The Evolution of the Rolex Steel Submariner

There are dozens of waterproof dive watches available on the market and there have been since the early 1950s. However, if you asked 100 people to name a dive watch, I’m pretty sure that 90 plus of those asked would name the Rolex Submariner. Much more than a tool watch, the Submariner has become an icon of both horology and style. With or without a date, it’s a timeless classic that Rolex has slowly and gently revised over the years, yet is still as true to its DNA today as it was nearly 70 years ago. And this year, Rolex has given the line a tweak to include modifications to its case, movement and bracelet. So let’s take a look back at the Submariner’s roots as a timeless icon of style.

In 2020, the new era of the Submariner is here for both the Submariner and Submariner Date. True to form, these watches are an evolution rather than a revolution of the Submariner, but the tweaks are important. The Submariner has for the first time since the late 1950s had a size increase from 40 to 41mm and the proportions of the bracelet are a little different too, with a slightly broader presence. The Submariner is, whilst I concentrate on the historical development of the Sub. The Submariner Date comes in four guises: steel with black dial and black Cerachrom bezel plus a version with black dial and green Cerachrom bezel. The Rolesor (steel and gold) version has a royal blue dial with blue Cerachrom bezel and the white-gold version has a black dial with blue Cerachrom bezel. All the watches feature the new 41mm case and redesigned Oyster bracelet.