Manufacturer: Rolex Year: 1975 Reference No: 1680 Movement No: D736'887 Case No: 4'445'900 Model Name: Submariner Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal.1570, 26 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, reference 93'150, end links stamped 580, max length 195mm. Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex twin lock folding deployant clasp, divers extension Dimensions: 39mm. Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed
Catalogue Essay
With production beginning in 1966, reference 1680 was the first Rolex Submariner model to display the date. During the earlier years of production, reference 1680 often featured the word “Submariner” in red on the dial, earning it its nickname “Red Submariner”.
From 1974, the writing on the dial was printed in white with three different versions. The present watch, from 1975, with a Mark I dial bears the prestigious Tiffany & Co signature making it a true treasure. Retailed by Tiffany & Co, this Submariner was promised a more prestigious life than her sisters without the double signature. The majority of these double signed Submariners were sold at the Tiffany & Co New York flagship store.
Extremely sporty yet elegant, this robust watch is one of the most recognizable wristwatches of our era. Combined with this prestigious signature, it’s a superb example of this highly desirable and collectible reference.
Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.