The storyWhy this reference matters
Until 1967 no Submariner told you the date. Rolex added it with the 1680, which also introduced the Cyclops lens: the bubble over the crystal that magnifies the number and has divided opinion ever since. The 1680 stayed in the catalogue until around 1980.
Between 1969 and 1975 Rolex printed the word SUBMARINER in red on the matte black dial. It was a printing whim that lasted six years and now holds up an entire market. Condition for condition, a "Red" 1680 and a white-text one are not in the same league. Everything else on the watch is identical.
Inside sits the calibre 1575, which is nothing more than the familiar 1570 with a date mechanism bolted on. Until 1970 it would not stop the seconds hand for setting the time to the second; hacking arrived from 1971, and it is one of the ways to narrow down a watch's age when the paperwork is missing.
SpecificationsThe numbers, in one table
| Brand | Rolex |
|---|---|
| Family | Submariner |
| Reference | 1680 |
| Years made | 1967–1980 |
| Calibre | Rolex 1575 |
| Movement | Automático |
| Frequency | 19.800 alt/h |
| Complications | Fecha · Bisel giratorio de buceo |
| Diameter | 40 mm |
| Lug width | 20 mm |
| Case | Acero Oyster |
| Crystal | Plexiglás con lupa cíclope |
| Water resistance | 200 m (660 ft) |
IdentificationHow to tell it apart
The 1680 is the only Submariner Date that left the factory with an acrylic crystal. Everything that followed, starting with the 16800, came with sapphire. If you are offered a 1680 with a hard, flat crystal, somebody has fitted a replacement that does not belong to the period.
Red text on its own guarantees nothing. It is the single most faked detail on the watch, because all it takes is a change of dial. On a "Red" 1680, how the dial, hands, calibre and case serial number agree with one another matters far more than a close-up of the red.
The Cyclops is glued onto the crystal, not cut into it. On a modern replacement crystal it may well be better centred than on the original — which, oddly enough, is a sign that it is not the crystal the watch came with.
CollectingWhat collectors check
The first filter is always the dial: original matte finish, tritium that has aged evenly, and red that has not faded in any peculiar way. Red that looks too bright on a 1971 watch deserves a second look.
The second is the case. Like every Rolex diver of the period, these were polished again and again at service. The edge where the top face of the lug meets its flank is the quickest test of how much metal is left.
The third is the paperwork. On this reference in particular, given the gap between what a red one and a white one fetch, provenance and papers carry more weight than on almost any other Submariner.
Common questionsWhat people ask us about this reference
Which was the first Submariner with a date?
The reference 1680, launched in 1967. It was also the first to carry the Cyclops lens over the crystal to magnify the number.
What exactly is a "Red Sub"?
A 1680 with the word SUBMARINER printed in red on the dial. Rolex only did it between 1969 and 1975; the rest of the production run has the text in white.
Which calibre does the 1680 use?
The Rolex 1575, which is the calibre 1570 with a date complication added. From 1971 it also stops the seconds hand for setting.
Does it have a sapphire crystal?
No. The 1680 is the only Submariner Date built with an acrylic crystal. Sapphire arrived with its successor, the 16800.
Keep readingWhere to go from here
Close relativesThe ones it gets confused with
Confidence: alta — this page was checked against the sources below. If a detail looks wrong to you, write to us and we will fix it.