Rolex Sub Mariner (1680 1972 “Red”)

2023.06.11

Fashion

When it comes to antique sports Rolex, the red Sub is the first one that rises to the top with the Daytona.

Introduction.

I was content with owning a GMT-Master and a Day-Date, and suddenly I also own a Submariner 1680 (red). The Submariner 1680 (red) was too royal and didn’t interest me, but when I saw the real thing, it was attractive and I liked it and bought it. This time, we would like to introduce the Submariner 1680 (Red) “Red Sub”.

But it’s a “Red Sub”.

I wrote in a previous article that my interest in antique Rolex started with a vintage 501.
The Sub Mariner is a very attractive watch and has been made for many years and is one of Rolex’s most iconic timepieces, with fans of both the old and newest models. It is a watch. I have never owned a Sub Mariner myself, although I understand its appeal, because I like to be somewhat off the high street.

I was invited by the manager of the shop where I purchased the GMT-Master that a good watch had arrived.
Invited by his words, I went to the store. The manager’s hobby is surfing, and I used to surf, and in recent years I’ve been taking pictures of surfers. Some of the nice watches he mentioned are the Submariner 5512, Seedweller 1665, and Submariner 1680, which you can see here.
The store manager shows me three watches and listens to the discerning eye of the store manager about the features and good points of each, and then puts them on one by one. The first one I thought was good was the Sea-Dweller 1665, which was very attractive with its plump appearance and the roundness of the windshield like a submarine window. The Submariner 1680 is so famous that I used to shy away from it, but once I actually got my hands on it, it had a mysterious charm. I talked to the store manager about why the Submariner, which only has red letters, was so attractive, so I left the store without buying anything that day.

Overnight, I think about it a lot and my imagination grows. The manager told me that one of the reasons why this red Sub Mariner looked so appealing was that it had been handled by the shop since the beginning, and that the shop had a clear history of the originality of the parts, with a good understanding of the owner, maintenance and use.
I have a past love of vintage guitars and have owned several.
These include a ’57 blonde Strat (silver parts, ash body), a ’60 slab Telecaster (ash body), a ’61 ES-335 (small guard, PAF), a ’61 ES-175 (small guard, PAF), a ’54 D28 and a ’62 J45, I had a 57 Tweed twin amp and a 58 Tweed deluxe, but I have bitter memories of selling all but the 58 Tweed deluxe when I needed the money. I like guitars, but I haven’t touched them for more than 10 years and I have a 1963 ES-175 and an acoustic guitar made by a British maker called Manson (who made the King Ghidorah: triple neck guitar that John Paul Jones of Led Zepplin had). is still in existence.
I digress, but I remember that, even with the guitar, the individual whose condition and history the shop was aware of was very good, which makes the purchase of the red sub troubling this time around. One of the stories about guitars and past owners that I couldn’t buy was an ES-335 that I compared to a ’61 ES-335 (small guard, PAF), which was formerly owned by Larry Carlton and was sold to Amos Garrett (I think? I remember being shown a piece that had been given away by Amos Garrett (I think it was? I’m too old to remember).
I was not that interested in Submariner originally, but I could see the reason why this Red Sub looked so attractive, and I was defeated by its charm and bought it.
At that time, in a conversation with the manager, the words that came out of my mouth were “It’s just a red Sub,but it’s the best”　

A great individual that has been managed by a long-established company

The dial, hands, case and lugs, and belt are all in very good condition, and the moderate ageing of the watch has an indescribable charm when you wrap it around your hand.

A good antique-like aged piece with good condition of bezel, hands, dial and nocturnal paint, while showing no signs of age.
The case is also edged and not skinny, so it has none of the tired look.
Thicker than a GMT-Master or Day Date, so rugged, masculine and comfortable to wear.
The case is thicker than GMT-Master and Day Date, so it’s rugged, masculine and comfortable to wear. I thought about the fact that image comes first and preconceived notions are not good this time, and I could understand why it is loved by so many people and reconfirmed that it is one of the ultimate answers for a watch to wear with jeans.

Example of wear

Details

1 Sub Mariner 1680
2 Year 1972
3 Case Stainless steel
4 Bezel Rotating bezel
5 Bracelet Swiss W-lock triple-winding bracelet
6 Windscreen Plastic windscreen (Plexiglas)
7 Dial Mark IV dial
8 Automatic winding caliper 1570

Likes.

Although the SabMariner lettering is only red (and that’s important, too). The watch has a unique form of this age (and that’s important), but it’s not just that, it’s the charm and balance of the watch.
The ruggedness of a diver’s watch gives it a rugged, masculine appeal.
Lighter and lighter to wear than current models.
Easier to wind than the GMT-Master because of its large crown.
Pleasant feel when setting the time and winding the watch as it has been well maintained and cleaned.
Design that has remained unchanged over the years and functionality that is loved by many.
High legibility of the dial
Exquisite fading of the black bezel
A cosy feel, including rounded edges and a rounded plastic windshield compared to current models.

Points of concern.

The watch is not as tight as the current model when the crown is tightened.
Compared to the tight fit of current watches, the bracelet is loose, so the watch feels loose.
Water resistance cannot be expected to be as good as current watches.
Even considering the above problems, the watch has a unique atmosphere not found in the current models, so it doesn’t bother me too much.

Conclusion.

Rolex Sub Mariner 1680 “Red”, which I arrived at while taking a diversion in search of a watch to match my blue jeans.
It has a universal appeal that transcends my own tastes and images.

I am introducing the Sub Mariner 1680 in this article, and it will appear in future articles on matching outfits, etc. I hope it will be of help to those who are interested in the Sub Mariner 1680 and are considering buying one.

Shop.

I bought my GMT-Master at Antique Corleone in Harajuku.

The manager, who has been dealing with antique Rolex for many years, has a good eye for value and makes recommendations to customers, so you can buy recommended pieces with confidence. He also has a wealth of topics related to his hobby, which makes for a great buying experience. The shop has many years of experience in overhaul and maintenance, and the response is excellent, making it a well-established, well-known shop with a high level of post-purchase satisfaction.

Antique watches also have something in common with vintage guitars, and are full of elements that men like, such as a good eye for things and the stories behind them. When buying things, if you can find a shop that you want to buy from and from whom you want to buy from, you will enjoy it even more.
You can also read about the shops in the GMT-Master article, so please refer to that too.

Article on GMT-Master

Antique Corleone

“Antique Corleone” Global shipping is not supported. Come to the shop when you come to Japan.