The Oyster Perpetual Submariner is a reference among divers’ watches; it is the watch that unlocked the deep. Launched in 1953, the Submariner was the first divers’ wristwatch waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet). This was the second great breakthrough in the technical mastery of waterproofness, following the invention of the Oyster, the world’s first waterproof wristwatch, in 1926. In watchmaking, the Submariner represented a historic turning point; it set the standard for divers’ watches.
As an underwater survival tool, this watch’s design has been entirely dictated by the practical needs of divers. Since 1953, the Submariner has evolved technically as it has been endowed with features to improve overall functionality. The first watch was a pioneer and subsequent versions have continued to set the benchmark for divers’ watches.