Rolex Submariner Date
📱 Track this reference's market value on the go with the watch value app — daily median, price alerts and a watchlist.
ℹ️ 1-month trend
Price change over the past 30 days. Shows the short-term market movement — relevant if you want to buy or sell soon.
ℹ️ 4-month trend
The central metric behind the momentum score. It filters out short-term swings and shows the true, medium-term market trend of this reference.
ℹ️ Volatility
Annualised price fluctuation. Below 10 % = very stable, 10–20 % = normal, above 20 % = volatile. With high volatility the price can change quickly — in both directions. Be cautious about buying without checking the current price.
ℹ️ Momentum score
ChronoCheck's own indicator from 0 to 100, calculated from the 4-month trend, volatility and market direction.
- Above 60 — Upward trend. Good time to sell, prices are rising.
- 40 – 60 — Neutral. Stable price level, no pressure to act.
- Below 40 — Downward trend. Wait or enter at a good price.
ℹ️ Investment Grade A/B/C/D
ChronoCheck's own rating for each reference. A 0–100 point scale, made up of four weighted components:
- Momentum (40 pts) — trend strength from the momentum score.
- Liquidity (25 pts) — number of active live listings.
- Stability (20 pts) — inverse volatility — the calmer, the better.
- Source robustness (15 pts) — number of independent market sources.
- A · 75+ Trend is right, liquidity good, data broad.
- B · 55–74 Solid, but one component weaker.
- C · 35–54 Average, volatility or market breadth weigh on it.
- D · below 35 Downward or too little data — a collector's piece.
Not investment advice. Pure data analysis from aggregated market sources.
The current market value of the Rolex Submariner Date (Ref. 1680) is $22,616. The trend points up (plus 14.9% over four months). Last sold at auction: $11,252 (Loupe This, 07/2026).
What if you had bought back then …
What would a purchase at the median market price back then have become — at today's level of $22,616. A pure return calculation, excluding insurance, servicing and transaction costs.
Data from an aggregated median time series (watch_market_daily). CAGR = Compound Annual Growth Rate, normalized to 365 days. Not an investment recommendation.
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Technical data
Lift angle 52° — important for timing-machine diagnosis: with this value a watchmaker can correctly measure rate deviation, amplitude and beat error. ChronoCheck verifies such technical details directly from the manufacturers' factory specifications.
Rolex Ref. 1680 — Variants and collector names
Known as: Red Sub, Meters First, Feet First, White Sub, Top Hat Crystal Sub, FAP Sub
Production phases and changes
- 1969: Official production start / First serial numbers with caseback dating
- 1969: Introduction of Ref. 1680/8 (Gold Submariner)
- 1970: Transition from Meters First to Feet First
- 1971: Introduction of hacking seconds (stop-seconds)
- 1972: First generation Triplock crown (3 dots)
- 1973: Caseback engraving simplified
- 1975: Transition from red to white SUBMARINER text
- 1978: Second generation Triplock crown (visible O-ring)
- 1979: End of production for Ref. 1680 / Superseded by Ref. 16800
Movement variants
- 1575 (1967–1979) · 28800 bph
Bezel variants
- Long-5 Fat Font Insert "Long-5"
- MK3 Fat Font Insert "Fat Font MK3"
Dial variants
- MK0 / Proto-Red Sub — SUBMARINER (red) / no minute track / 'Swiss Made' instead of 'Swiss-T<25'
- Red Sub Mark I / Closed Six / Meters First — SUBMARINER (red, on white underprint) / 200m=660ft / closed '6' / long 'f' above 't' in 'ft'
- Red Sub Mark II / Open Six / Meters First — SUBMARINER (red, on white underprint) / 200m=660ft / open '6'
- Red Sub Mark III / Meters First / Red Direct — SUBMARINER (red, printed directly on dial) / 200m=660ft / open '6'
- Red Sub Mark IV / Feet First — SUBMARINER (red, on white underprint) / 660ft=200m / open '6' (wide open) / angular 'F' in 'Ft'
- Red Sub Mark V / Feet First — SUBMARINER (red, directly on dial) / 660ft=200m / Open 6 (smaller gaps than MK4)
- Red Sub Mark VI / Last Red Sub — SUBMARINER (red) / 660ft=200m / Closed 6
- White Sub MK1 — SUBMARINER (white) / 660ft=200m / Closed 6 / 'L' in Rolex centered below crown
- White Sub MK2 — SUBMARINER (white) / 660ft=200m / Open 6 / 'L' in Rolex offset to the left
- Red Sub Service Dial / MK8 Red — SUBMARINER (red) / 660ft=200m / 'SWISS' (no T<25)
Crystal variants
- Plexi 25-127 (Top Hat)
Bracelet variants
- Oyster Rivet-Link Ref. 7206
- Oyster Folded-Link (GMT/Explorer-Typ) Ref. 7836
- Oyster Folded-Link mit Taucherverlängerung Ref. 9315
- Oyster Solid-Link Ref. 93150
Serial numbers
- 1.538.435 – 1.899.999 (1967–1968) — First production years. A few examples with even earlier serial numbers (from ~1.200.000 = 1966) have been sporadically documented.
- 1.900.000 – 2.421.799 (1969–1970) — Main Meters First production phase. Earliest known Red Subs with serial numbers from approximately 2.1xx.xxx (per Rolex Passion Report). Meters First to Feet First transition at approximately 2.421.8xxx.
- 2.421.800 – 3.862.195 (1970–1974) — Feet First phase (MK4–MK6). Red Sub production through approximately 4.0 million serial number. Red Sub to White Sub transition at approximately 4.0 million.
- 3.862.196 – 5.737.030 (1975–1979) — White Sub phase. Caseback supply blanks (approximately 4.4–5.0 million) drawn from existing stock. End of production approximately 1979/1980, phased out by Ref. 16800.
The Rolex Submariner Ref. 1680 ran from 1967 to 1979 — twelve years during which Rolex developed the Submariner Date from the ground up. What makes this reference still compelling for collectors today: no other model in the Submariner family shows as many production changes in so short a time. Ten documented dial generations, from MK0 through MK8 plus a service dial, make the 1680 arguably the most complex reference in Submariner history.
## When the Depth Rating Changed Sides
The first major fork in the road came in 1970: at serial number 2,421,8xxx, Rolex flipped the depth rating — from "200m=660ft" to "660ft=200m". The Meters-First dial became the Feet-First dial. At the same time, the case switched to thicker walls. Why exactly? Most likely stronger export demand from the US market, possibly also a change in dial supplier. Both camps have their devotees, and both command prices today that sit well above the original retail price.
## What Changed After 1975
From around serial number 4,000,000, the red SUBMARINER text disappeared from the dial. The so-called White Sub took its place — fully white printing, a new 93150 bracelet with 580 end links, and a year-coded clasp. Anyone hunting an early Red Sub needs to dig deep into serial number databases, because the transitions are gradual. 1972 was also the year of the first Triplock crown with three dots beneath the crown symbol — a detail that tends to be underestimated when dating individual examples.
## The End of a Bidirectional Era
In 1979 the Ref. 16800 took over: sapphire crystal, 300 m water resistance, Cal. 3035 with quickset date. The 1680 thus remains the only Submariner Date ever built with a bidirectional bezel and acrylic crystal — a technical detail that has long since commanded a premium in the market.
Brand profile: Rolex
Rolex is the most counterfeited watch brand in the world. Super-clones (VSF, ARF, Clean — the latter inactive since the 07/2025 raid, with only old stock still circulating) reach 95%+ similarity. Authenticity can almost always only be identified through micro-details and caliber behavior.
- Case back: ALWAYS solid and closed — any display window means it's definitely fake (exception: vintage Ref. 6085 only)
- Minute hand length: genuine Rolex minute hands end EXACTLY at the minute chapter ring. 1 mm too long = fake. The strongest VSF tell.
- Seconds hand: smooth sweep without any hesitation — the slightest tick-tock motion means it's fake
- Cyclops lens (on Date models): must magnify exactly 2.5×, with the date filling almost the entire window
Serial number format: Since 2010, a random alphanumeric combination (e.g. 'G3M9K721'). 2000-2010: a letter plus 6-7 digits. Serial number engraved on the rehaut at 6 o'clock (from ~2005). Older models: between the lug shoulders at 6 o'clock on the case.
Further sources
Buying guide: Rolex Submariner Date
Market situation and price range
At $22,616 the Submariner Date sits in a segment where first owners sell regularly — clean pieces with box and papers are not uncommon. The jump from "good" to "very good" usually costs 1,000 to 2,000 euros more at purchase. You get that premium back on resale if the condition is preserved.
Where the price stands
The price of the Submariner Date has risen by +14.9% over the past four months. Anyone selling now hits a good window. If you want to buy: no need to wait — the market is currently more hot than cold, and a clear end to the trend is not in sight.
Watch out for swings: This reference has an above-average volatility of 178.0 percent. In concrete terms: the price can move by several hundred euros within a few weeks. Check the current value before buying or selling — old listings or auction results from two months ago are of little help.
What to look out for when buying?
- Authenticity: The serial number and reference on the case must match the papers. A professional authenticity check of the Rolex Submariner Date reliably rules out counterfeits.
- Condition: Check scratches on the case and bezel — professional refurbishment can leave traces.
- Service history: A documented service by the manufacturer or a certified watchmaker increases the value.
- Scope of delivery: Box, papers and warranty card make a noticeable price difference on the Submariner Date.
- Independent certification: The CPS-52 standard covers 52 checkpoints — from the serial number and the timing machine to water resistance. The result is secured on the blockchain and can be verified at any time.
Check the market value live now
Interactive price analysis with momentum indicator and buy/sell signal.
Go to the market value tool →Auction results Rolex Submariner Date 1680
Recent hammer prices for this reference from international auction houses:
| Price | House | Date |
|---|---|---|
| $11,252 | Loupe This | 07/2026 |
| $15,125 | Loupe This | 07/2026 |
| $35,697 | Loupe This | 06/2026 |
| $15,124 | Loupe This | 05/2026 |
| $785,440 | Christie's | 05/2026 |