1979 Rolex Submariner Ref. 1680 ‘Unpolished’ with Papers

$18,700.00

The Submariner reference 1680 arrived in 1967 as the first date-equipped Submariner — a meaningful evolution that added the Cyclops magnifier and a calendar function to what had been, until then, a purely utilitarian dive instrument. The early Red Submariner examples dominated collector attention for decades, but the later matte-dial white 1680s represent the reference at its most technically mature: robust, restrained, and wearing the clean white dial configuration that Rolex reserved for markets and clients who wanted something slightly less austere than the standard black. The MK1 white dial is the earliest and most sought-after configuration within this chapter.

This 1979 example is exceptional. The MK1 white dial is flawless, its surface entirely intact and carrying a stunning heavy patina that has built with the kind of depth and evenness that only undisturbed decades inside a sealed case can produce. The original handset has darkened a few shades beyond the dial — that slow, sealed divergence that functions as provenance in its own right. The bezel insert is clean and original. The case is unpolished throughout — thick lugs, sharp bevels, honest wear consistent with its age and nothing more, the factory geometry fully preserved. On its original 93150 Oyster with 580 end links, VD clasp, and PATENTED diver’s extension. The papers complete the story with specific and poetic detail: original punched guarantee papers showing sale in Maracay, Venezuela, on the 22nd December 1981. Someone in Venezuela’s industrial heartland unwrapped this Submariner on Christmas Eve, 1981. Forty-four years later, it arrives here with the receipt.

Some provenance tells you where a watch has been. This one tells you exactly when it arrived.

Brand: Rolex

Model: Submariner

Reference: 1680

Serial: 5861xxx

Year: 1979

Case material: All stainless steel

Case dimensions: 40mm excluding crown

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date

Caliber: Rolex cal. 1570 Automatic

Bracelet: Rolex Oyster 93150 solid-links stainless steel bracelet with 580 end links, clasp code VD and PATENTED divers’ extension

Crystal: Acrylic