When the plague struck and the already tumultuous current year International Watch and Clock Show were canceled, industry giant Rolex was tight-lipped about when or even if it would release a new model to the market in the tumultuous year 2021. Well, as it turns out, today is that day, with most of the talk focusing on the latest version of Rolex’s iconic dive watch, the Oyster Perpetual, and its offspring, the Submariner Date. Here’s what you need to know about it. 
What’s new on the new Submariner? As is typical of Rolex, the difference is not noticeable to the naked eye, but it is important to the brand’s avid collectors. The case has been increased slightly from the previous 40mm to 41mm. According to Rolex, the Oyster bracelet has been “revamped” with a patented Oysterlock folding safety clasp and a Glidelock extension that allows for a 20mm increase or decrease in bracelet length within a 2mm adjustment.
The new Submariner has what Rolex calls an Oystersteel case with a black dial and a matching black Cerachrom insert in the unidirectional rotating bezel. The 60-minute dive scale on the bezel has a molded, concave gradient, and the numerals are platinum-plated in PVD. The dial features differently shaped hour and minute hands, as well as geometric hour markers, all coated with Chromalight, a luminescent material that lasts longer in the dark than the common Super-LumiNova luminescent watch.
Inside the case is the “Perpetual” — aka self-winding — movement, the new 3230, with Rolex’s patented high-efficiency Chronergy escapement, an anti-magnetic Parachrom hairspring, and a 70-hour power reserve. The “Oyster” in the designation “Oyster Perpetual” for the Submariner model and its sport-luxury brethren refers to the case, which is water-resistant to 300 meters, or 1,000 feet — a level aided by the screw-down Triplock crown with Rolex’s triple waterproofness system.
The Submariner Date models give a trio of options combining different colors and materials. One model is in Oystersteel, with a black dial and a Cerachrom bezel insert in gleaming green. Another is in 18k white gold, matching a blue Cerachrom dive-scale bezel insert to a black lacquer dial. The bracelet on the replica Rolex model has satin-finished outer links made of steel and polished center links made of yellow gold; its sunray-finish dial and Cerachrom insert are in bright Royal blue.
The aforementioned caliber 3235 powers three versions of the new Submariner Date, which, in addition to having all the attributes of the aforementioned caliber 3230, adds a date display that appears in a window at 3 o’clock on the dial; in traditional Rolex style, this indicator appears under an enlarged “Cyclops” lens that rises to the anti- Scrape the sapphire crystal on top.
