‘King Sub’ 6200 Rolex Submariner

6200-Rolex-Submariner

The earliest years of the Submariner encompass many beautiful references. But only one is nicknamed the ‘King Sub’, ref. 6200. The 6200 is lore: an Explorer dial in its own case with the first 8mm Brevet ‘big crown’ and no depth rating on the dial. Not even a Submariner line (mostly). Production numbers were extremely…

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Tropical, ‘Tulip’ 4-Line Dial 5512 Rolex Submariner

Tulip-Dial-5512-Rolex-Submariner

Unless you’ve spent your entire life studying vintage Rolex, you probably won’t have heard of a tulip dial. Even if you have, you probably won’t have seen one with four lines. Yes, we’re back in the realm of obscure Wilsdorf details again, but this one is even more anorak than most. Have you ever looked…

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Tiffany 1680 Rolex Submariner

Tiffany-1680-Rolex-Submariner

Tiffany today is under LVMH, and as such it’s also slowly LVMH-ifying. Yes it’s a brand, it will always sell things. But people behaving as if a turquoise dial is the second coming need to cool the jets, Supreme marketing won’t work forever. I liked when Tiffany, with respected to watches, operated like any other…

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Tropical 7928 Tudor Submariner

Tropical-7928-Tudor-Submariner

Five years ago, I attended a small dinner with a group of collectors. They chose an exceptional restaurant, I attired appropriately. There, I was lightly chided, by a man in red trousers I will add, for wearing a 16808 with a suit. Now, I’d never claim to be an authority in anything remotely sartorial. But…

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Pumpkin ‘Snowcone’ 76100 Tudor Submariner

76100-Tudor-Submariner

Neo-vintage is not just collectable in Patek, VC, or AP; the era has more practical offerings as well. One, largely unsung, is the transitional 76100 Tudor sub. The reference was in production for just a few years in the mid-to-late 80s, but the 94110 ‘Snowflake’ of the same period stole majority limelight. That’s just a…

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IDF-Issued 7928 Tudor Submariner

IDF-Issued-7928-Tudor-Submariner

The military Tudor rabbit hole goes deeper than you think. You will be familiar with the snowflake-handed 9401/0 Marine Nationale which has recently seen new life via the FXD. But Tudor’s military history extends far beyond France. South Africa issued its Navy divers a small run of ref. 7016 subs. There are US Naval 7928s…

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7016/0 Tudor Submariner

7016/0-Tudor-Submariner

In the 70s and 80s, the Tudor Sub went through way, way more evolution than Rolex’s. Tudor couldn’t decide on a formula: snowflake hands or mercedes, square plots or round, shield logo or rose, PCG or SCG or NCG? This is all not even to mention the RCNs or Marine Nationales amongst other military configurations.…

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Tropical ‘Root Beer’ 1680/8 Rolex Submariner

Tropical-1680/8-Rolex-Submariner

I’ve spoken once or twice here about the phenomena of what I call double take watches. This category I define loosely as the following: a watch which, at a glance under 2 seconds long, looks like something you’re very familiar with. Then you pause. And after spending 5 seconds staring in confusion, you realize the…

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Explorer Dial 5512 Rolex Submariner

Rolex-Explorer-Dial-Submariner-5512

The Submariner is, today, a uniform mass market product. Mass as Rolex’s production today is about equal to the entirety of the rest of Switzerland, combined. And uniform because not one will age, or very minimally. Every single 124060 looks precisely the same, down to the tiny serifs on the repeat Rolex engraved on its…

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