The Rolex submarine is already running on the ground, but even though it has captured the imagination of a wide range of admirers, there is still a lot of work to be done. Over the next six years, eight Rolex Submariners were released, some at the same time, and some with a few changes to each in order to refine the overall design.
After a turbulent first few years, the Submariner reached a certain level of consistency in 1959 when the Ref. 5512 appeared. With that model, all the components fell into place so effectively that the basic architecture of the model remained the same for the next half-century.
This model combines all the elements of the eight previous versions of the Submariner and brings them together for the first time. The Reference 5512 boasts a 40 mm case, Mercedes hands, full markers on a redesigned bezel, and the introduction of the most important previously unseen addition – the crown guard. In fact, everything you’ll find on a modern version of Rolex’s iconic dive watch starts here.
The result was so successful that there was essentially nothing left to do as far as the core aesthetics were concerned. Until the introduction of the Super Case in 2010, most of the major changes to the replica Rolex Submariner line were related to improved materials, updated movements, or minor design modifications.
However, there was one exception. With that in mind, they were not the only Submariner watches of that period. 1969 saw the release of the first Submariner with a date, the 1680 model, thus splitting the opinion of the Submariner line and the legions of watch enthusiasts.