Sub anchor

[yeshe]

Do rolex still make these sub anchors? How much are they worth now or are they worth keeping?

[Taipan]

Anchors Away!

Do rolex still make these sub anchors? How much are they worth now or are they worth keeping?

Hi, Rolex used to give them away with Subs (SS & Gold) and SDs through their ADs some time back.

For many years, Rolex included this small metal key-ring like, miniature anchor with every model of Submariner. A lot has been written about these anchors over the years and nobody is sure exactly what these little trinkets included with the Submariner are made for. Some collectors use them as Christmas tree ornaments, while others hang them from necklaces or even car rearview mirrors. But around 2005, this old tradition came to an end when Rolex stopped shipping their famous Anchor with the Submariner and its variants. They did not seem to serve any useful purpose, which is perhaps why they no longer produce them. And who knows maybe in the next 10-20 years they'll be a coveted Rolex collectors item. Just be careful of copies floating around. Here's a guide to the anchors which were last produced by Rolex:

1) The standard Submariner anchor: The silver anchor below is the most common, as it was included with the stainless steel and two tone Submariner variants - note the water resistance rating of 300 metres. The rating is shown in meters on one side, and in feet on the other.



2) Then there's the anchor which was included with the Sea-Dweller. It's identical to the one above, with the exception of the water resistance rating displayed - it matches the higher depth rating of the Sea-Dweller at 1,000 or 1,220 metres depending on the vintage.



3) Last is the final anchor variant - it's gold plated and is included only with the all gold Submariner models. Note the water resistance rating is consistent with the Submariner at 300 meters.



One might wonder how to tell if one's watch kit should include an anchor. Unfortunately, there's no easy answer. The transition seems to have taken place mid-way through the "F" series production from 2003, and perhaps coincided with the introduction of the new Rolex box and packaging released around the same time. A good, general rule of thumb is, if your Rolex Submariner or Sea-Dweller has the new style packaging, then it probably won't have the anchor. It should be noted that vintage Submariners with a water resistance rating of only 200 meters came with anchors that had "200 meters water resistant" printed on them. Same for the 1,000 metres too. And they usually came in a plastic sleeve.

[yeshe]

nice info!

do u mean there are fake anchors out there too?
how come some anchor chains come with bar?

[Taipan]

Price and T bar.

nice info!

do u mean there are fake anchors out there too?
how come some anchor chains come with bar?

Hi, glad you like it and found it useful.
There are certainly some anchors (without watches of course) being offered on Ebay at about S$50 a piece.

Generally they were given out with no bars. I believe the bar you refer to are a carry-over from pocket watch chains that used to be attached to the button holes of coats and suits. The bars were added on by individual owners. Just like the way that our forefathers used to carry pocket watches around long ago.





About the fakes, I am just hypothesising a situation in future at some opportune point in time. Can you imagine somebody who is enterprising enough and is not thinking about getting the anchors to be made in bulk maybe in China?

By the way, here is a pic of the late Rolex founder Mr Hans Wilsdorf (German descent) who looks very grandfatherly. The first Submariners came out in 1954 before his passing (1881-1960) and he would have had a part to play in introducing the signature anchors too!

[bingo]

Rolex Swissland AD give out anchor as a free gift if you visit their shop by follow travel agent package tour.

[Taipan]

Did Rolex once use anchors as tags?