Rolex
Submariner Date
16613
The two-tone Submariner Date that defined an era of sport-luxury diving.
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Overview
The Rolex Submariner Date reference 16613 represents the steel and yellow gold iteration of the iconic 40 mm Submariner line, produced across roughly two decades from 1991 to 2009. Powered by the in-house calibre 3135, it pairs professional dive-watch credentials with the unmistakable warmth of Rolex's proprietary Oystersteel and 18 ct yellow gold combination. Dial variants spanning blue, black, and the ornate champagne serti configuration gave collectors a meaningful range of expression within a single reference.
History
The 16613 succeeded earlier two-tone Submariner references as Rolex refined both its movement and case finishing standards in the early 1990s. The adoption of calibre 3135 — featuring a Parachrom hairspring in later examples and Rolex's own Paraflex shock absorbers — brought the reference in line with the brand's evolving in-house manufacture philosophy. Throughout its production run the 16613 received incremental updates, including the transition from a gloss to a matte-style dial and refinements to the Oyster bracelet's clasp. It was retired in 2009 alongside the broader 16xxx Submariner generation, succeeded by the ceramic-bezel 116613.
Notable points
- The 40 mm Oyster case combines Oystersteel with 18 ct yellow gold on the bezel, crown, and bracelet centre links — a hallmark of the two-tone Submariner aesthetic.
- Calibre 3135 is a self-winding movement with a date complication, bidirectional rotor, and a power reserve of approximately 48 hours, long regarded as one of Rolex's most reliable workhorse calibres.
- Dial options included solid blue and black lacquer references as well as the prestigious serti dial, set with diamonds and other gemstones on the champagne-toned surface.
- The rotatable unidirectional bezel is graduated in 60-minute increments and fitted with a gold insert, maintaining the functional dive-timing purpose of the Submariner line.
- A long production run from 1991 to 2009 means the 16613 appears across a wide spectrum of configurations, making it a particularly varied reference for collectors to study.
