Rolex Submariner Ref. 16610 Stickered Circa 1997 Box & Papers

Introduced in 1988, the reference 16610 carried the Submariner into a new era, refining the proportions and finishing of the model while preserving the tool-watch DNA that defined it from the start.

This example, complete with its original box and papers dating to November 1997, represents one of the last Submariners to leave the factory with a tritium lume dial, signed “Swiss T<25” at six o’clock, before Rolex’s switch to Luminova shortly after. It is precisely this detail that gives these final tritium references their collectability today, as the lume ages and patinas in a way no modern dial can replicate.

The caseback retains its original protective sticker, a rare survivor that speaks to how carefully this piece has been kept over the years.

At its core is the automatic Rolex calibre 3135, renowned for its robustness and precision, the very foundation of the Submariner’s reputation as the benchmark dive watch.

Complete, original, and on the cusp of tritium history, this Submariner offers a compelling entry point into one of Rolex’s most enduring references.