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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 16618 Submariner}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex Submariner Date 16618 — BezelBase
|title=Rolex Submariner 16618, full-gold caliber 3135 Submariner Date
|description=The 16618 is the full 18k yellow gold Submariner Date with caliber 3135 — the peak material expression of the 3135-era Submariner generation. It replaced…
|description=The Rolex 16618 is the full 18k yellow-gold Submariner Date from the caliber 3135 generation, with an aluminium blue or black bezel insert and 40mm Oyster case.
|keywords=Rolex, 16618, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
|keywords=Rolex, 16618, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
|type=article
|image=Ref_16618_hero.webp
|image_alt=Rolex Submariner 16618; 18k yellow gold with blue dial and bezel
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-14T16:13:04Z
|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:09:38Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


<small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] → '''16618'''</small>
<small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] › '''16618'''</small>
[[File:Ref 16618 hero.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Rolex Submariner Ref. 16618]]


The 16618 is the full 18k yellow gold Submariner Date with caliber 3135 — the peak material expression of the 3135-era Submariner generation. It replaced the 16808 around 1988 and ran until the ceramic-bezel 116618 took over around 2008–2009, giving it a roughly twenty-year production window that mirrors the two-tone 16613 running alongside it. Every internal evolution the 16613 received, the 16618 also received: lume transitions, bracelet upgrades, and rehaut engraving all happened in both references across the same timeframe. Twenty years under one reference number meant steady refinement rather than revolution.
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref_16618_hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex Submariner 16618 in 18k yellow gold with blue dial, full watch and bracelet|Rolex Submariner 16618 in 18k yellow gold with blue dial, full watch and bracelet]]
</div>


This reference belongs to the gold Submariner lineage that begins with the first gold Submariner in 1969 and continues unbroken to the present: 1680/8 (1969) → [[Reference:16808|16808]] → '''[[Reference:16618|16618]]''' → 126618. It is the second-longest chapter in that lineage, covering two decades of the gold Submariner at its most mature technically while still wearing an aluminum bezel insert.
The 16618 is the full 18k yellow-gold Submariner Date from the caliber 3135 generation. It ran alongside the two-tone 16613, with changes to lume, bracelet, and case markings appearing at different points rather than in one single revision.
 
It follows the first gold Submariner references, the [[Reference:16808|16808]], and precedes the [[Reference:116618|116618]] and 126618. The 16618 combines the 3135 movement, sapphire crystal, and aluminium bezel insert in a full-gold case.


<span id="core-facts"></span>
<span id="core-facts"></span>
== Core facts ==
== Core facts ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
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|-
|-
| production
| production
| approximately 1988 to 2008–2009 (~20 years)
| about 1988 to 2008–2009 (~20 years)
|-
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| movement
| movement
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== Where it sits in the gold Submariner lineage ==
== Where it sits in the gold Submariner lineage ==


The gold Submariner has existed in every generation since 1969 — the longest continuous precious-metal thread in the Submariner family:
The 16618 is the full-gold member of the cal. 3135 Submariner Date group. The steel 16610 and two-tone Rolesor 16613 share the movement architecture and general case dimensions, while the 16618 uses 18k yellow gold throughout and weighs more than the steel reference.
 
* 1680/8 (1969): first gold Submariner, acrylic crystal, caliber 1570/1575
* [[Reference:16808|16808]] (~1979–1988): sapphire crystal, 300m, caliber 3035, nipple dial
* '''[[Reference:16618|16618]] (~1988–2009): caliber 3135, Microstella regulation, SEL upgrade''' ← this reference
* 126618 (2020–present): 41mm case, caliber 3235, ceramic bezel
 
Within its own generation, the 16618 sits at the material apex:
 
* [[Reference:16610|16610]]: steel — widest market, most produced
* [[Reference:16613|16613]]: Rolesor (two-tone) — gold in visible positions, steel case
* [[Reference:16618|16618]]: full 18k yellow gold — maximum material commitment ← this reference
 
All three share caliber 3135. The 16618 is the same movement as the 16610 and 16613 in a full gold body. The 126618LB — current retail $48,600 USD — is the modern successor, substantially richer in spec (larger case, newer movement, ceramic bezel) but recognizably the same watch in character.
 
<span id="movement-notes"></span>
== Movement notes ==
 
Caliber 3135 runs throughout the entire production span — the same movement found in the steel 16610 and the two-tone 16613. This is a quick-set date movement running at 28800 bph with Microstella regulation for fine-tuning. The 3135 is one of Rolex’s most produced and best-documented calibers, known for long service intervals and robust reliability.


The material of the case has no effect on the movement’s specification. A 16618 and a 16610 from the same year are mechanically identical inside; the difference is entirely in what surrounds the movement.
What changed inside the reference arrived in pieces. Lume ran through three generations, the bracelet gained solid end links, the rehaut picked up its engraving, and no single year marks the break. A 1989 16618 and a 2008 16618 are the same reference and noticeably different watches.


<span id="production-outline"></span>
<span id="production-outline"></span>
== Production outline ==
== Production outline ==


The 16618 mirrors the 16613 closely in its internal evolution, following the same transitions but in full gold:
The 16618 shares the broad 3135-era changes seen on the 16613. Sources place the lume transition around the late 1990s, the 93158-to-93258 bracelet change around 2000, and engraved rehaut examples in the later production period. These dates are approximate and should be checked against the individual watch.
 
# '''Lume''': tritium (early, to ~1998) → Luminova (~1998) → Super-Luminova (late)
# '''Bracelet''': 93158 with hollow end links → 93258 with solid end links (SEL), approximately 2000
# '''Rehaut''': plain (early and mid-run) → engraved ROLEX ROLEX text with serial at 6 o’clock (from ~2005)


<span id="early-production-19881998"></span>
<span id="early-production-19881998"></span>
=== Early production (~1988–1998) ===
=== Early production (~1988–1998) ===


Early watches carry tritium lume (marked T SWISS T or T&lt;25) and the 93158 bracelet with hollow end links. The plain rehaut and hollow bracelet clearly date these examples to the pre-millennium era. For collectors, early tritium 16618 examples are the most historically specific configuration.
Early watches carry tritium lume (marked T SWISS T or T<25) on the 93158 bracelet with hollow end links. A plain rehaut and tritium dial are consistent with an earlier production period, but neither feature alone fixes a year or proves original delivery. The earliest documented example at auction is a c.1988 sunburst-blue-dial 16618 (movement no. 5498018, case no. L930086) offered at Bonhams New York in October 2022; it did not sell.


<span id="mid-production-19982005"></span>
<span id="mid-production-19982005"></span>
=== Mid production (~1998–2005) ===
=== Mid production (~1998–2005) ===


Lume transitioned from tritium to Luminova, then Super-Luminova. The bracelet moved to 93258 with solid end links around 2000. Exact changeover date needs serial-band evidence.
Dial lume moved from tritium to Luminova and then to Super-Luminova. The bracelet moved to the 93258 with solid end links around 2000. No source pins either changeover to a specific serial band. A blue-dial example purchased new on 18 March 2003 is documented in Bonhams’ June 2025 lot, cased at no. P616061.


<span id="late-production-20052009"></span>
<span id="late-production-20052009"></span>
=== Late production (~2005–2009) ===
=== Late production (~2005–2009) ===


Engraved inner rehaut with ROLEX ROLEX text and serial number at 6 o’clock. These late examples look closer to the 116618 successor than to early tritium examples.
The late watches carry the engraved inner rehaut, with ROLEX ROLEX repeating around the ring and the serial at 6 o'clock. Late examples have the engraved rehaut seen on later Submariner production; the case reference remains 16618 until the 116618 successor.
 
<span id="movement-notes"></span>
== Movement notes ==
 
Caliber 3135 runs throughout, the same movement used in the steel 16610 and the two-tone 16613. Quick-set date, 28,800 vph, Microstella regulation for fine-tuning. The 3135 is also used in the contemporary 16610 and 16613; service condition must be assessed on the individual movement.
 
Case material has no bearing on movement specification. A 16618 and a 16610 from the same year are mechanically identical; only the metal around the movement differs.


<span id="dial-map"></span>
<span id="dial-map"></span>
== Dial map ==
== Dial map ==
[[File:Ref 16618 dial-detail.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Dial detail]]
 
[[File:Ref 16618 champagne-serti.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Champagne Serti]]
<span id="champagne-serti-dial"></span>
[[File:Ref 16618 blue-dial.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Blue Dial]]
=== Champagne Serti dial ===
 
A factory gem-set configuration documented at auction: Bonhams catalogued one under its own "Sultan" dial name in June 2023, a sunburst champagne dial with diamond-set hour markers and baguette-sapphire-set quarters, paired with a gold bezel and blue calibrated insert. The lot came from the original owner, who bought it new on 28 December 1998, with box, punched guarantee and a 1998–1999 calendar card.
 
[[File:Ref 16618 champagne-serti.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Champagne Serti dial with diamond hour markers and sapphire indices|Champagne Serti dial with diamond hour markers and sapphire indices]]
 
 


<span id="blue-dial-lb"></span>
<span id="blue-dial-lb"></span>
=== Blue dial (LB) ===
=== Blue dial (LB) ===


Blue sunburst dial with gold applied markers and gold hands — the more commonly photographed and traded configuration. Lume transitions from tritium through Luminova to Super-Luminova across the run, same as the 16613.
Blue sunburst dial with gold applied markers and gold hands.


'''Tropical purple phenomenon''': Rolex Forum collectors have documented blue 16618 dials that oxidize over decades to a purple or plum hue. Forum examples include 1989 and 1991 production pieces showing the color shift. The tropical purple change is driven by UV exposure and chemical aging of the blue dial pigment and is considered a desirable collector feature. The phenomenon is more commonly documented on the 16613 due to higher production volume, but it occurs identically on the 16618.
[[File:Ref 16618 blue-dial.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Submariner 16618; 18k yellow gold with blue dial and bezel|Rolex Submariner 16618; 18k yellow gold with blue dial and bezel]]
 
Both blue and black configurations are documented; the cited sources do not establish a complete production or trading split. Lume runs from tritium through Luminova to Super-Luminova across the run, on the same schedule as the 16613.
 
Rolex Forum collectors have documented tropical purple shift on blue 16618 dials. After decades of UV exposure and chemical aging the pigment oxidizes to a purple or plum hue, with forum examples drawn from 1989 and 1991 production. Listings sometimes describe the shift as a condition feature, but colour change alone does not prove originality or factory intent. The tropical shift is better documented on the 16613 because production volumes were higher, but it occurs identically on the 16618. A major auction house has now catalogued the shift directly rather than as a forum observation alone: Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr listed a circa-1991 example in October 2025 with the dial described in its own catalogue text as "sunburst blue/purple."


<span id="black-dial-ln"></span>
<span id="black-dial-ln"></span>
=== Black dial (LN) ===
=== Black dial (LN) ===


Black dial with gold applied markers. Less common in the secondary market. Typically trades at a discount to the blue.
Black dial with gold applied markers. The cited auction record contains fewer black examples than blue ones; the sample does not establish the relative production or surviving population of the two dial colours. A circa-1991 example catalogued by Bonhams in February 2024 had a clasp stamped S7, a service-replacement code rather than a period-original stamp.


<span id="lapis-lazuli-dial"></span>
<span id="lapis-lazuli-dial"></span>
=== Lapis lazuli dial ===
=== Lapis lazuli dial ===


A lapis lazuli stone dial variant exists for the 16618, documented on Rolex Forum. These dials use a polished slab of lapis lazuli — a deep blue semi-precious stone with characteristic gold pyrite flecking — in place of the standard painted dial. Lapis lazuli dials are factory-produced Rolex special dials, not aftermarket conversions. They are extremely rare and command substantial premiums. Authentication requires careful inspection: genuine Rolex stone dials have specific finishing and marker-setting characteristics that distinguish them from aftermarket stone dial conversions.
A lapis lazuli stone-dial variant of the 16618 is documented on Rolex Forum. A polished slab of lapis lazuli, a deep-blue semi-precious stone with characteristic gold pyrite flecking, replaces the standard painted dial. A lapis example is reported in specialist documentation, but the reviewed source set does not establish a complete factory production record. Stone dials require case-by-case authentication because aftermarket replacements exist.


<span id="tiffany-co.-co-signed-dials"></span>
<span id="tiffany-co.-co-signed-dials"></span>
=== Tiffany &amp; Co. co-signed dials ===
=== Tiffany & Co. co-signed dials ===
 
Rolex Forum documents 16618 dials co-signed "Tiffany & Co." below the coronet and fitted with sapphire and diamond hour markers. These date from the years when Tiffany & Co. was an authorized Rolex dealer and co-signed dials on select references. The co-signature requires case-by-case authentication; the reviewed sources do not establish a complete census. The co-signature is the thing to authenticate: aftermarket Tiffany-stamped dials exist, and the gap between genuine and fake is wide enough to make faking worthwhile.


Rolex Forum documents the existence of 16618 dials co-signed with “Tiffany &amp; Co.” below the Rolex coronet, fitted with sapphire and diamond hour markers. These are period retailer-signed dials from the era when Tiffany &amp; Co. was an authorized Rolex dealer and co-signed dials were produced for select references. Tiffany-signed 16618 examples are rare and carry significant premiums driven by the dual-brand provenance. Authentication of the co-signature is critical — aftermarket Tiffany dials exist and the premium gap between genuine and fake co-signing is large.
[[File:Ref_16618_dial-detail.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Blue dial detail; gold hands and hour markers against sunburst blue|Blue dial detail; gold hands and hour markers against sunburst blue]]


<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown-notes"></span>
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown-notes"></span>
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==
[[File:Ref 16618 detail 3.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Detail view]]
[[File:Ref 16618 detail.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Detail view]]
[[File:Ref 16618 caseback.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Caseback]]


The entire case is 18k yellow gold: case body, bezel, crown, crown tube, and case back. Crown guards are present. The Triplock crown seals to 300m. The 16618 is substantially heavier than the steel 16610.
The entire case is 18k yellow gold: body, bezel, crown, crown tube, and case back, with crown guards present and a Triplock crown sealing to 300m. It wears substantially heavier than the steel 16610 of the same generation.


The crystal is sapphire with Cyclops. The bezel insert is aluminum in blue or black — aluminum inserts fade and scratch over decades of use, which is a condition factor but also a patina story. The ceramic insert arrived only with the 116618.
The crystal is sapphire with Cyclops. The bezel insert is aluminum in blue or black, and it fades and scratches with use. It is a condition factor and should be assessed with the case, dial, and bracelet. The ceramic insert only arrived with the 116618 that followed.


'''“Flat 3” anchor bezel''': Early 16618 production features what Rolex Forum collectors call a “Flat 3” bezel — a vintage-style font on the bezel insert where the numeral 3 at the 15-minute position uses a flatter, more angular form. This is an early-production identification point, consistent with the bezel font style used on the preceding 16808 generation. Later 16618 bezels transitioned to the more rounded numeral forms that became standard.
Early production carries what Rolex Forum collectors call a Flat 3 bezel; a vintage-style font on the insert in which the numeral 3 at the 15-minute position uses a flatter, more angular form. The Flat 3 is an early-production identification point, carried over from the outgoing 16808 generation. Later 16618 bezels moved to the more rounded numerals that became standard across the family.


The rehaut is plain on early and mid-production watches. Late examples carry engraved ROLEX ROLEX text.
The inner rehaut is plain on early and mid-production watches. Late examples carry the engraved ROLEX ROLEX text.


Hallmarks follow standard Rolex precious metal marking: Helvetia bust with G (Geneva assay), then the St. Bernard dog Barry mark after 1995.
Hallmarks follow the standard Rolex precious-metal marking of the period. Helvetia bust with "G" Geneva assay mark through the mid-1990s, then the St. Bernard dog Barry mark from 1995 onward.


<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==
[[File:Ref 16618 bracelet.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bracelet]]


The bracelet transition is one of the most important authenticity and dating checkpoints for the 16618, parallel to the same transition on the two-tone 16613.
Along with lume type, the bracelet is one of the primary authenticity and dating checkpoints on a 16618, running on the same transition schedule as the two-tone 16613.


<span id="early-bracelet-93158-end-link-construction-disputed"></span>
<span id="early-bracelet-93158-end-link-construction-disputed"></span>
=== Early bracelet: 93158 (end link construction — disputed) ===
=== Early bracelet: 93158 ===


Full 18k gold Oyster bracelet with Fliplock clasp. The gold bracelet is prone to stretching over time — gold is softer than steel, and the combination of a heavy gold case with daily wear causes the bracelet links to develop play. Stretching is common on well-worn examples and a key condition factor. The 93158 covers early production through approximately 2000.
The early bracelet is a full 18k gold Oyster with Fliplock clasp, and it is prone to stretching over time. Gold is softer than steel, and daily wear on a heavy gold case will eventually open play between the links. Stretch is common on well-worn examples and should be recorded in the condition assessment. The 93158 covers early production through about 2000.


'''End link construction discrepancy''': Some collector sources describe the 93158 as having hollow end links, consistent with the pattern on the steel 93150 and two-tone 93153 of the same era. Rolex Forum contributors assert that the 16618 “always had solid links from day one” — meaning the gold bracelet used solid end links throughout, even before the formal SEL transition that affected the steel and two-tone references around 2000. This discrepancy is unresolved. Solid gold end links may have been necessary for structural integrity given the metal’s softness, which could explain why the gold bracelet’s construction differed from its steel and two-tone counterparts. Until definitive factory documentation or systematic physical inspection settles the question, both positions should be noted.
Sources disagree on 93158 end-link construction. Some describe hollow end links throughout, others solid end links from the start, and nothing published settles it. An end-link claim on any given example is worth checking against the hardware rather than against the bracelet reference number.


<span id="later-bracelet-93258-solid-end-links-sel"></span>
<span id="later-bracelet-93258-solid-end-links-sel"></span>
=== Later bracelet: 93258 (solid end links — SEL) ===
=== Later bracelet: 93258 (solid end links, SEL) ===
 
The 93258 brought solid end links; SEL, in collector shorthand; to the full-gold Submariner bracelet. Solid end links close the gap between bracelet and case more tightly than hollow construction, and they remove the flex that hollow-link bracelets tend to develop with age. The transition landed around 2000, mirroring the pattern of the steel and two-tone references. Rolex had first used solid end links on the Sea-Dweller before spreading them across the Submariner family.


The 93258 brought solid end links (Super End Links) to the full-gold Submariner bracelet. Solid end links close the gap between bracelet and case more tightly and eliminate the slight flex that hollow-link bracelets develop. The transition happened around 2000, mirroring the pattern of the steel and two-tone references. Solid end links were first used on the Sea-Dweller before spreading across the Submariner family.
The 93158-to-93258 transition is a key authenticity checkpoint. A late-serial watch on a 93158 should prompt a bracelet and service-history check, but it does not prove a swap without examining the hardware and records. A circa-2005 blue-dial lot catalogued by Bonhams in February 2020 was fitted with a 93258 Oyster bracelet and a clasp stamped OP2, corroborating the 93258 fitment on that later production.
 
Clasp date codes follow the standard Rolex scheme of the period. An S stamp indicates a service replacement. The code dates the bracelet alone; the watch head's own age is a separate question.
 
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 16618 caseback.webp|alt=Caseback and clasp with Rolex coronet engraving|Caseback and clasp with Rolex coronet engraving
File:Ref 16618 clasp-detail.webp|alt=18k yellow gold Oyster bracelet and Fliplock clasp|18k yellow gold Oyster bracelet and Fliplock clasp
File:Ref 16618 bracelet.webp|alt=Full 18k gold Oyster bracelet, blue-dial 16618|Full 18k gold Oyster bracelet, blue-dial 16618
</gallery>


The 93158 → 93258 transition is a key authenticity checkpoint: a late-serial 16618 (post-2000) should be on a 93258. A 93158 on a late-serial watch suggests a bracelet replacement or mismatched example.


Clasp date codes follow the standard Rolex scheme. The S stamp indicates a service replacement. A clasp code dates the bracelet, not the watch head.


<span id="special-branches"></span>
<span id="special-branches"></span>
== Special branches ==
== Special branches ==


No documented military or institutional special branches for the 16618 in the current evidence set. Given the twenty-year run, factory Serti or gem-set variants may exist beyond the Tiffany &amp; Co. and lapis lazuli variants documented above.
No military or institutional special branches are documented for the 16618. Beyond the lapis lazuli and the Tiffany-signed dials, the champagne "Sultan" diamond-and-sapphire dial catalogued by Bonhams (see Dial map, above) is the clearest documented factory gem-set configuration.


<span id="no-holes-case-d-serial-onward"></span>
<span id="no-holes-case-d-serial-onward"></span>
=== No-holes case (D-serial onward) ===
=== No-holes case (D-serial onward) ===


Rolex Forum documentation confirms that the 16618 received the no-holes case — eliminating the drilled lug holes — at approximately the D serial (~2005–2006), following the same pattern as the steel 16610 and two-tone 16613. Earlier 16618 examples have drilled lug holes; D-serial and later examples do not. This is a dating and authenticity checkpoint consistent across the 3135-era Submariner generation.
Rolex Forum documentation places the no-holes case on the 16618 at around the D serial (roughly 2005–2006), following the same timing as the steel 16610 and two-tone 16613. Earlier examples have drilled lug holes; D-serial and later examples do not. The change is a consistent dating and authenticity checkpoint across the 3135-era Submariner generation.


<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
== Historical market and auction record ==
== Historical market and auction record ==


The 16618 appears at auction less frequently than the two-tone 16613 but more frequently than the shorter-run 16808. Full gold construction places it at the top of the 3135-era Submariner range by weight and material value.
The auction record is smaller than the two-tone 16613 record. Results vary with dial, case condition, bracelet, papers, service history, and originality of gem-set or bezel components. The listed lots are individual evidence rather than a fixed price ladder.


Blue LB is the more commonly traded configuration. Black LN trades at a discount. Early tritium examples on hollow-link bracelets command the most attention from collectors who value the historical specificity of the early run.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! source !! date / lot !! example !! result
|-
| Bonhams New York || Oct 2022, lot 125 || c.1988 blue-dial 16618, L930086 || unsold; estimate US$35,000–55,000
|-
| Bonhams || Feb 2024, lot 100 || c.1991 black-dial 16618 || hammer GBP 16,000
|-
| Bonhams || Jun 2023, lot 54 || c.1998 champagne “Sultan” dial || hammer GBP 20,000
|-
| Bonhams || Jun 2025, lot 243 || purchased 18 Mar 2003, blue dial || hammer US$22,000
|-
| Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr || Oct 2025, lot 33 || c.1991 blue/purple dial || hammer EUR 20,000
|}


<span id="modern-pricing-benchmark"></span>
=== Modern pricing benchmark ===


The current-generation successor, the 126618LB (41mm, caliber 3235, ceramic bezel), retails at '''$48,600 USD''' at Rolex authorized dealers. This is the relevant benchmark for understanding where the 16618 sits in the gold Submariner value continuum. The 16618 trades at a significant discount to that figure in the secondary market — the aluminum bezel insert, older movement, and lack of ceramic place it in an earlier tier — but the 126618LB price establishes the gold Submariner’s current prestige positioning. The 16618 is the direct predecessor of a watch that now costs nearly $50,000 at retail.


No specific hammer prices for 16618 lots have been captured in this corpus. A targeted auction pass is the priority next step.
== Related references ==
 
* [[Reference:16610|Submariner 16610]]: Date, Cal 3135 (1988–2010)
* [[Reference:16613|Submariner 16613]]: 1989–2009
* [[Reference:16613LB|Submariner 16613LB]]: 1989–2009
* [[Reference:16613LN|Submariner 16613LN]]: 1989–2009
* [[Reference:14060|Submariner 14060]]: Non-Date, Cal 3000 (1990–2000)
* [[Reference:14060M|Submariner 14060M]]: 2000–2012
 
See also the [[Reference:submariner|Submariner family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].
 
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref_16618_hero.webp|Full-gold 16618 with blue dial and bracelet
File:Ref 16618 blue-dial.webp|16618 blue sunburst dial
File:Ref 16618 champagne-serti.webp|16618 champagne Serti dial
File:Ref_16618_dial-detail.webp|16618 blue dial detail
File:Ref 16618 caseback.webp|16618 caseback and clasp
File:Ref 16618 clasp-detail.webp|16618 gold Fliplock clasp
File:Ref 16618 bracelet.webp|16618 full-gold Oyster bracelet
</gallery>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-2-the-55xx-1680references/ History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date] — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-2-the-55xx-1680references/ Tom Mulraney, "History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date", Monochrome, 2020-08-19]
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/rolex-info/rolex-two-tone-submariner.html Bob's Watches two-tone Submariner history] — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-modern-references/ Tom Mulraney, "History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 3, Modern References", Monochrome, 2020]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/how-to-start-collecting-the-rolex-submariner The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide] — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/rolex-submariner-reference-points Stephen Pulvirent, "Reference Points: Understanding The Rolex Submariner", Hodinkee, 2019-07-18]
* [https://www.grayandsons.com/blog/rolex-submariner-date-history/ Gray & Sons Submariner Date history] — Gray & Sons editorial, Gray & Sons
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/how-to-start-collecting-the-rolex-submariner Stephen Pulvirent, "The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide", Sotheby's, 2025-03-07]
* [https://professionalwatches.com/rolex-submariner-reference-guide/ Rolex Submariner Reference Guide] — Professional Watches editorial, Professional Watches
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual''; Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/rolex-submariner-date-126618lb/ The New Rolex Submariner Date In Gold Reference 126618LB] — Robert-Jan Broer, Fratello Watches
* ''Oyster Perpetual Submariner: The Watch that Unlocked the Deep''; Nicholas Foulkes, Wallpaper / ACC Art Books, 2024-09-16
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/five-things-i-learned-from-the-first-ever-rolex-authorized-submariner-book Rich Fordon, "Five Things I Learned From The First Ever Rolex-Authorized Submariner Book", Hodinkee, 2024-09-25]
* ''Collecting Rolex Submariner''; Franca and Guido Mondani, Guido Mondani Editore
* RolexForums community, "RolexForums vintage Submariner research bundle", RolexForums, 2026-04-13
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/rolex-info/rolex-two-tone-submariner.html "Bob's Watches two-tone Submariner history", Bob's Watches]
* [https://www.grayandsons.com/blog/rolex-submariner-date-history/ "Gray & Sons Submariner Date history", Gray & Sons]
* [https://professionalwatches.com/rolex-submariner-reference-guide/ "Rolex Submariner Reference Guide", Professional Watches]
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/rolex-submariner-date-126618lb/ Robert-Jan Broer, "The New Rolex Submariner Date In Gold Reference 126618LB", Fratello Watches, 2020-11-20]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/27612/lot/125/rolex-a-fine-18k-gold-automatic-calendar-bracelet-watch-submariner-ref-16618-c1988/ "Rolex Submariner ref. 16618, c.1988", Bonhams New York, October 2022]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29150/lot/100/rolex-an-18k-gold-automatic-calendar-bracelet-watch-submariner-ref-16618-circa-1991/ "Rolex Submariner ref. 16618, black dial, circa 1991", Bonhams, February 2024]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/30779/lot/33/rolex-a-very-fine-barely-worn-18k-gold-automatic-calendar-bracelet-watch-rolex-tres-belle-et-tres-peu-portee-montre-bracelet-en-or-jaune-18k-750-avec-date-mouvement-automatique-submariner-date-ref-16618-circa-1991/ "Rolex Submariner Date ref. 16618, tropical blue/purple dial, circa 1991", Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr, October 2025]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/30813/lot/243/rolex-a-fine-18k-gold-automatic-calendar-bracelet-watch-submariner-ref-16618-purchased-18th-march-2003/ "Rolex Submariner ref. 16618, purchased 18 March 2003", Bonhams, June 2025]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28033/lot/54/rolex-a-fine-18k-gold-automatic-calendar-bracelet-watch-offered-on-behalf-of-the-original-owner-submariner-sultan-ref-16618-purchased-28th-december-1998/ "Rolex Submariner 'Sultan' ref. 16618, diamond and sapphire dial, purchased 28 December 1998", Bonhams, June 2023]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/25954/lot/235/rolex-an-18k-gold-automatic-calendar-bracelet-watch-submariner-ref-16618t-circa-2005/ "Rolex Submariner ref. 16618, circa 2005", Bonhams, February 2020]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/18266/lot/875/rolex-a-fine-18k-gold-calendar-bracelet-watchsubmariner-ref-16618-case-no-t456678-sold-1997/ "Rolex Submariner ref. 16618, case no. T456678, sold new 1997", Bonhams, August 2010]
 


[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Working Draft]]

Latest revision as of 03:05, 29 September 2026


Submariner › 16618

Rolex Submariner 16618 in 18k yellow gold with blue dial, full watch and bracelet
Rolex Submariner 16618 in 18k yellow gold with blue dial, full watch and bracelet

The 16618 is the full 18k yellow-gold Submariner Date from the caliber 3135 generation. It ran alongside the two-tone 16613, with changes to lume, bracelet, and case markings appearing at different points rather than in one single revision.

It follows the first gold Submariner references, the 16808, and precedes the 116618 and 126618. The 16618 combines the 3135 movement, sapphire crystal, and aluminium bezel insert in a full-gold case.


Core facts

detail value
reference 16618 (LN = black, LB = blue)
family Submariner Date
production about 1988 to 2008–2009 (~20 years)
movement caliber 3135 (date, quick-set, 28800 bph)
case 40mm, full 18k yellow gold
crystal sapphire with Cyclops
water resistance 300m
bezel 18k gold with aluminum insert (blue or black)
lume tritium (early), Luminova (~1998), Super-Luminova (late)
bracelet 93158 → 93258 (SEL transition, see bracelet section)
rehaut plain (early), engraved ROLEX ROLEX (~2005 onward)
successor 116618

Where it sits in the gold Submariner lineage

The 16618 is the full-gold member of the cal. 3135 Submariner Date group. The steel 16610 and two-tone Rolesor 16613 share the movement architecture and general case dimensions, while the 16618 uses 18k yellow gold throughout and weighs more than the steel reference.

What changed inside the reference arrived in pieces. Lume ran through three generations, the bracelet gained solid end links, the rehaut picked up its engraving, and no single year marks the break. A 1989 16618 and a 2008 16618 are the same reference and noticeably different watches.

Production outline

The 16618 shares the broad 3135-era changes seen on the 16613. Sources place the lume transition around the late 1990s, the 93158-to-93258 bracelet change around 2000, and engraved rehaut examples in the later production period. These dates are approximate and should be checked against the individual watch.

Early production (~1988–1998)

Early watches carry tritium lume (marked T SWISS T or T<25) on the 93158 bracelet with hollow end links. A plain rehaut and tritium dial are consistent with an earlier production period, but neither feature alone fixes a year or proves original delivery. The earliest documented example at auction is a c.1988 sunburst-blue-dial 16618 (movement no. 5498018, case no. L930086) offered at Bonhams New York in October 2022; it did not sell.

Mid production (~1998–2005)

Dial lume moved from tritium to Luminova and then to Super-Luminova. The bracelet moved to the 93258 with solid end links around 2000. No source pins either changeover to a specific serial band. A blue-dial example purchased new on 18 March 2003 is documented in Bonhams’ June 2025 lot, cased at no. P616061.

Late production (~2005–2009)

The late watches carry the engraved inner rehaut, with ROLEX ROLEX repeating around the ring and the serial at 6 o'clock. Late examples have the engraved rehaut seen on later Submariner production; the case reference remains 16618 until the 116618 successor.

Movement notes

Caliber 3135 runs throughout, the same movement used in the steel 16610 and the two-tone 16613. Quick-set date, 28,800 vph, Microstella regulation for fine-tuning. The 3135 is also used in the contemporary 16610 and 16613; service condition must be assessed on the individual movement.

Case material has no bearing on movement specification. A 16618 and a 16610 from the same year are mechanically identical; only the metal around the movement differs.

Dial map

Champagne Serti dial

A factory gem-set configuration documented at auction: Bonhams catalogued one under its own "Sultan" dial name in June 2023, a sunburst champagne dial with diamond-set hour markers and baguette-sapphire-set quarters, paired with a gold bezel and blue calibrated insert. The lot came from the original owner, who bought it new on 28 December 1998, with box, punched guarantee and a 1998–1999 calendar card.

Champagne Serti dial with diamond hour markers and sapphire indices
Champagne Serti dial with diamond hour markers and sapphire indices


Blue dial (LB)

Blue sunburst dial with gold applied markers and gold hands.

Rolex Submariner 16618; 18k yellow gold with blue dial and bezel
Rolex Submariner 16618; 18k yellow gold with blue dial and bezel
Both blue and black configurations are documented; the cited sources do not establish a complete production or trading split. Lume runs from tritium through Luminova to Super-Luminova across the run, on the same schedule as the 16613.

Rolex Forum collectors have documented tropical purple shift on blue 16618 dials. After decades of UV exposure and chemical aging the pigment oxidizes to a purple or plum hue, with forum examples drawn from 1989 and 1991 production. Listings sometimes describe the shift as a condition feature, but colour change alone does not prove originality or factory intent. The tropical shift is better documented on the 16613 because production volumes were higher, but it occurs identically on the 16618. A major auction house has now catalogued the shift directly rather than as a forum observation alone: Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr listed a circa-1991 example in October 2025 with the dial described in its own catalogue text as "sunburst blue/purple."

Black dial (LN)

Black dial with gold applied markers. The cited auction record contains fewer black examples than blue ones; the sample does not establish the relative production or surviving population of the two dial colours. A circa-1991 example catalogued by Bonhams in February 2024 had a clasp stamped S7, a service-replacement code rather than a period-original stamp.

Lapis lazuli dial

A lapis lazuli stone-dial variant of the 16618 is documented on Rolex Forum. A polished slab of lapis lazuli, a deep-blue semi-precious stone with characteristic gold pyrite flecking, replaces the standard painted dial. A lapis example is reported in specialist documentation, but the reviewed source set does not establish a complete factory production record. Stone dials require case-by-case authentication because aftermarket replacements exist.

Tiffany & Co. co-signed dials

Rolex Forum documents 16618 dials co-signed "Tiffany & Co." below the coronet and fitted with sapphire and diamond hour markers. These date from the years when Tiffany & Co. was an authorized Rolex dealer and co-signed dials on select references. The co-signature requires case-by-case authentication; the reviewed sources do not establish a complete census. The co-signature is the thing to authenticate: aftermarket Tiffany-stamped dials exist, and the gap between genuine and fake is wide enough to make faking worthwhile.

Blue dial detail; gold hands and hour markers against sunburst blue
Blue dial detail; gold hands and hour markers against sunburst blue

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

The entire case is 18k yellow gold: body, bezel, crown, crown tube, and case back, with crown guards present and a Triplock crown sealing to 300m. It wears substantially heavier than the steel 16610 of the same generation.

The crystal is sapphire with Cyclops. The bezel insert is aluminum in blue or black, and it fades and scratches with use. It is a condition factor and should be assessed with the case, dial, and bracelet. The ceramic insert only arrived with the 116618 that followed.

Early production carries what Rolex Forum collectors call a Flat 3 bezel; a vintage-style font on the insert in which the numeral 3 at the 15-minute position uses a flatter, more angular form. The Flat 3 is an early-production identification point, carried over from the outgoing 16808 generation. Later 16618 bezels moved to the more rounded numerals that became standard across the family.

The inner rehaut is plain on early and mid-production watches. Late examples carry the engraved ROLEX ROLEX text.

Hallmarks follow the standard Rolex precious-metal marking of the period. Helvetia bust with "G" Geneva assay mark through the mid-1990s, then the St. Bernard dog Barry mark from 1995 onward.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Along with lume type, the bracelet is one of the primary authenticity and dating checkpoints on a 16618, running on the same transition schedule as the two-tone 16613.

Early bracelet: 93158

The early bracelet is a full 18k gold Oyster with Fliplock clasp, and it is prone to stretching over time. Gold is softer than steel, and daily wear on a heavy gold case will eventually open play between the links. Stretch is common on well-worn examples and should be recorded in the condition assessment. The 93158 covers early production through about 2000.

Sources disagree on 93158 end-link construction. Some describe hollow end links throughout, others solid end links from the start, and nothing published settles it. An end-link claim on any given example is worth checking against the hardware rather than against the bracelet reference number.

Later bracelet: 93258 (solid end links, SEL)

The 93258 brought solid end links; SEL, in collector shorthand; to the full-gold Submariner bracelet. Solid end links close the gap between bracelet and case more tightly than hollow construction, and they remove the flex that hollow-link bracelets tend to develop with age. The transition landed around 2000, mirroring the pattern of the steel and two-tone references. Rolex had first used solid end links on the Sea-Dweller before spreading them across the Submariner family.

The 93158-to-93258 transition is a key authenticity checkpoint. A late-serial watch on a 93158 should prompt a bracelet and service-history check, but it does not prove a swap without examining the hardware and records. A circa-2005 blue-dial lot catalogued by Bonhams in February 2020 was fitted with a 93258 Oyster bracelet and a clasp stamped OP2, corroborating the 93258 fitment on that later production.

Clasp date codes follow the standard Rolex scheme of the period. An S stamp indicates a service replacement. The code dates the bracelet alone; the watch head's own age is a separate question.

  • Caseback and clasp with Rolex coronet engraving
    Caseback and clasp with Rolex coronet engraving
  • 18k yellow gold Oyster bracelet and Fliplock clasp
    18k yellow gold Oyster bracelet and Fliplock clasp
  • Full 18k gold Oyster bracelet, blue-dial 16618
    Full 18k gold Oyster bracelet, blue-dial 16618


Special branches

No military or institutional special branches are documented for the 16618. Beyond the lapis lazuli and the Tiffany-signed dials, the champagne "Sultan" diamond-and-sapphire dial catalogued by Bonhams (see Dial map, above) is the clearest documented factory gem-set configuration.

No-holes case (D-serial onward)

Rolex Forum documentation places the no-holes case on the 16618 at around the D serial (roughly 2005–2006), following the same timing as the steel 16610 and two-tone 16613. Earlier examples have drilled lug holes; D-serial and later examples do not. The change is a consistent dating and authenticity checkpoint across the 3135-era Submariner generation.

Historical market and auction record

The auction record is smaller than the two-tone 16613 record. Results vary with dial, case condition, bracelet, papers, service history, and originality of gem-set or bezel components. The listed lots are individual evidence rather than a fixed price ladder.

source date / lot example result
Bonhams New York Oct 2022, lot 125 c.1988 blue-dial 16618, L930086 unsold; estimate US$35,000–55,000
Bonhams Feb 2024, lot 100 c.1991 black-dial 16618 hammer GBP 16,000
Bonhams Jun 2023, lot 54 c.1998 champagne “Sultan” dial hammer GBP 20,000
Bonhams Jun 2025, lot 243 purchased 18 Mar 2003, blue dial hammer US$22,000
Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr Oct 2025, lot 33 c.1991 blue/purple dial hammer EUR 20,000


Related references

See also the Submariner family index, movement reference, bracelet & clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.

  • Full-gold 16618 with blue dial and bracelet
    Full-gold 16618 with blue dial and bracelet
  • 16618 blue sunburst dial
    16618 blue sunburst dial
  • 16618 champagne Serti dial
    16618 champagne Serti dial
  • 16618 blue dial detail
    16618 blue dial detail
  • 16618 caseback and clasp
    16618 caseback and clasp
  • 16618 gold Fliplock clasp
    16618 gold Fliplock clasp
  • 16618 full-gold Oyster bracelet
    16618 full-gold Oyster bracelet

Sources

Retrieved from "https://rolexopedia.net/index.php?title=Reference:16618&oldid=11168"