Rolex introduced the Submariner in 1953 and it has become one of their most famous and desirable watches. In 2003 they created a 50th anniversary model with the maxi dial and green bezel insert. Whilst it’s strange to understand now, it wasn’t a great seller and only gained traction when they made a few subtle changes to the dial. This left a relatively limited number of Mark 1 dial watches and they became known as a ‘Flat 4’ and this relates the flatness of the ‘4’ in the ’40’ of the bezel insert (the ‘O’ in Rolex is also slightly flattened and the ‘Swiss Made’ goes over 5 minute markers as against 4). These have become highly sought after and, for what its worth, was my first Rolex sports watch. When it was introduced it was on the ‘Y’ serial but only for a few months and then it moved to the ‘F’ serial. The ‘Y’ serial flat 4’s are the rarest of them all and the most valuable…..
Sold in South Korea in March 2004, the solid steel case is in excellent condition with only minor signs of wear. It will have been polished in the past but very sparingly and it retains it’s meatiness and even has the remains of the original green Rolex sticker. The original Mark 1 dial is in excellent condition and the movement was serviced in 2023. The lighter green and guaranteed genuine flat 4 bezel insert is in overall very good condition with only minor signs of light scratching. In terms of provenance we have:
- The original Rolex guarantee paperwork
- The Rolex Submariner brochure dated 2004
- The Rolex calendar
- Your Rolex Oyster brochure from 2004
- The red chronometer chip
- The original Rolex swing-tag with the correct model and serial number.
- The Rolex inner and outer boxes
This is a stunning example of one of the most desirable and rare Rolex Submariners from the last 30 years with faultless provenance. Whilst we cannot guarantee future values if history is any judge it should provide an excellent investment and a fabulous watch to wear.
