Rolex Submariner 16800

This Submariner reference hit the market in 1978. At that point, many Rolex watches for men and women had cases that could go to depths of 100 meters. However, Ref 16800 changed that. This Rolex Submariner watch was the first in the lineup to remain water-resistant to depths of 300 meters. That water resistance continues to be the standard for Submariner Rolex watches for men.

From a design standpoint, the Ref 16800 steel dive watch looks similar to its predecessor, Ref 1680. However, this timepiece sports several upgrades beyond its more water-resistant 40-millimeter steel case.

Rolex also did away with the acrylic crystal of models past in favor of more scratch-resistant synthetic sapphire. Like other Submariners with date windows, it also features a magnifying Cyclops lens.

Another notable improvement with Ref 16800 is the bezel. It has the same black aluminum inlay as previous models. However, the new bezel is unidirectional instead of bidirectional.

Finally, this Rolex Submariner watch received a new movement. It has the Rolex Caliber 3035. It's a high-beat movement that introduced the now-standard Quickset date function.