Two-Tone Rolex Submariner Review

Hands-On Review: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date [116613LB]

Perhaps the most recognisable watch on the face of the planet – the Rolex Submariner is such a tremendously iconic and timeless design, from the biggest luxury watch brand in the world.

This Hands-On Review will focus on the two-tone edition [116613LB] Perpetual Submariner Date that you can buy from our shop [Here]

The two-tone Submariner [116613LB] with a blue dial offers both the toughness of the 904L stainless steel that Rolex uses and the prestige of a gold watch simultaneously packaged into just a single watch. It’s blue faced sunburst dial (a textured effect involving brushing the face in a radial pattern – as opposed to linear) contributes to the sophisticated feel of the watch and gives off some funky patterns under different lighting environments.

History

Rolex never originally started out to become the most prestigious luxury watch brand in the history of the world; it has just been something that they have become, while making the most reliable and accurate watches that simply tell the time and nothing else (other than perhaps a chronograph or date function, or built for a very specific environment in mind).

The Submariner is a watch that people tend to gravitate towards once they believe they have attained success. It’s by no means an end of the line for a serious watch collection, but rather a signal that the beginning has just begun.

Origins

The Rolex Submariner started life in 1955 as a humble diver watch. It’s now so completely intertwined with dive watches because like so many other innovators, they may not have been the first to make something: but, they were the first to make something that worked, and worked well.

Previous attempts to make a divers watch that could be fully submerged under water for any considerable amount of time – failed! All the top brands at the time had water condensation on the inside of the watch face, from the moment the watch was immersed under water – not particularly inspiring confidence to prospect buyers.

Rolesor

In 1983 the first 16613 ‘Rolesor‘ two-tone gold and steel Submariner was released (Rolesor watches first appearing from Rolex in the early 1930s). So the original 16613 is currently 33 years old and has been updated with the 116613 that shows no signs of stopping production. The fact that Rolesor Submariners are still today being manufactured talks buckets for a Rolex watch’s enduring value. They are certainly not going out of style anytime soon…

The Age of Ceramic

Ceramic bezels were first added to the white gold Sub in 2010 with a blue dial and have now been added to every other Sub available. Rolex has continued this trend and has recently announced the new Daytona’s with a black Cerachrom bezel.

A Note on Copy-Cats

While the Submariner may be the most replicated watch of all time, there are a few things that copycats will not be able to copy anytime soon. Whether they be a £40 obvious fake or a £400 Swiss clone. These are:

• The special stainless steel used.
• The highly accurate and reliable precision engineered 3135 calibre movement that Rolex makes in-house that exceeds the COSC requirements.
• A laser etched crown in the sapphire crystal above the 6 o’clock marker.
• The same level of perfectionist obsession.

Rolex is one of very few watch brands to manufacturer their stainless steel watches with the 904L alloy, which is overseen by their very own expert metallurgy department. It’s harder wearing, is resistant to strong reducing acids and has a reduced susceptibility to chloride induced stress corrosion cracking and pitting. Is this a great leap in metallurgical advancements? Not particularly.

The advantages of the 904L steel over the 316L are so astronomically minute that nobody else bothers to make watches out of it. (It’s a bit more scratch resistant and can be refinished like new more often because of its increased hardness). But this is Rolex we are talking about. They use this more expensive steel that requires new tooling equipment to work with – because every effort that they go through that competitors fail to do is to their advantage, and is what makes them so incredibly special. All these improvements that may seem small in isolation of each other, add up to a vastly more refined and sophisticated watch as an end result.

Casing Construction

The casing of the Rolex Submariner [116613LB] is exemplary. I challenge anyone to find a better constructed stainless steel watch for less than the price of a Submariner, or even considerably more – it’s realy that good. 

It’s a watch that manages the troublesome art of balancing both its diving capabilities (it being water-resistant to 300m) and ability to be worn with a suit and tie. Just the right amount of brushed finishing that resists showing its age and polished segments to give it that sparkle. Continue reading Rolex Submariner Date: Hands-On Review [116613LB]