Rolex Submariner, c. 2003

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Why We Love It As the successor to the iconic Reference 5513, the 14060 embodies the spirit of the original no-date Submariner with perfect dial symmetry, function-first design, and legendary build quality. Early 14060 models utilized Tritium luminous material, while later references moved to Luminova. Interestingly, all 14060 models have “holey lugs” - an element of vintage design that makes it much easier for owners to change straps and bracelets with minimal effort. The 14060 is also the last reference No-Date Submariner to use the classically proportioned tapered 39mm Oyster case, marking the end of an era, and making it a true Neo-Vintage classic! This particular example, a Reference 14060M, dates to circa 2003 and features a desirable 2-line dial, strong case, and a flawless gloss black dial. The watch is accompanied by a serivice card, serialized hangtag, and punched papers from 2003. This Submariner offers a tremendous value proposition and is sure to be a favorite in any collection! The Submariner Story Rolex first debuted the Submariner at the 1954 Basel Spring Fair. It shared the stage with already-established offerings: the Explorer, the Turn-O-Graph, and a ladies' Oyster Perpetual with a chronometer certification. Compared to these other watches, the Submariner - with its oversized crown and chunky dive-timing bezel looked slightly out-of-place, and yet would become one of Rolex's most enduring models. Rolex's quest to produce a waterproof wristwatch has its roots in the First World War, when a need arose for soldiers to have a watch that could withstand the wet, dusty conditions on the battlefield. Rolex's Oyster case of 1926 represented the culmination of a decade of development. It gained notoriety in 1927, when Mercedes Gleitze became the first British woman to swim across the English Channel. She took with her an early Rolex Oyster, in what may have been the very first example of sports marketing by a luxury brand. A series of advertisements followed this feat, featuring smiling flappers dunking their Rolex Oysters in fish tanks. The Submariner hit the market at a time when oceanographer and explorer Jacques Cousteau exposed the world to the wonders of undersea exploration. With the advent of SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) in the late 1950s, skin-diving as a sport became accessible to amateurs. Since a mechanical timepiece was an essential piece of equipmeny for divers in a pre-digital world, the race was on amongst Swiss manufactures to produce a professional grade timepiece. Rolex was fortunate in that René Jeanneret, one of the company's directors, was a skin-diving enthusiast, giving Rolex a unique insight into the development of their diving watch. The resulting watch was an overnight success, and has been in continuous production ever since. The Oyster Perpetual Submariner, in all of its forms, is an icon amongst icons, a pinnacle of horological design, and a statement piece aspired to and worn by people the world over.