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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThe Rolex Submariner ref. 1680 was the line’s first date-equipped model, pairing a date window with a Cyclops magnifier. Early examples are known as “Red Subs” because the word “Submariner” appears in red on the dial—not because the dial itself is red. The reference’s dates and dial variations are collector subjects, so treat production windows as approximate and evaluate each watch on its own evidence.
Why the Submariner 1680 mattered
Specialist auction catalogues identify ref. 1680 as the first Submariner with a date function. The date aperture sits at 3 o’clock beneath a Cyclops magnifier. That addition distinguishes the 1680 from earlier no-date Submariners while retaining the recognizable dive-watch layout. Sotheby’s describes the reference and its date feature in its ref. 1680 catalogue entry and a 2026 Red Sub listing.
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The 1680’s historical interest is not only the date display. Early examples combine that functional change with a distinctive red dial inscription, and collectors use small differences in the printed dial to discuss variants.
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“Red Sub” is collector shorthand for early ref. 1680 watches whose dial has the word “Submariner” printed in red. Other dial text is not necessarily red, and the term does not describe a red-colored dial. Sotheby’s and Bob’s Watches place the red-text period broadly from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, but their stated boundaries are not identical.
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| Dating description | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Reference 1680 | Sotheby’s catalogue entry describes introduction in 1969 and production until 1979; its separate 2026 listing describes the reference as late-1960s through 1980. These are catalogue estimates, not a single settled factory date range. Sotheby’s catalogue entry; Sotheby’s 2026 listing. |
| Red “Submariner” text | The first Sotheby’s entry gives approximately 1967 to 1976; its 2026 listing gives approximately 1967 to 1975. Bob’s Watches also describes the red-text era as ending around 1975–1976. Sotheby’s catalogue entry; Sotheby’s 2026 listing; Bob’s Watches guide. |
These source descriptions support an approximate period, not a precise cutoff for every watch. A dial’s appearance alone does not establish a watch’s production date or originality.
How collectors read the red-dial variants
Collector descriptions commonly distinguish red dials by the order of the depth rating: “meters first” or “feet first.” Phillips describes a Mark II example and notes that the meters-first arrangement is shared by Marks I through III. Later red dials are broadly described as feet first. These mark names are specialist conventions, not an official Rolex taxonomy, and the cited sources do not establish a complete sequence or definitive serial-number boundaries.
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| Collector description | Dial details reported in specialist sources | How to use the distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Marks I–III, broadly | “Meters first” depth-rating order. Phillips identifies this arrangement for Marks I through III while describing a Mark II. Phillips catalogue entry. | Compare the order of the depth figures and wording, but do not infer an exact mark or production date from that feature alone. |
| Mark IV example | Sotheby’s describes a feet-first dial with open sixes and red lettering printed over a subtle white base. Sotheby’s 2026 listing. | Check the numeral shapes and the red word’s appearance against clear, well-lit images and specialist descriptions; this remains a description of an auction example, not an authentication test. |
Print details can help organize comparisons, but a mark label is not proof that every component is original or that the watch left the factory in its present configuration. Auction catalogues document particular watches; they do not establish a universal identification standard.
What to verify before judging an individual watch
A Red Sub should be assessed as a specific vintage watch, not only as a dial variant. Condition, originality, service work, and the relationship between case and movement all affect what can responsibly be concluded. A loupe may help inspect print and numeral details, but it cannot authenticate a watch.
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- Dial: Record the depth-rating order, the shapes of numerals such as sixes, and the color and placement of “Submariner.” Ask whether the dial is believed to be original to the watch and what evidence supports that view.
- Condition: Inspect the dial, hands, case, bezel, crystal, and bracelet for wear, replacement, refinishing, or damage. Request photographs and a clear explanation of any restoration or service.
- Service history: Seek dated records and itemized details of replaced parts. A service can preserve function while changing components relevant to originality.
- Case and movement: A field manual states that only Rolex can match case and movement serials to confirm they left the factory together. A seller’s description or visual inspection should not be presented as equivalent confirmation. Rolex field manual.
- Bracelet: Treat the bracelet as a separate originality question. Ottuhr associates folded-link ref. 9315 bracelets with the Red Sub presentation, but that specialist-source association does not establish that every ref. 1680 was originally sold with one. Ottuhr’s ref. 1680 reference page.
A practical collector checklist
- Confirm that the watch is represented as a ref. 1680 and note the evidence offered for the reference and dating.
- Establish whether the dial has red “Submariner” text; do not confuse that inscription with a red dial.
- Record whether the depth rating is meters first or feet first, then compare the print details with specialist descriptions without treating a mark designation as definitive.
- Ask for documentation of originality, service history, and replaced components, including the dial, hands, movement, and bracelet.
- Arrange independent examination by a qualified vintage-watch specialist. Treat an auction catalogue as documentation of its lot, not a guarantee about another example.
Where to consult documented examples
Sotheby’s catalogue entries and Phillips’s lot description provide examples of how auction specialists describe dates, dial marks, and print details. Bob’s Watches offers a collector-oriented overview of the red-text period, while Ottuhr discusses the ref. 1680 and a bracelet association. These sources are useful for comparison, but none replaces an examination of the particular watch being considered.
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