Rolex Submariner Date

Submariner. Gold Submariner? Yes. The Rolex Submariner is without question the brand's most iconic model, and is a perennial favorite among collectors, enthusiasts, fashionistas, and yes - actual divers. And while you aren't likely to see a Submariner clad in a yellow gold case gracing the outside of a dry suit, it's hard to argue that these watches aren't every bit as awesome as their steel siblings - or perhaps even more so. Casing a Submariner in 18K gold is almost a tacit acknowledgement that very few of Rolexes sporting models ever get used as originally intended - and that in its own right is a pleasing sentiment. It says that Rolex knows who they are, who their customers are, know they are above any possible reproach - and damn the torpedoes, we're making this beastie in solid gold! This particular piece, a Reference 16618, dates to circa 2007-2008 and features an 18K yellow gold Oyster case, a gorgeous, luminous sunburst blue dial with a matching handset, a blue unidirectional rotating dive timing bezel, and a 18K yellow gold Oyster bracelet with a signed fliplock clasp and each and every bit of function as its stainless steel siblings down to the dive extension in the clasp. Excellent. This contradictory blend of technical design and functionality with a precious metal case is a polarizing one, and depending on how its worn (and indeed, by whom), can send very different signals - and we'll just leave it at that. We, however, love it.