Notes: Sometime in the 1960's, the Rolex Submariner became available in yellow gold, introducing the watch community to a variation of the brand's iconic diver's watch crafted entirely out of precious metal.

The 16808 Submariner is the first solid gold Submariner. It was produced in the 1980s. The bezel is ceramic and matches the color of the dial face. The dial face is usually blue or black. The hour marks are luminous stick and dot. The watch comes with a solid 18K yellow gold 3-link bracelet.

Mechanism: The Rolex caliber 3035 was introduced in 1977 as what many refer to as a high-beat caliber 1575. In 1977, the Cal. 3035 ended the 12-year run of the 1570, it became the first men’s high-beat caliber Rolex had ever made. By increasing the balance speed from 19,800bph to 28,800bph, the new movement was able to offer an even greater level of accuracy and robustness than the already formidable abilities of its predecessor. The 3035 has a hacking capability.

It was this new speed on the 3035, causing the seconds hand to ‘tick’ eight times per second, that introduced the smooth sweep that is so characteristic of Rolex watches. Along with upping the movement’s frequency, which has since been adopted by every subsequent model Rolex has produced, the Cal. 3035 also led the field in another aspect; it was the first automatic caliber to feature a quickset function.

Family Notes: The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner is a line of sports watches designed for diving manufactured by Rolex, known for their resistance to water and corrosion. The first Submariner was introduced to the public in 1954 at the Basel Watch Fair. The Rolex Submariner is considered "a classic among wristwatches", manufactured by one of the most widely recognized luxury brands in the world, and due to its popularity has become the subject of massive counterfeiting. The Rolex Submariner is part of Rolex's Oyster Perpetual line. See a copy of the 1957 Submariner magazine advertisement.

The Submariner model went into production in 1953 and was showcased at the Basel Watch Fair in 1954. The assigned case reference number of this first Submariner was either 6204 or 6205. It is unclear which model came first; in any event, the two watches are nearly identical. Neither has the distinctive "cathedral" or "Mercedes" hands now so strongly associated with the Submariner line. Rather, both of these early submariners have straight "pencil" style hands. Few, if any, of the 6205 watches bear the name "Submariner" on the dial, a major distinction of modern Submariners. Some 6204 models have the Submariner logo printed below the center pinion, while others have the logo blacked out. It is believed that there were unexpected trademark issues connected with the name "Submariner" at the time the 6204 and 6205 were released, accounting for the inconsistent use of the Submariner mark on these early Submariners. Trademark irregularities notwithstanding, both the 6204 and 6205 are designated Submariner models in Rolex product literature.

From Wikipedia