Name: Rolex Submariner 40 "Non-Serif" (Vintage) 1680
Brand: Rolex
SKU: 1680

The 1680 was the first Submariner to carry a date complication, introduced in 1965 with a bold red "Submariner" text on the dial that collectors now simply call the Red Sub. It is one of the most sought-after vintage Rolex references precisely because of the dial variations across its 14-year run, and because the early examples carry a visual energy that later production lost when the red text was quietly dropped.

What it is

Rolex produced the 1680 from 1965 through 1979, powering it throughout with the caliber 1575, a date-equipped movement based on the 1560 family. The defining feature, red "Submariner" text at 12 o'clock, appeared on early dials and was phased out during production in favor of white text only, creating a clear collector hierarchy within the same reference number. Rolex and collectors have catalogued at least six major dial variants, Mark I through Mark VI, distinguished by differences in text color, coronet size, depth-rating language, and the presence or absence of the "Swiss Made" underline.

Later 1680s also saw a matte-to-glossy dial transition that tracks roughly with broader Rolex dial changes of the late 1970s.

Buying notes

The dial is the first thing to scrutinize: red text fades, checks, or flakes, and restoration is common, so prefer examples with documented provenance and consistent aging across all printed elements. Check the cyclops lens alignment and magnification; replacements are frequent on date models and a misaligned or under-magnifying lens is a red flag. Case condition matters enormously on these, over-polishing softens the lug chamfers and removes the crisp lines that define the generation, favor unpolished or lightly polished cases.

The bracelet should match the era: correct period bracelets are a 93150 or earlier riveted Oyster; a later folded-link or solid oyster bracelet from the 1980s is a mismatch worth flagging. Finally, confirm the caseback has not been opened by an uncertified shop, as improper servicing of vintage calibers is widespread.

Market read

Red-text examples, particularly Mark I and Mark II dials in honest unrestored condition, trade at a meaningful premium over white-text 1680s; the gap can be 30 to 60 percent depending on dial integrity. Tropical dials (those that have aged to a brown or chocolate tone) command the highest premiums of all, though authentication is difficult and fakes are not uncommon in that sub-category. White-text late-production 1680s are considerably more accessible and represent a real entry point into the reference without paying the red-text premium.

The overall market for this reference has been firm and largely independent of broader vintage Rolex softening, given how specifically collectors pursue it.

Service expectations

The caliber 1575 is a well-understood movement and parts availability is reasonable among experienced vintage Rolex specialists, though it requires a watchmaker comfortable with date-wheel timing and older quickset mechanisms. Service intervals of 7 to 10 years are appropriate; a recently serviced example with service records from a credible source adds real value because buyers can defer that cost and trust the running condition. Expect service costs in the $400 to $800 range from a qualified independent; avoid shops that cannot source period-correct parts or that default to modern replacements.

Editorial copy is AI-drafted from primary sources and reviewed by Grail Atlas before publication. Where the text is uncertain about a fact, it says so. Email corrections@grailatlas.com if something reads wrong. Signals on this page (community, OSINT) are clearly separated from the editorial sections.

The first Submariner with a date, and the reference that set the modern layout every successor follows.

Uncommonlandmark#4 in family

Originality

Originality matters on this reference. An original dial and hands command a significant premium. Service replacements typically trade at a 20-40% discount to original examples.

Live pricing is coming soon. Get notified when it is available for this reference.

In-house manufacture caliber · caliber Rolex Cal. 1575: in-house automatic, 19,800bph, 44h PR, 26j; used in Submariner 1680; non-quickset date; Rolex workhorse caliber from 1960s-70s · 44h power reserve

Medium-large: suits wrists 6.5 in+ (16.5 cm+)

40 mm case. Wears confidently on average to larger wrists. May overhang on slender builds.

Not yet rated

Community + OSINT signals haven’t landed for this reference yet. We don’t publish a rating against zero signal: the number would mean nothing. Editorial body + caliber + market value still surface above; ratings appear once the signal corpus does.

Search pre-owned listings

Chrono24

eBay (sold listings)

WatchBox

Authentication

Red "SUBMARINER" text on 1680 dials makes the Red Sub the most counterfeited vintage Rolex; specialist authentication is non-negotiable.

Known issues in the market

Red dial text on genuine 1680 dials is a specific pantone; after-market reprints use different red tones visible under loupe.
Aging on genuine 1680 dials is non-uniform; uniformly aged dials have been chemically treated.

Area	What to check	What is correct	Red flag
dial	Red "SUBMARINER" text authenticity	Period-correct red pantone with organic text aging; no reprint artifacts under 5x loupe; text depth appropriate to original printing	Any reprint artifacts; red tone inconsistent with known genuine references; uniform text aging across the full dial
dial	Dial aging pattern	Non-uniform aging: darker at lug areas and around applied indices; lighter at dial center; consistent with 40+ years of natural oxidation	Uniform aging across entire dial surface; aging applied chemically is flat and consistent
caseback	Cal. 1575 movement	Cal. 1575 with period-correct service history; movement aging consistent with case vintage	Modern caliber in a vintage case; service parts clearly newer than the case vintage

Common legitimate replacements

Red Sub dials are the single most commonly faked vintage Rolex component; no purchase without specialist verification.
Crowns and crown tubes are frequently replaced; verify crown is period-correct Rolex winding crown.

Expert resources: Rolex 1680 Red Sub specialist authentication services. Eric Ku, Spike Shard, and similar vintage Rolex specialists. Antiquorum auction records.

Authentication guide

Last reviewed June 2026

The 1680 is the first Submariner with a date window, running from 1969 to 1979 on Cal. 1575. The "Red Sub" variant with red "Submariner" text is the most frequently refinished and faked dial in all of vintage Rolex.

Known reproduction risks

toggle

HIGH RISK

Red Sub dial created by adding red paint to a later black-text 1680 dial or by printing onto a period-correct blank. This is by far the most common manipulation in vintage Rolex.

Red text with soft edges or minor bleeding under 10x loupe -- genuine red text is crisply defined
Red color too uniform or too saturated for 50+ years of age
Text-edge texture change visible under 10x where red paint was applied over a white-text base
Lume plot aging inconsistent with a 1969 to 1971 date if the dial is otherwise described as period-correct

Service dials (correct period Rolex dials sourced from service centers, not original to the specific watch) are a separate category -- these are legal but reduce originality value. A service dial will often look slightly newer than the case and movement warrant.

MEDIUM

Full replica 1680 watches with aged-looking cases and movement swaps, typically presenting at mid-market prices.

Case lug geometry that is slightly off -- the 1680 lug profile is well-documented and replicas frequently err on inside lug curvature
Serial stamping depth inconsistent with known Rolex production (Rolex stamps were deep and even)
Bezel insert fading pattern that is artificially induced and too uniform

Dial variants by era

toggle

Era	Description	Identifiers
1969 to 1971	Red Sub -- matte black dial with "Submariner" printed in red. The most desirable and most-faked variant in the 1680 family.	"Submariner" text in red, all other dial text in white/silver Matte black dial surface with tritium lume plots in cream-to-tan tone "Swiss Made" or "T Swiss T" at 6 o'clock depending on exact production year "200m=660ft" depth rating text below Submariner in white Lume aging consistent with early 1970s production: tan to amber, not white
1971 to 1979	Matte black dial with all-white text. Red text eliminated, depth rating updated to feet-first format on later examples.	"Submariner" text in white/silver, matching all other text on the dial Later examples show "660ft=200m" (feet-first) depth format "T Swiss T" tritium designation on the vast majority of examples in this period Matte surface with consistent aging across plots and text

Service part flags

toggle

Dial

Original: Matte black dial with tritium lume plots that age to cream, tan, or amber depending on storage conditions. Red Sub dials have red "Submariner" text applied on top of the base dial. Original dials show natural uneven lume aging and may have minor humidity blemishes consistent with 50+ years of age.

Replacement tells

Red text with soft or bleeding edges at 10x magnification -- original red text has crisp, defined borders
Uniform bright or white lume plots on a stated 1969 to 1971 example (tritium does not stay white)
Red text color that is too uniform and saturated -- original red fades slightly over decades
Matte surface that is too clean and uniform with no aging texture under loupe
Text font weight or character spacing inconsistent with known 1680 production examples for the serial range
Redone dials frequently show slightly raised text edges under 10x where paint was applied over an existing surface

Crown

Original: Long-stem Twinlock crown (two-dot winding crown) sized for the 1680 case tube. Correct crown has the Rolex coronet engraved on the face.

Replacement tells

Triplock crown (three-dot) on a 1680 -- this reference used Twinlock throughout its production run
Crown diameter inconsistent with the case tube -- oversized or undersized crowns are common replacement parts
Coronet engraving that is shallow or fuzzy compared to known production examples
Crown that winds too loosely or too tightly for the movement's stem

Bezel insert

Original: Black aluminum insert with "0" to "60" minute scale. Original 1680 inserts show distinctive fading: the section from 9 o'clock through 12 fades most heavily due to UV exposure patterns. The pip at 12 is aluminum with a white reflector dot.

Replacement tells

Insert that looks fresh and uniform on an aged case -- original inserts always show fading asymmetry
Replacement insert that is too dark or uniform, suggesting re-inked or new-old-stock sourcing
Pip reflector dot that is too bright white on a heavily aged case
Later-generation ceramic insert incompatible with this era and reference

Crystal

Original: Acrylic (hesalite) crystal with a magnification bubble at 3 o'clock for the date window. The cyclops bubble is integral to the acrylic crystal -- not a separate lens piece. Original crystals show fine surface scratches consistent with age.

Replacement tells

Sapphire crystal on a stated original 1680 -- the 1680 used acrylic throughout its production run
Cyclops magnification that is detachable or shows a seam at its base (replacement parts assembly)
Crystal surface that is completely scratch-free on a heavily worn case (replaced, not original)

Case back markings

toggle

1969 to 1979

Plain caseback outer face with no engravings -- the 1680 caseback is smooth
ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL DATE SUBMARINER on the inner face
Serial number stamped between the lugs at 6 o'clock, not on the caseback face
Reference number 1680 stamped between lugs at 12 o'clock
Caseback is solid steel throughout the production run

Movement tells

toggle

The 1680 uses Cal. 1575 -- a date-equipped automatic running at 19,800bph. It does not have a quickset date; the date advances only by rotating the crown through the hours.
If a quickset date function is present, the movement has been swapped. The 1575 requires cycling through midnight to advance the date.
A correctly serviced 1575 holds rate within +/- 10 to 15 seconds per day. Greater drift without recent service suggests worn pallets or a tired mainspring.
The rotor should be bidirectional. A unidirectional or loose rotor indicates worn bearings in need of service.
Cal. 1575 runs at the same frequency as the 1570 family. A movement beating at 28,800bph (the tell-tale rapid tick of a modern movement) is not correct for this reference.

Sources: Rolex Forums -- Vintage Submariner 1680 authentication threads; Fratello Watches -- Red Sub buyer's guide; Phillips Watches -- authenticated 1680 auction archives.