The Rolex Submariner-C (model 1166110LN)

So, after a few days with my new Submariner-C model 116610LN, I thought I'd offer a mini-review and share some of my thoughts of it. First off… it is and has lived up to be everything as advertised and everything I thought it might be. I am truly impressed and what Rolex has done with it's iconic timepiece.

As a disclaimer, I'm not a Rolex expert by any means. Besides this recent purchase, I also own a 2003 era GMT Master II and another 40 or so watches from various manufacturers such as Omega, Tag Heuer, Ball… etc…

Movement - I can't speak too much to this since I'm not a watchmaker, but all I can say is after setting it in sync with my Atomic G-Shock, it might have gained a second or two…. it appears to be deadly accurate.

Case - The new Rolex stainless steel "Supercase" is quite a marvel. What a hunk of steel… It's a bit bigger feeling than my GMT Master II and definitely has thicker lugs. Because of this, it looks and feels chunkier, almost making the bracelet look smaller. I've always loved the profile view of Rolex watch cases. The classic, naked case-back starts at the bottom to rise up and give one the perception it truly is the base of a crown sitting on your wrist. It's as if the case is a platform for the dial and hands, sloping upwards to meet the crystal. Just fabulous!

Bezel - To me, this is the premiere feature of the new, updated Submariner. I've never been so pleased and fascinated with one particular aspect of a watch. It is a marvel of modern engineering combining such exotic and resilient materials to provide the ultimate answer to every bezel's greatest weakness. I'm a bit surprised at how glossy it looks, especially in daylight, but pleasantly so. The depth provided by the numeric markers oozes quality and makes it more easily readable. I absolutely love this part of the watch. I find myself staring at it at times.

Crown - The patented Triplock crown. What more is there to say. It's substantial, durable, and the industry standard in my book. The GMT Master II (older model) has the old Twinlock crown. Nice, small profile, but I like the beefier crown the Triplock offers.

Dial/Hands - Wow… the new Maxi-dial has really gotten popular and I see why. After first seeing it on the original 50th Anniversary Submariner edition I was unsure of it. But after seeing it in person and after a few days…. I'm really liking it. One of the biggest benefits of the Maxi-dial is it really shows off the luminescence on the markers and hands. And blue has never looked better. You can really tell the quality of a timepiece by the quality of its lume. It's really fantastic.

Crystal - The sapphire crystal we all know and love, with the original cyclops date window. Normally I might not mention this, but I've noticed it appears there is a blue'ish hue when looking at the cyclops. It's very faint, but it's definitely there. It may be a prism-like effect, but I don't believe I've ever noticed before on my GMT Master II.

Bracelet/Clasp - One of my gripes…. really a nitpick, is the bracelet on the last generation of Subs/GMTs. While the bracelet part itself was okay, the clasps, in my opinion, left a lot to be desired. They seemed kind of cheap. Well, Rolex has officially taken on the challenge of making a better clasp and passed with flying colors. Not only is it far more substantial, the tilt-back action of the clasp release is quite nice. The flip lock with the classic Rolex crown logo is a great touch as well. But the real star of this show is the new "Glide-lock" adjustment feature. It really allows for some precision adjustments to be made for sizing your bracelet, whether you need to slip it over a dive suit or just relieve some tightness on a warm day. It's very comfortable to wear.

Price - All I'll say is Rolex obviously sought to put a premium on this new model. I can't disagree with their strategy, this is a premium timepiece and deserves to be priced as such. (Did I just type that?????) Developing a good relationship with your local Rolex AD, however, will go a long way to mitigating this recent development. I don't know how it works with other dealers, but knowing your AD and him knowing you is never a bad thing.


Overall, the new Submariner C is an absolute gem of a timepiece. I can't think of how you can improve on perfection, but Rolex certainly does that with this update to maybe the best known model in their offerings. Makes you wonder what they'll do next time.