As a successor to the iconic Reference 1680, the 16610 embodies the spirit of the original Submariner Date with function-first design, and legendary build quality.

Early 16610 models utilized Tritium luminous material, while later versions moved to Luminova, making it a truly significant transitional reference. The 16610 is also the last reference Submariner Date to use the classically proportioned tapered 39mm Oyster case.

This particular U-serial example dates to late 1997 and features a strong, untouched case and bracelet, a magnified sapphire crystal, and a transitional 'Tritinova' Luminova dial. These dials were produced for less than a year and are the result of Rolex applying Luminova to leftover dials marked with "SWISS - T < 25", which were originally produced to spec for earlier Tritium applications.

These are very weird and wonderful watches that were not made for long!