Rolex Submariner ref 1680/8 nipple dial tropical blue dial

This Rolex Submariner Date Ref. 1680/8 brings together the audacity of the first solid-gold Submariner and an extraordinary dial that has acquired a character entirely its own. The blue surface has developed a dramatic, variegated transformation: areas of concentrated marine blue are crossed by lighter and darker pools of colour, creating the impression of changing currents, shallow water, and deep ocean. Rather than reading as a uniform blue dial, it becomes a richly textured landscape whose appearance shifts with the light. The raised yellow-gold nipple markers, blue bezel, and warm 18k yellow-gold case frame this evolving surface with the unmistakable presence of a 1970s Rolex sports watch.

Key Specifications

Reference	1680/8
Model	Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date
Period	1970s; precise dating subject to serial-number confirmation
Case	40 mm 18k yellow-gold Oyster case with screw-down crown
Dial	Blue nipple dial with raised yellow-gold markers; exceptional variegated blue patina
Bezel	Rotating yellow-gold bezel with blue 60-minute aluminum insert
Crystal	Acrylic crystal with Cyclops magnification lens
Movement	Rolex Calibre 1575, automatic, date, approximately 48-hour power reserve
Water Resistance	Rated to 200 metres / 660 feet when new; vintage water resistance should not be assumed
Bracelet	18k yellow-gold Oyster bracelet

Collector's Note

Introduced at the end of the 1960s, the Ref. 1680 was the first Submariner to combine the dive-watch format with a date display and Cyclops lens. The 1680/8 took the idea further as Rolexs first solid 18k yellow-gold Submariner. It was offered with black or blue dial and bezel combinations, and the blue version arrived in the early 1970s. Its applied gold indexes, filled with tritium, are known to collectors as nipple markers. Their raised, faceted construction gives the gold Submariner a visual language distinct from its steel counterpart.

The defining feature of this watch is the dial. Its blue finish no longer reads as a single, even tone. Deep navy passages sit beside luminous turquoise and blue-green areas, with irregular light and dark forms across the surface. The result recalls the varied depths of the sea, yet with a character unique to this individual dial. The Calibre 1575 is the robust automatic date movement used throughout the reference. It operates at 19,800 vibrations per hour and changes the date instantaneously at midnight, though without a quickset function. The blue bezel, gold case, and gold Oyster bracelet complete one of the most distinctive executions of the vintage Submariner, while the dial gives this example an appearance that cannot be replicated.

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