Among Rolex diver's watches, the Submariner is particularly tough. The materials are carefully selected; for example, the stainless steel case of the current model is made of a special high-quality material called 904L stainless steel, which has excellent corrosion resistance. In addition, the Submariner's case, which can withstand tremendous water pressure, is equipped with a movement designed for long-term use. Due to this strength and robustness against deterioration over time, many of these watches can still be used as practical watches even when they become vintage. As a result, it can be said that this model is less likely to lose its asset value.
In 1985, the watch was made of 904L stainless steel, a material with excellent corrosion resistance and used in the aerospace industry, for the case.
Compared to ordinary stainless steel, 904L steel contains a high percentage of chromium and also molybdenum and copper, making it extremely difficult to process. It is a material that is originally used in the scientific and industrial fields where high corrosion resistance is required. In 1985, Rolex dared to take on this difficult material.
How much 904L has actually been used in the Submariner?
Most luxury watch brands use 316L stainless steel, which has excellent allergy resistance, as their stainless steel material. This high-quality material has a high chromium content of 18%, and is excellent in corrosion resistance, allergy resistance, and strength.
Rolex also used 316L steel in the past, but in 1985, they announced that they were the first in the watch industry to use "904L". This SS has a chromium content of 21%, making it more corrosion-resistant than 316L and extremely robust. It is originally used in the aerospace, high-tech, and chemical industries.
So how much 904L has actually been used in the Submariner so far? The case was changed to 904L steel from the Ref. 168000, which began production in 1985. This is consistent with the manufacturer's official announcement. Also, the bracelet is said to have been changed to 904L steel from the current model.
It can be said that Rolex adopted 904L, which is difficult to process, in order to prioritize corrosion resistance against seawater, etc. Also, the Ref. 168000 was called a mysterious reference created between the Ref. 16800 and the Ref. 16610, but there was a clear difference between the two in terms of whether or not they used 904L steel.
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Of course, in the case of Rolex, in addition to the practicality of the watch itself, the fact that it is the most well-known watch brand in the world adds to the value of the watch. Normally, the more years of use, the lower the price of the watch, but rather than lowering, there are some Rolex models that actually increase in price as time goes on. The value and rarity of authentic mechanical watches as works of art, rather than simply being industrial products, is the basis for this.
The Submariner is not only popular in Japan, but all over the world. The design does not change frequently, so past models do not become outdated. Also, unlike other brands, Rolex has a well-established vintage market, so it is easy to sell it at a fair price. The Submariner is an extremely good value watch that can be appraised at a high price even if you use it to the fullest.
Even if you've only been interested in new, current models up until now, we urge you to consider vintage models as well.