Rolex Submariner

In many ways, the art of watchmaking is like a marriage. It’s a marriage of technology and tradition, where traditional items like watches are crafted by machines, whereas in the past they were made by hand. But beyond that, it’s a marriage of luxury and practicality. Nothing says that better than the Rolex Submariner. Though known from its earliest days as a producer of robust waterproof watches, the manufacture made a name for itself in the 1950s to 1970s with redoubtable tool watches meant to withstand rigorous use. The Submariner, with its utilitarian appearance and formidable depth rating, is perhaps the best-known tool watch of the period. It was meant to dive, and dive deep; to be worn, and worn hard; and its ruggedness appealed to soldiers, sailors, even international men of mystery.  And for many, a Rolex was a budget-conscious choice, less expensive than a counterpart from Omega or Universal Genève. But the 1970s and 1980s saw the Crown enter the luxury realm. Faced with encr