Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1972 Reference No: 1680 Movement No: D'279'411 Case No: 3'268'430 Model Name: Submariner Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 1570, 26 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, end links stamped 380, max length 200mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex twinlock deployant clasp Dimensions: 39.5mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed
Catalogue Essay
Few retailers have had a relationship with Rolex like Tiffany & Co. has. The jeweler has proudly emblazoned its logo on a variety of Rolex wristwatches, ranging from the GMT-Master to the Cosmograph Daytona. The present watch not only displays the Submariner script in red, but also bears the signature of the storied retailer at 6 o'clock further adding to its appeal and collectibility.
Other details are correct, such as the Mk 4 dial, which is correct for a Submariner with a 3.2 million serial number. Characterized by open 6s in "660", the dial also displays a thick red Submariner font. The numerals have aged to a warm honey tone, giving this timepiece a lot of character. Of particular note is the "PATETED" engraving on the bracelet. Rolex had made a typo when manufacturing the bracelets and mounted them anyway. Today, these bracelets are particularly sought-after by collectors.
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.