However, the dials of the gold Sub were not the standard black dials of their stainless steel counterparts.A few years later, around 1971, Rolex offered another colorway of the yellow gold Submariner featuring a bright blue bezel and dial. The yellow gold Submariners in blue also has the same “nipple dial” design. Particularly intriguing with the blue gold Submariner 1680/8 models is how the dials have transformed into different colors over time including lighter blues, vibrant purples, and rich reddish brown (also known as “tropical dials” in vintage Rolex terminology). Comparing the Rolex Submariner to the GMT-Master II.Two watches, perhaps the two most well-known in Rolex’s sports watch lineup, have amazing similarities, and one can be forgiven for confusing them at a distance. These two watches are, of course, the Submariner dive watch (ref. 116610) and the GMT-Master II (we’ll call it the GMT for short, but we’re talking about the current ref. 116710).The Submariner GMT Master Comparison .The individual histories of the Submariner and the GMT are well documented elsewhere, so let’s compare and contrast the two current models.First, the similarities. The Submariner and the GMT-Master II are luxury watches. Both watches are currently housed in the 40mm diameter so-called “super case” with a ceramic or Cerachrom bezel insert. This case, done in 904L stainless steel, debuted in 2007 with the GMT (the Submariner received the new case a year later). There are minute differences in the two cases, but you need to set them side by side and look very closely to see them.Both watches buckle to your wrist with the current Oyster bracelet.
Rolex has graduated from a watch brand into a seismic force to which the regular rules do not apply. While it is far (far) from guaranteed that any Rolex watch you buy will appreciate from the day you bought it, time is showing us that these models, both old and new, endure the fluctuations of the watch market very well indeed.And, in fact, buying a pre-owned model might well be the very best thing you can do in the case of Rolex. Many of the new professional models are simply unattainable without waiting an inordinate amount of time – or without paying an exorbitant grey market mark-up to skip the queue. Older professional models are available for prices below those of a new model, and present the chance to pick-up a potential classic while also expanding your knowledge of the crown.Part of the joy of the watchmaking game is getting to know the tiny ticker on your wrist. Buying modern watches because they are in vogue is all well and good, but it can sometimes be a bit of a rushed exercise (thanks to all that competition). A far nicer, and (in my opinion) rewarding way to pursue this hobby is to consciously decouple oneself from the pursuit of luxury, or status, or the latest trend, and instead put stock in the long road. Read about old models. Pore over their nuances. Allow yourself to appreciate how certain models and certain designs can somehow, almost inexplicably to a modern mind, encapsulate an era so perfectly. These wordless time capsules are worth seeking, as they can, in a single glance, remind us of a simpler time when things didn’t move so fast.My first Rolex was a Rolesor Datejust from 1985. I bought it pre-loved after finally managing to get over my thirst for Pepsi, and having hit the history books in search of inspiration. It cost me around $4,000 and it looked brand new but so satisfyingly anachronistic. Vintage is not for everyone, but before you dismiss it as an option, remember that whatever you like right now will be old someday soon. And it is only with the passing of time that we’re really able to understand what has managed to stand its test.
