The Rolex Submariner has become such an icon that not only can it be considered the benchmark for all future diving watches, but it has also spawned its own scholarly following devoted to every nuance and variation from its first appearance in the Rolex catalogue in 1954 until the present day.

Launched around 1967, reference 1680 was the first Submariner model to be fitted with a date function. In production until the end of the 1970s, the model presents a notable evolution, with earlier examples featuring red lettering for the Submariner designation, and later examples white lettering instead. Red Subs are today extremely sought-after timepieces in virtue of their aesthetic quirkiness and of their historical importance as the first Submariner examples with date. Even within the Red Submariner family of dials, one can notice an evolution of the graphics with 6 variations (Marks). The present specimen features a Mark IV dial, recognisable by its feet first configuration (it is in fact the first “feet first” dial - a modification speculated to find its origins in the increasing prominence of the American market for Rolex at the time) coupled with the “open” 6s of the depth rating. It is also the only feet first dial to have the red print applied to an underline white plot. Mark IV dials can be found on examples from about 2.45M serial to about 3M - a production frame which mostly overlaps with MK V dials.

The present Red Sub is made even more collectible and attractive by its superbly even “tropical” deep dark chocolate dial; while the Red Sub dials are known to at times present this aesthetic peculiarity, it hardly ever comes in such a deep and even hue.

Furthermore, the watch was service by Rolex in 2020 which means it not only is in perfect working order, but even under Rolex Guarantee until December 2021.