A true divers’ watch by design

In the 1950s, the exploration of the underwater world was no longer limited to scientists and the military. The Submariner was launched at a time when diving was becoming increasingly popular. The public’s fascination with ocean exploration led to the establishment of the first diving schools. Waterproof, robust, technical and perfectly legible, the Submariner was designed with this new-found popularity in mind. It became the tool watch of choice for divers, giving them the confidence to venture into the depths.

Waterproofness: a founding quest, a perpetual challenge

This watch is designed entirely to meet the practical needs of divers, making it an essential underwater survival tool. Since its debut in 1953, the Submariner has continuously evolved both technically and aesthetically, incorporating features that enhance its functionality. The original model was a trailblazer, and each new version has continued to set the standard for divers' watches. The Submariner's unidirectional rotatable bezel features knurled edges for a secure grip, ensuring easy adjustment of dive time even when gloves are worn. It turns with precise, audible clicks, notch by notch. The engraved 60-minute scale allows divers to track their underwater time accurately. Crafted by Rolex from Cerachrom, a hard, corrosion-resistant ceramic, the bezel insert is nearly scratchproof and its colour remains unaffected by UV rays, seawater, or chlorinated water. Furthermore, the high-tech ceramic's chemical composition makes it inert and completely resistant to corrosion.

A pioneering divers’ watch

At its launch in 1953, the Rolex Submariner was the first divers’ wristwatch to be waterproof to 100 metres (330 feet). This depth was increased to 200 metres (660 feet) the following year, then to 300 metres (1,000 feet) in 1989. As for the Submariner Date, it was guaranteed waterproof to 200 metres (660 feet) at its launch in 1969, and to 300 metres (1,000 feet) from 1979 onwards. These successive improvements bear witness to Rolex’s unwavering efforts to push back the limits of waterproofness – a quest that began with the development of the Oyster case in the 1920s.

Several of the technical features and design aspects of the Submariner models were taken into consideration in 1981 when the international standard for divers’ watches was established. The Submariner marked the beginning of the great adventure that would see the emergence of our entire family of watches designed for deep-sea diving: the Sea-Dweller (1967), the Rolex Deepsea (2008) and the Deepsea Challenge (2022).

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Video and all images courtesy of Rolex official and used for illustrative purposes only. SLL curates products we love and trust.