Launched in 1967, reference 1680 was the first Submariner to feature a date, and its stainless steel iteration endured minor variations until about 1981. Just as with the GMT-Master and the Daytona, Rolex sought to offer a more luxurious variant of this tool watch for their wealthiest and most demanding customers, and cased the Submariner in 18 karat yellow gold for the first time ever. Form follows function, as they say, but aesthetics can trump the need for such functionality, and it cannot be denied that the combination of precious metal and rugged engineering is quite compelling.

Although it was also made available with a black dial and bezel, the present lot's deep royal blue bezel and original 'tropical' blue dial that has aged to a gorgeous shade of purple add an extra touch of extravagance. The coveted 'nipple' dial with its luminous hour markers have aged to a delicate ivory tone, matching the handset. The purple dégradé hue of the dial complements the gold case and bracelet perfectly; both colors are synonymous with royalty.