Description:

ROLEX
“White gold Prototype”, Oyster Perpetual Date, Submariner, Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified, Ref. 1680, movement no. D701771, no serial number, circa 1973

An exceptionally rare and highly important, prototype, water-resistant, tonneau-shaped, automatic, 18K white gold certified chronometer diver’s wristwatch with nipple blue/purple dial, sweep centre second, date and an 18K white gold President bracelet with deployant clasp.

Fitted with a Cal. 1570, mechanical, rhodium-plated, certified chronometer, 26 jewels, engraved RB for Rolex Bienne, hack mechanism, self-compensating blued steel Breguet balance spring, 2-arm monometallic balance with Microstella timing screws, screwed case back and screwed white gold Triplock crown, hesalite crystal with cyclops lens.

Dial, case and movement signed
Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 14.10 mm. Approx. overall length 175 mm.

Exceptional is the word that immediately comes to mind when describing this prototype watch, one of only three known examples, in 18K white gold of the Submariner reference 1680. According to scholars, only three examples of these extraordinary prototypes are known, including the watch presented here, another with a blue dial and another with a black dial.

Exceptional, because the model was only ever made in stainless steel or yellow gold, no examples are known in white gold, except for the three prototype watches. In fact, the Submariner was only officially produced in white gold in 2014 with the reference 116619. But notably, more than 40 years later, it still features a blue dial (which earned it the nickname Smurf).

Exceptional in its design, with this special bezel in white gold, bidirectional, halfway between a classic Submariner and a Thunderbird, with the unique particularity of having notches only on two opposite places, as to be handled with two fingers, but also of featuring an alternating raised Arabic numerals and fluted decoration, as can be found much later on the Turn-O-Graph.

Exceptional in every detail, as it is obvious that innovative and never seen before aesthetic details should immediately alert us to a precious metal piece rather than the classic steel version. Reasons why this piece is provided with a white gold President bracelet, while the steel or gold Sub of the period were mounted on Oyster bracelets. We can also note that this piece does not have a colored insert in the bezel, as on the steel or yellow gold version, but an applied white gold insert with raised numbers and indexes. Probably, the production at the time did not allow to machine in one block the bezel, as on the Yacht-Master today, for example.

Exceptional, because even born in white gold, it remains a seasoned professional watch. We can see that this piece comes with a Triplock crown and tube of the first generation (often changed later, during maintenance, for a second generation). The inside case back engraved with Ref. 1680 and has all the gold marks, similar to those in the yellow gold version. The back is stamped with the key 12 for the case manufacturer Genex S.A., specialized in the manufacture of Oyster cases of Ref. 1680, but also those of the Ref. 6062. The lugs are not engraved, neither at 12 o'clock, nor at 12 o'clock, because this prototype piece was not intended to be marketed. Finally, the three dots, of which the central one is larger than the others, on the winding crown, a Rolex mark for a white gold crown.

Exceptional, by its dial so-called "Nipple" dial, of blue color which has naturally patinated and taken a note of purple, dial which we find on the version in yellow gold of the Submariner. This dial is called "nipple" because of the shape of the circular luminous indexes. This is a "feet first" dial introduced after about 1971, the previous type being designated "meters first". The dial bears the "T SWISS T" mark at his bottom, for tritium and gold markers. The indexes and hands were later re-lumed, probably at the manufactory.

By its design and construction, we can date this prototype to 1972-1973. The movement, caliber 1570, is equipped with the stop-second function, a feature found from 1971-1972. The serial number of the movement « D701771 » can be dated around 1972. On the other hand, we know that the yellow gold version of the Ref. 1680 Submariner Date appeared in 1968-1969, which seems totally consistent. Furthermore, this watch has a white gold President bracelet with a concealed deployant clasp, the end links of which are numbered 54, which can be dated around 1973.

Exceptional, because we already know other similar projects of declination of models, in a new material, but which also never saw the light of day, we think of the few existing Day-Date in steel, the Daytona Ref. 6265 in white gold, or the most recent Ref. 16516 in platinum. A living testimony of a project never realized in the early 1970's for a white gold Submariner, this spectacular watch is not only unique but also represents a museum piece in Rolex history.

An incredible project, perhaps aborted too early because of an oil crisis, a quartz crisis, which will last in the early 1970s until 1980. Did the brand decide to invest more in a quartz production to be able to propose around 1977 the Oysterquartz models? In the 1974 booklet dedicated to the Submariner, one could read "The Submariner has been dressed for the city and business, without ceasing to be a real diving watch", did Rolex want to create with this white gold model a version a little more dressed city watch? The mystery is complete.

Exceptional, unobtainable, this watch is a unique opportunity to acquire a part of the rich heritage of the brand with the crown, a one-of-a-kind creation!

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December 11, 2022 2:00 PM CET
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