OVERVIEW

When Rolex introduced the very first Submariner, I’m sure they couldn’t predict it’d be one of the most ubiquitous luxury sport watches ever 70 years later. As our current need to rely on watches to tell the time has become all but obsolete, the Submariner has evolved into more of a status symbol than a professional tool watch. In 1953 however, a professional dive watch with a rotating bezel and 100m of water resistance was indeed a useful tool.

As interest in SCUBA diving and underwater exploration was on the rise in the early fiftties thanks to the very famous Jacques Cousteau, the need for a wearable watch that could withstand the rigors of ocean diving became more and more necessary. While Blancpain was actually the first brand to produce a professional dive watch with a rotating bezel in their Fifty Fathoms, Rolex was also concurrently developing a similar watch with the 6204 Submariner only to be introduced one year later. Released alongside the first ever Explorer and Turn-O-Graph, the iconic Submariner was born.

While the first ever of any storied line of watches is always a rare bird, what makes it even more special is that the 6204 was only sold for one year before the 6205 took its place. While they’re essentially the same watch, the biggest difference to notice between the two watches is that the 6204 came with pencil hands and a lollipop seconds hand while the next iteration came with the Mercedes hands still used today. Considering Rolex hasn’t really used the pencil style hands since, that alone makes the 6204 highly unique compared to the rest of its descendants.

As with many very old watches, no two examples are completely identical anymore and the specific example listed here today has taken on a distinctive appearance with its stone like texture caused from radium burn. Some of these dials have patinated less than others but I doubt a 6204 with a totally perfect original dial exists today. If I saw one I would be suspicious. This characteristic would’ve occurred regardless of how often the watch was worn and judging by the looks of everything else, it really wasn’t worn as much as it could’ve been. Everything appears original on it, even down to it’s crystal, and overall it is in fantastic condition.

CONDITION NOTES

CASE: Sharp and possibly unpolished with the correct thick chamfers on the lugs that taper toward the middle of the case. Bezel has natural wear to the edges but is still in good condition.

DIAL & HANDS: Completely unmolested gilt dial with radium burn throughout the dial commonly seen on these watches. The dial has taken on a beautiful granite like appearance. Original gilt pencil hands appear untouched as well.

MOVEMENT: Running smoothly and looks just as good as the rest of it.