The Submariner collection comes from a time when replica watches were used more for professional applications than for recreational diving. For this reason, they remain true to their original appeal today – because clearly reading the time during a dive is a matter of life and death. The clear and simple Submariner dial has therefore remained the same. The hour and minute hands have been adapted from the replica Rolex Deepsea and are distinguished from each other to prevent any confusion. The triangular, circular and rectangular markers are designed to provide orientation and increased readability, as well as to prevent possible errors underwater or on dry land. The hands and markers are coated with Rolex Chromalight luminous material, which glows bright blue in the dark. The eye-catching dot at the end of the seconds hand serves as a function check and is also luminous. In addition, the zero markers on the diving bezel are filled with the same luminescent material to provide better positioning when setting the dive time.
The bezel rotates perfectly counterclockwise and in clear half-minute increments. Deep knurled grooves on the edges provide a secure grip for wet hands or diving gloves. The rotating ring has a digital Cerachrom insert made of special black ceramic. the recessed numerals and markers on the 60-minute track are coated with a thin layer of platinum using a PVD process. Rolex has developed expertise and innovative manufacturing processes to create a strong, color-saturated, extremely scratch-resistant special ceramic for the production of monobloc bezels and tracks, and now has its own completely independent production of ceramic components.
The bezel with ceramic insert is part of the fake Rolex Oyster Perpetual case, which Rolex guarantees to be resistant to 30 bar, equivalent to a water depth of 300 meters. It is the epitome of durability and reliability. Its case frame is made of a single block of stainless steel for exceptional resistance to corrosion, which Rolex calls “Oyster steel”. In addition to the sealed caseback, the Triplock winding crown ensures the prescribed water resistance with its triple-sealed, screw-down design and protective crown guard. The top crystal is made of scratch-resistant sapphire. The Submariner Date adds a one-eye magnifying glass at 3 o’clock to improve the readability of the date.
The new Submariner is equipped with an Oyster bracelet, including its patented Oyster folding safety clasp and the Glidelock extension system, which simply extends the bracelet up to 20 mm with a 10-step sliding element. Such a perfect design does not need a revolution to maintain the undisputed standard among dive watches.