May 23, 2020
CAN WOMEN WEAR SPORTY WATCHES LIKE THE ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL SUBMARINER?
4 Min read
Rolex Official Retailer - Kee Hing Hung
Rolex Official Retailer - Kee Hing Hung

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner is a watch that men adore for a couple of reasons. For one, on the aesthetics front, it is a very sporty-looking watch with an Oystersteel case that comes with a black Cerachrom bezel and a matching black dial with large luminescent hour markers. Then comes its association with Rolex Testimonee, film-maker and explorer James Cameron—his film Titanic won 11 Oscars (the most awards ever) and Avatar holds the record as the highest-grossing film in history.

What he sports on his wrist daily is an Oyster Perpetual Submariner he bought some 20 years ago. “It was on my wrist when I was making Terminator 2, blowing things up and flipping over trucks riding on a motorcycle sidecar, hand holding a camera two feet from the turning wheels of an 18-wheeler truck,” he said. “I was wearing it the first time I saw the Titanic for real through the porthole of a submersible, and I was wearing the same watch in my black-tie outfit when I went up on the stage to get the Oscar for directing Titanic.”

Rolex Official Retailer - Kee Hing Hung
Rolex Official Retailer - Kee Hing Hung

Of course, legacy is another factor: the Submariner is heavily linked to the world of diving, which is traditionally a male-dominated industry. In the past, female divers are few and far between. (Besides certain groups of professional female divers in Japan and South Korea, marine conservationist and Rolex Testimonee, Sylvia Earle, is already among the most prominent female divers in the world.) Launched in 1953, the Submariner was the first divers’ wristwatch waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (or 330 feet). This was Rolex’s 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 historical milestone and set the standard for divers’ watches.

Rolex Official Retailer - Kee Hing Hung
Rolex Official Retailer - Kee Hing Hung

But things are changing today. While diving remains a recreational activity for some, a serious sport for others, and a vocation for most professional divers who also serve as activists and conservationists, the number of women divers has increased. Based on statistics from Professional Association of Diving Instructors, there is now around 40 per cent women in the diving community, blurring the gender divide significantly. Which brings us back to our argument: women should then wear the Submariner for their dive trips, be it for recreation or professional dives.

The Submariner’s rotatable bezel with engraved 60-minute graduations is an important feature for divers. This way, she can accurately and safely monitor diving time and decompression stops. With the bezel’s knurled edge, adjusting it with thick gloves to set dive time is a cinch as the clever design offers excellent grip even underwater. The dial’s luminescent Chromalight display improves visibility in dark environment, an essential feature for divers.

Rolex Official Retailer - Kee Hing Hung
Rolex Official Retailer - Kee Hing Hung

The Submariner’s Oyster case today is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 300 metres (1,000 feet), thus protecting the high-precision self-winding calibre 3130 from water, dust, pressure and shocks. The accompanying Triplock winding crown ups the watertight security of the case with its triple waterproofness system being screwed down firmly. Another plus about the Submariner for use during dives is its Oyster bracelet, a symbol of durability and comfort. Its Oysterlock safety clasp prevents accidental opening of the bracelet while the Rolex Glidelock extension system allows for fine adjustments of the bracelet without tools—the watch can be worn easily and comfortably over a diving suit.

 

Whether it’s a weekend leisure dive in Manado, Indonesia or a dive holiday with the girlfriends to the Carribean, it’s evident that the Submariner is the perfect accessory to bring along. That said, it is not just only a dive watch. What separates Rolex from the competition is that its watches are classic and functional too. Wearing the Submariner to a high-powered boardroom meeting adds that extra touch of confidence to seal the deal, while post-work drinks with it will make you the life of the party. So, heed our suggestion—ladies, the Oyster Perpetual Submariner suits you perfectly fine.

SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL CASE
Oyster, 40 mm, Oystersteel

OYSTER ARCHITECTURE
Monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown

MATERIAL
Oystersteel

BEZEL
60-minute graduated Cerachrom insert in black ceramic, moulded graduations and numerals coated with platinum via PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition), first 15 minutes graduated minute-by-minute

WINDING CROWN
Screw-down, Triplock triple waterproofness system

CRYSTAL
Scratch-resistant sapphire

WATER-RESISTANCE
Waterproof to 300 metres / 1000 feet

CALIBRE
3130, Manufacture Rolex

FUNCTIONS
Centre hour, minute and seconds hands. Stop-seconds for precise time setting

BRACELET
Oyster, flat three-piece links

BRACELET MATERIAL
Oystersteel, satin finish with polished edges

CLASP
Oysterlock folding safety clasp with Rolex Glidelock extension system (approx 20 mm in increments of approx 2 mm)

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