1070
Rolex
Ref. 16618
Submariner “Sultan” dial
A rare and attractive yellow gold diver’s wristwatch with center seconds, sapphire and diamond-set indexes, date, bracelet, guarantee, and presentation box
Full-Cataloguing
- Rare champagne dial with sapphire and diamond indexes
- Accompanied by Rolex punched guarantee and box
In 1967 Rolex introduced the ref. 1680 — the first Submariner with a date — and later produced the model in yellow gold. In 1979 the Submariner was significantly updated with the ref. 16800, which added a sapphire crystal, a redesigned unidirectional bezel, a quick‑set date function and an improved depth rating, raised from 200 to 300 meters.
The ref. 16618, produced from 1988 to 2008, represents the Submariner’s most opulent expression of that era. Most examples were fitted with standard blue or black dials and matching bezels, but a small number were finished with gem‑set dials — a labour‑intensive process for which Rolex is renowned. The maison hand‑selects and sets closely matched stones, a craft that gives these rarer pieces their elevated prestige and visual impact.
Nicknamed the “Sultan”, the present ref. 16618 is distinguished by a champagne dial with sapphire and diamond hour markers, an especially luxurious execution of the Submariner’s utilitarian pedigree. Offered in very good overall condition with crisp case hallmarks, the watch is accompanied by its original Rolex guarantee and presentation box.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded 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.