1979 Rolex Submariner Ref. 1680 Why This Watch Matters Often imitated, never duplicated. The Full Story When the ref. 1680 hit the Rolex catalog, the biggest Submariner change up to that point had occurred with the addition of a date function. Rolex still offers the Submariner with or without the date, and the ref. 1680 was the first available with the complication. This reference was made until the late 1970s with very little variation beyond a change in "Submariner" font color on the dial. Until the 4.0 million serial number, or around the mid-1970s, the model name was featured in red, and then Rolex changed the dial to all-white text, like the watch we have today. The ref. 1680 sits almost perfectly, in the minds of vintage collectors at least, at the intersection of vintage charm and Rolex reliability. This is the truly vintage Submariner that you can wear nearly every day and anywhere, nearly. When we find an example as attractive as this one, we cannot wait to get it listed and on a new wrist. This is the fastball for Rolex's Submariner, matte dial, beautiful lume patina, and a nicely aged bezel. It's really all you could ever need. The example in this week's vintage drop really checks off all the boxes for a great vintage Submariner. Creamy, almost pumpkin tone lume patina, a subtly faded bezel insert, and an extremely strong case. What more could you need? The Fine Print Maker: Rolex Model: Submariner Reference: 1680 Year: 1979 Case No: 5860740 Material: Stainless steel Dimensions: 39mm diameter; 13.5mm thickness Crystal: Plexiglass Lume: Yes, tritium Caliber: Rolex, self-winding, caliber 1575 Bracelet/Strap: Rolex stainless steel solid Oyster No. 93150 bracelet with No. 580 end-links and divers extension (Approximate max wrist size 7.5in / 191mm) Lug Width: 20mm Box/Papers: No What We Love And What You Should Know Things We Love: - Creamy, nearly pumpkin tone lume patina - Nicely faded bezel insert - Very strong case - Year matching Rolex Oyster bracelet Things To Know: - Light scratches on case and bracelet This Sub is in overall great, attractive condition. The case is strong condition with light overall scratches. The case appears to have been lightly polished in the past. The caseback shows some light scratches. The numbers between both sets of lugs are generally visible. On the six o'clock side, the second and the third last digits are difficult to read due to the wear over those numbers. The back of the lugs have some marks from the removal and placement of the bracelet. The dial has retained its matte finish with some light patina throughout. The lume on the dial has developed patina aging to a creamy, almost pumpkin color. The dial printing is crisp. The handset has developed some patina. The lume on the hands has developed patina and is very close in color to that of the dial lume. The bezel insert has aged mostly evenly to a slightly grey hue with a hint of a blue undertone. The bezel insert shows some scratches near the seven, 20, 25, 30, and 40 minute markers. The Rolex Oyster bracelet is in good condition with light scratches and some very minimal stretch. The clasp is marked "VC," indicating it's from 1978 matching the case number. This watch was photographed on a 175mm/6.9inch wrist.
