Rolex 16803 Submariner
Submariner › 16803
The Submariner Date 16803 was Rolex’s first two-tone Submariner. Introduced around 1984, it pairs a steel case and bracelet with 18k yellow-gold details. It uses caliber 3035 and came with blue or black dials; early examples can have raised “nipple” markers.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 16803 |
| family | Submariner Date |
| production | approximately 1984–1988; published chronologies vary by about a year |
| movement | caliber 3035, date, quick-set, 28,800 vph |
| case | 40mm, stainless steel and 18k yellow gold |
| crystal | sapphire with Cyclops |
| water resistance | 300m |
| bezel | Unidirectional; 18k yellow-gold surround with blue or black aluminum insert |
| lume | tritium on period dials |
| bracelet | Oyster ref. 93153, steel and yellow gold |
| successor | 16613, introduced around 1988 |
Where it sits in the line
The 16803 joined the steel 16800 and full-gold 16808 in the five-digit Submariner Date generation. It was the first Submariner offered in Rolex’s steel-and-gold Rolesor combination. The earlier 1680/8 was a solid-gold model, not a two-tone predecessor.
The 16803 shares the generation’s sapphire crystal, 300m rating, unidirectional bezel and caliber 3035. Rolex introduced the 16613 around 1988 with caliber 3135. The changeover date is approximate; production and sales dates do not always align neatly.
Production outline
Published dates place the 16803 from about 1984 to 1987 or 1988. Bob’s Watches and Antiquorum give 1984–1988; Monochrome gives circa 1984–1987. Antiquorum catalogued examples dated circa 1986 and circa 1988. The evidence supports an approximate span, not a precise final production date.
The documented configurations include blue and black dials. Dial details changed during the run: early examples used raised nipple markers, followed by flatter applied markers with luminous centers. Auction catalogues also record a blue dial described as “virated,” showing that individual dials can have unusual aging or color. A single catalogued example does not establish a separate factory variant.
Movement notes
The 16803 uses caliber 3035, a date movement with quick-set adjustment and a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The movement also powered the 16800 and 16808. Rolex replaced it in the 16613 with caliber 3135.
Dial map
Blue and black are the standard dial colors documented for the 16803. The blue dial has a sunburst finish; both colors appear with gold-colored applied markers and hands. Early dials can have raised nipple markers. Later examples use flatter markers with luminous centers. These are production differences, not a basis by themselves for dating an individual watch.
Bob’s Watches also describes champagne and slate Serti dials, with diamond and sapphire hour markers, for two-tone and solid-gold watches in this generation. Treat the dial on a specific watch as a component to verify; the source does not establish how long each option was available or how many were made.
Tritium is the period luminous material. A dial or hand replacement can change the material on an individual watch, so inspect the actual components rather than inferring originality from the reference alone.
Case, bezel, crystal and crown
The 40mm case combines stainless steel with 18k yellow gold. It has crown guards, a sapphire crystal with a Cyclops over the date, and a unidirectional bezel with an aluminum insert. The gold bezel surround and insert colors match the blue or black dial configurations described in published guides.
The five-digit Date generation introduced the Submariner’s 300m rating and Triplock crown. Published descriptions of the 168xx series identify the Triplock system; check the crown fitted to an individual watch during inspection, especially if the case or crown has been serviced.
Auction photographs of three watches catalogued as 16803 by Antiquorum show casebacks marked 16800. This is an observation about those examples; it does not establish that every 16803 has that marking or explain why it appears. Use the full case, movement, dial and bracelet evidence when assessing a watch.
Bracelet and clasp
The two-tone Oyster bracelet is ref. 93153. Antiquorum’s 2025 catalogue records a 16803 with a 93153 bracelet and 493 end links. That confirms the fitment on that example, not every bracelet combination delivered over the reference’s production. The period bracelets have hollow end links; inspect each watch for later replacement parts. A clasp code dates the clasp, not the watch head.
Auction record
The catalogued sales below document individual examples, not the market value or original specification of every 16803.
| auction and lot | catalogued details |
|---|---|
| Antiquorum, Hong Kong, 25 April 2021, lot 216 | Blue dial; circa 1986; caliber 3035; steel-and-gold bracelet. Catalogue |
| Antiquorum, Forte dei Marmi, 24 June 2022, lot 129 | “Virated” blue dial; circa 1988; caliber 3035; original steel-and-gold Oyster bracelet. Catalogue |
| Antiquorum, Hong Kong, 30 November 2025, lot 234 | Blue dial; circa 1980s; caliber 3035; bracelet ref. 93153 with 493 end links. Catalogue |
Related references
- Submariner 16800 (steel, caliber 3035)
- Submariner 16808 (full gold, caliber 3035)
- Submariner 16613 (two-tone successor, caliber 3135)
- Submariner 14060 (no-date model, caliber 3000)
- Submariner 5513 (no-date model)
- Submariner 1680 (first Submariner Date generation)
See also the Submariner family index, movement reference, bracelet and clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.
Sources
- Tom Mulraney, “History of the Rolex Submariner – Part 3, The 5-Digit References,” Monochrome, 2020
- “Rolex Submariner 16803 Review: Buying and Collecting Guide,” Bob’s Watches
- “The Complete Rolex Submariner History,” Bob’s Watches
- “Rolex Submariner Reference Guide,” Professional Watches
- Antiquorum, Hong Kong, 25 April 2021, lot 216
- Antiquorum, Forte dei Marmi, 24 June 2022, lot 129
- Antiquorum, Hong Kong, 30 November 2025, lot 234