Rolex has officially revealed the latest iteration of the brand’s famed dive watch, the Submariner, an easy contender for the most famous watch of all time. Since its debut in 1953, the Sub has graced the wrists of divers, explorers, soldiers, actors, musicians, and countless everyday folks aspiring to own the best possible watch in its class. Instantly recognizable and utterly timeless, it’s the timepiece that the entire sport watch category is built upon.
The new references follow the iterative playbook Rolex is known for. At first glance, the changes to the iconic diver are easily missed. But even the seemingly minor tweaks found here — a larger case, a new movement, an updated dial — are sure to impact the Submariner’s legacy for decades to come. Rolex fans are quick to anger when anything about their favorite models is altered — but Rolex knows its business, and they don’t come to these decisions lightly. A 2020 Submariner would ultimately be recognizable to company founder Hans Wilsdorf, which is surely how the company prefers it.
That being said, tweaks to the new design are sure to please some and anger others, but such is the way of the (watch) world. In the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about the new Rolex Submariner.
At 41mm, This Is the Biggest Submariner Ever
RolexA 41mm Oystersteel case makes this version the biggest Submariner ever, though it’s just 1mm larger than the previous generations of the watch. To compensate for the change, the lugs have been noticeably slimmed down from those of the previous, 6-digit “maxi” cased-Subs.
