Submariner (new to me but not the world)

Not a watch I ever thought I'd be able to own (being a bit out of reach financially), but after some shuffling-around of things and some sales (including one here; there's another to come in a little while), I was able to pull this off.

Purchased from the renowned Jacek Kozubek at TropicalWatches (formerly at HQ Milton, and featured, it seems, whenever mainstream media decides to produce a story about vintage Rolexes!) this is a c.1993 Sub Date. You can see Jacek's (MUCH better photos in the original listing here.)

The bracelet heads for the vault now, as I don't like all the metal on the wrist, and it's going to be tempting to sell it off to help defray costs, but I'm going to resist that temptation if I can.

It's a nice, heavy chunk of watch, and I think it looks really handsome on the chocolate leather fitted strap from Everest. (I know some folks will say it's sacrilege to wear a Sub on anything other than stainless, but we all gotta do what we gotta do.)

The only thing that surprised me---having very little experience with tritium dials---is that the lume has no life left in it at all. I mean nothing. I understand a bit (from reading around just now) that there's no point in trying to "charge" it with regular or UV light---at nearly 30 years old, it's just got nothing left to give, I guess? Anyway, this doesn't detract from my appreciation of a really gorgeous watch! And I know better than to send this to RSC for service when the time comes: I don't need them putting SuperLuminova hands on this.

Just thought I'd share.

And my thanks to the forum members who shared insights with me ahead of purchase---you know who you are.

Interesting choice of names, however he does deal in nice stuff. You got a real clean one there!

Yeah, he's got a very well-curated collection. It was not lost on me that the "grail" watch I had to rearrange my life to get from him was the second-least-expensive thing in his inventory. 😀

Well no sense comparing. You have a great watch and remember some people arrive in this game of life at third base. 😁

Looks great! Congratulations. Mine is circa 1985 and the tritium is dead in the same way you describe. It does not charge but in the dark and once your eyes have adjusted you can just about tell the time....

What a fantastic piece - those chamfers are really nice too!

Please refrain from selling the bracelet! Even if you never use it. It’s good to just have it there as a complete SS Rolex. Most importantly...ENJOY IT!

Thanks, all!

Looks great with crisp beveled lugs! Don't sell the bracelet, and most of all don't pay any heed to any naysayers who tell you what to do with your stuff. I have Everest and Rubber B straps on several of my Rolexes. They are wonderful and help preserve the PCL's on bracelets.

Nice. Jealousy recorded.

Ha—thanks. It’s been an interesting journey as I really did not like dive watches for the longest time, and inasmuch as I was even aware of the Submariner, I knew it as a template that had been endlessly duplicated, in some cases duplicated in forms that I actually maybe preferred, such as by (gulp) Omega. But then when you actually see one of these in person, it’s kind of hard to miss what the fuss is about. They have a certain gravity to them, a heavy, contrasty magnitude that’s rugged and elegant. You add to that the cultural history of Steve McQueen and James Bond (with all due deference again to Omega), and the insane pricing for a kind of basic-looking non-precious-metal sports watch starts to make a little sense. Of course it’s still insane and silly and based so much on marketing and hype, but it got its hooks into me for sure. There’s no way I was going to get my hands on a new one, not having 30 Gs to spend cultivating a relationship with an authorized dealer for the privilege of getting added to a waitlist, and I’m not going to line the pockets of a flipper looking to turn $8900 into $11500, so... 1993.

I’ve been told that wearing this to an AD might help get me on the waitlist for a new Sub! It takes a Sub to get a Sub, in other words. So goofy.

To follow up on my own remarks, I found the darkest room in my house just now (post sunset) and closed my eyes for a full minute: the lume is in fact just barely visible: like a nebula in the New Mexico skies. 😀

the case is darn good. nice buy

Really beautiful piece!
Congratulations!

Beautiful watch. I've been looking at both Tropical Watches and Fog City Vintage for a no-date Submariner, it's good to here you had a good experience with the former.

My sense with Jacek is that he's not going to sell anything he wouldn't stake his (long- and hard-earned) reputation on, so you can definitely buy with confidence and know you're getting a watch that has been vetted by someone who lives and breathes what for most of us is a casual hobby. That said, because he's got such a following, he gets slammed with messages (across multiple platforms) and can take a little bit of time to reply.

He's got a few no-date Subs right now that look pretty damn good. Not sure how "vintage" you're going for, but there's an '85 that's gorgeous, if you don't mind a later bezel insert.

You are right @Annapolis it looks fire on the chocolate Everest! Congrats👍

congrats!!! definitely dont sell the bracelet, its hard to come by the proper one later on. i went the other route for my edc explorer 2 and had to piece meal it