Latest Vintage Piece

1990 Rolex Submariner 16613, 40mm, diamond/sapphire “serti” dial $16,500.00 CAD. 505-00445

Without question the Rolex Submariner is the world’s most popular sports watch. For 60 years the Submariner has been the choice for those who want a watch than can operate with accuracy and reliably in almost any environment. For the first few decades of production the Submariner was only available in stainless steel. In the late 70s, an all gold version debuted, a few year later a two-tone version became available. The gold and two-tone models where signs of changing times and a change of corporate direction for Rolex. They realized they had become a luxury lifestyle statement in addition to one of many other high quality watch manufacturers. Their watches were not only being purchased by those who required the specific capabilities, but more and more by people wanted to be part of the Rolex story. Adding diamonds and sapphires to a watch that was originally developed as a simple time telling watertight tool contribute zero function. In fact the sparkling hour markers framed in 18 karat yellow gold bezels detract from the legibility, but they sure do look nice. The champagne dial along with other gem set dials have come to be know as “serti” dials. Serti comes from the French word “sertir”, meaning “to set”, specifically in reference to gem setting. Rolex describe all of their watches set with gems faces as serti dials, but most Rolex fans refer mostly to the sports references with gem dials as serti models. The professional models have always been the most popular and we see our fair share of them but rarely do they turn up with these expensive optional dials. I can only recall seeing 3 or 4 of these serti Submariners pass through our estate department over the pass 30 years or so. Our latest Submariner dates from 1990. The original champagne dial is in excellent condition, no discolouration, moisture stains, or blemishes of any kind. The long 12 link bracelet 93153 features a Rolex replacement buckle with an OP date code from 2006. The 18 karat and stainless steel bracelet shows only minor sag.  The rotating timer bezel turns counterclockwise with precision allowing a timer display of up to 60 minutes with 30 second intervals. The threaded triplock crown feels like new with a full turn and a half before popping out to the winding position. The sharp edged sapphire crystal shows a few areas of abrasions, the tiny chips are difficult to see without magnification and are commonly seen on many Rolex from this era. The watch is running great with all functions operating as designed. Don’t let the pretty face fool you, this watch is still a Submariner and was warrantied watertight when new to a depth of 1000 feet. The watch still passed our vacuum test but we suggest you don’t wear this watch for deep dives. These valuable original tritium dials are no longer available and a replacement service dial from Rolex is likely to cost around two thousand dollars. Considering the rarity, serti dial Submarines don’t cost nearly as much as you’d expect. Looking at what’s available on the secondary market, there appears to be only around 1 serti dial for every 100 regular dial Submariners. We are happy to provide the new owner with a complimentary 1-year warranty. This watch does not come with any original documentation or packaging. It is estate priced at $16,500.00 CAD. Stock #505-00445.

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