The Vault › All references › Submariner
Submariner · 1969 to 1979
“Red Sub”
Grade A · 85/100Today's call: Buy
A: strong buy-and-hold. Ranked #16 of 129 references in The Crown Index vault.
| Original retail (1972) | $285 |
|---|---|
| Market today | $18,000 – $35,000 |
| Vs original retail | +9198% |
| 1-year trend | +8% |
The first Submariner with a date, and the early dials printed SUBMARINER in red. That one line of red text is worth five figures.
Mark variants (Mk I through VI) are a collecting discipline of their own.
The first Submariner with a date, and more importantly the first with the cyclops on a Sub, controversial in 1969, canonical now. The earliest dials printed SUBMARINER in red, and 'Red Subs' became one of vintage collecting's foundational hunts.
Red Sub dials come in six marks that specialists read like tree rings. The later white-print versions trade at half the red money for 95 percent of the watch, which is either the smart buy or the eternally second-best, depending on your temperament.
Our verdict: Entry ticket to serious vintage Sub collecting. The red line must be original; everything depends on it.
| Sizes | 40mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet material | Oystersteel (stainless) |
| Factory bracelet | Oyster |
| Factory bezels | Faded aluminum dive |
| Notable dials | Red SUBMARINER line (Mk I-VI, premium); White 'all white' later |
| Caliber | 1575 |
| Production | 1969 to 1979 (discontinued) |
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