positioned flawlessly, as are the minutes of the chapter ring, as you’d expect from the brand.
On both the hands and the markers, the lume is perfectly applied. Although it has faded with age, it still serves its purpose and lets me sneak a peek at the time in a darkened movie theater or see how much time I have left to sleep when I wake up in the middle of the night.
One of the criticisms that has been leveled at Rolex before is the excessive text on the dial. While a far cry from my sterile dial pilot’s watch (look for a review on that soon!), the amount of text has never taken away from my enjoyment of the watch. The full 6 lines (two above, four below) have become a part of the Rolex tradition. There is, as always, the ‘Swiss Made’ signature right below 6 o’clock.
Lastly, one small note about the date. You can’t talk about a watch dial without discussing whether there is a date window. This has and will continue to be a polarizing subject in the watch community. If you had asked me several years if I wanted a date on my watch, I would have told you no. The date breaks up the dial symmetry, along with being something else you have to worry about at the end of the month or when picking the watch back up after a few days. Complications always make everything so complicated! In addition, I wasn’t sure I liked the Cyclops – that glass bubble that provides a 3x magnification for the date window.
I’ve since come around to the other side on both arguments. Although a no-date watch may still be my platonic form version of a watch dial, I am now so used to checking the date on my watch that I do it instinctively, and I’m surprised and saddened when the watch I’m wearing doesn’t have one. Finally, the Cyclops helps this old man’s eyes to better see the date at an inconspicuous glance.
The two-tone nature of the watch extends to the bracelet, and it’s apparent that this watch has lived a good life (along with its owner – Hi, Dad!). Both sides have scratches of experience, with the outer side reasonably bearing the brunt. The clasp is a simple butterfly deployant clasp, with the Rolex logo stamped on the fold-over piece. This predates Rolex Glidelock, but it wouldn’t be a proper dive watch without a dive extension. Pushing down on an inside link unhooks a section of the bracelet from a crossbar inside the clasp, allowing you to add approximately 1.5″ to the length. This is intended to allow the watch to fit over a wet suit, but it also serves to give your wrist a little extra breathing space on a hot summer day.
The watch has drilled lugs, which allows easier access if you want to change out the bracelet. And while I’m a fan of changing watch bands, this duo is too iconic to split up.
While I’ve been regularly wearing this watch for over year, I’m starting to add my other watches back into the rotation. There’s only a short window in which to wear my leather-banded watches before they are destroyed by the Texas sun. But I know that I’ll always be able to come back to my Sub. It’s reliable, durable (perfect for someone as accident prone as I), and versatile enough that I can take it from the pool to the cocktail party. I’ve no doubt that a year on the wrist will extend to a lifetime.
Thanks, Dad.
Wristgazer 