Rolex Submariner Reference 16800

Purpose-built watches have captured the minds and hearts of collectors for decades. Many have found an enduring place in the pantheon of classic designs. The Rolex Submariner, for instance has attained a kind of holy reverence, with special fervor reserved for the matte dial variants of the 1960s to 1970s. However, increased demand for watches from the 1960s through 1970s has put a strain on the vintage marketplace and created a paucity of worthwhile examples for public consumption. As much as collectors tout the importance of “originality” and provenance, the fact is that these days it’s getting harder and harder to find untouched watches from that era. And time capsules—completely untouched watches with boxes and papers—are becoming as elusive as unicorns. Meanwhile, Rolex produced Submariners throughout the 1980s and 1990s that may have small differences that distinguish them from their predecessors, but still maintain the care and quality that we’ve come to associate with Rolex. Tr