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The Submariner is among the most famous of all Rolex watches for good reason. These watches are designed for divers and are waterproof to significant depths. However, every waterproof watch has its limits, including the Submariner. How deep can a Submariner Rolex go?

A Rolex Submariner has a depth rating of 1000ft or 304m. This depth rating is made possible by the patented Rolex Oyster casing, which hermetically seals the watch at high pressure, making it ideal for these depths. The Submariner can function perfectly for extended periods at its depth rating.

There is no watch quite like the Submariner. No other diver’s watch looks this good while remaining functional. If you are a diver, this is the ideal mechanical watch. Let’s explore the Rolex Submariner to learn about its capabilities and limitations, including how deep it can go before failing.

How Deep Can A Rolex Submariner Go?

The Rolex Submariner is a famous diver’s watch. This was the first commercial waterproof watch that was laud in 1926 by Rolex, and the Submariner was released in 1953, being the first watch waterproof to a depth of 330ft (100m).

The Submariner lives on today as one of the best-looking, most functional diver’s watches on the market. This watch is among the best waterproof watches too, and can b used to any depth that a regular diver may reach.

The Rolex Submariner can go as deep as 1000ft (304m) without failing in any way. This watch can withstand these high pressures without skipping a beat can be used and at this depth for any length of time.

The design of the Submariner has been refined since its invention, and every year Rolex further develops the technology to increase the depth rating of the watches made by the company.

This design is always being improved upon, but the Submariner will always remain a watch for divers who never venture deeper than 1000ft underwater. There are other watches for deeper dives, but the Submariner is excellent at what it does.

The Submariner is an excellent watch for diving, as it is not only waterproof to a good depth, but it has several features that are especially useful when underwater.

If you own a Submariner and are concerned about the depth that it can reach underwater, rest assured that so long as the watch remains at 100ft or above, it will not sustain any damage from the water or the pressure of the depth.

Can All Submariners Reach The Same Depth?

Submariners have been made for decades by Rolex, and they are not all made equally, as the Submariner has been improved significantly since its launch in the ‘50s. Can all submariners reach the same underwater depth?

The reality is that not every Submariner can reach the same depth. Every modern Submariner is able to function safely at 1000ft below the surface, but older Submariner models cannot reach these depths.

It is critical to check the specifications of the Submariner that you have to determine how deep it can go before sustaining damage.

Older submariners could only reach depths of 330ft underwater. There are online directories that list the exact depth rating of Rolex Submariner watches based on their model and year.

Every Submariner is waterproof to a certain depth, and every Submariner is perfect for swimming and most other water activities, but the depth that the watch can reach is not always the same.

It is critical to check the depth rating of your Submariner if you intend to go deeper than 330ft underwater to ensure that your watch can handle it and not be damaged by the pressure.

Can You Wear a Submariner In The Ocean?

Wearing a waterproof watch in a swimming pool is one thing, but can a Submariner be used in the ocean? Will the saltwater cause damage to the watch?

The reality is that the Submariner by Rolex was designed to go in the ocean. This watch is specifically made for divers and is not damaged by the salt in seawater.

The patented Oyster chassis design of the Rolex Submariner has a complex system of seals and casings that fit together to keep water, air, and salt out of the internal mechanism of the watch.

It is true that the watch will sustain wear and tear over time, as salt is corrosive, but so long as you clean the watch after taking it in the ocean by rinsing it in fresh water, the salty water should have little or no effect on the watch.

Rolex submariners are constructed with metals and materials that are highly resistant to corrosion. These materials make this watch ideal for use in the ocean, and the watch would have to be left under saltwater for years before showing any signs of breakdown or corrosion.

It is still important to rinse the water after being in saltwater, as the salt can cause blockages in the bracelet and can get caught in grooves in the watch casing, which over time may compromise the watch, but if the watch is always thoroughly rinsed afterward, it will never be damaged by saltwater.

With that said, every Rolex Submariner should be sent to Rolex for a service every few years to ensure that every seal within the watch is functioning. This will keep the watch in good working order and capable of hundreds, if not thousands, of dives without sustaining any damage at all.

So long as you stay above the depth rating of the specific Submariner model, it will not be damaged if used in the ocean, and if you rinse it, clean it, and service it well, a Submariner will last through thousands of seawater excursions without sustaining damage at all.

Can You Shower With A Submariner?

Most waterproof watches, especially modern waterproof watches and waterproof smart watches, are safe to use in cool water but are damaged easily by hot water. Is the same true for role Submariner models?

Rolex states that these watches are safe to use in the shower. The company states in their watch maintenance section of the website that Rolex watches can be rinsed off in the shower to prevent damage from grime, salt build-up, and sand.

It is safe to shower with your Submariner, and the hot water should not cause any damage to the timepiece.

This is also due to the unique waterproof design of Rolex Submariner watches, as they are not sealed with rubber seals and gaskets as other waterproof watches are, but they are mechanically sealed by the casing of the watch.

This means that the water would have to be at a skin-burning temperature before the metal casing of the watch begins to expand, and even so, the watch will not lose its seal.

The unique design of the Submariner watch casing makes it impervious to the temperatures of a shower, and the internal seal of the watch is so well maintained that even the flexing, expansion, and contraction of the watch casing cannot break the seal.

This design means that it is very safe to use a Submariner in the shower without worrying about causing damage to the watch, regardless of how hot or cold you prefer your shower to be.

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How Does A Submariner Stay Waterproof?

The Rolex Submariner is a remarkable watch, as it was the very first watch to ever survive a good depth underwater for a long period of time. This watch made it possible to use a timepiece underwater.

The reason why submariners are waterproof and function so well underwater is thanks to the Rolex Oyster case. This watch casing was patented in 1926 after years of research and development and remains largely unchanged today.

The Oyster case is a series of interlocking watch case components that form an airtight seal around the inner workings of the watch and is able to withstand immense pressure without failing.

The design of the Oyster case has been slightly improved with reinforcements over the years, but the fundamentals of how the case works remain largely the same.

This watch case is a simple system of casings, bezels, and metal gaskets that tighten together with a simple screw system. This system makes the Oyster case perfectly hermetic, which means that it is entirely sealed and will not allow in or out of the case.

The Rolex Submariner remains waterproof solely due to this Oyster case design and uses no other mechanisms to remain airtight and safe under high pressures in deep water.

For this reason, it is critical to ensure that the case of Submariner is not damaged and is regularly serviced to maintain this waterproofness.

How To Maintain A Submariner Waterproof Seal?

Rolex submariners are waterproof to impressive depths, but they must be maintained to retain this waterproofness. What is the best way to ensure that your Submariner remains waterproof for its entire lifespan?

The best way to ensure that your Rolex Submariner stays waterproof is to take the watch for a service regularly. These watches can last for several years without requiring service, so long as they are cleaned regularly, but the only way to repair or maintain the waterproofness of the watch is to take it to an official Rolex service center for assessment and servicing.

When the watch is serviced, it is entirely dismantled, the wetproof casing is carefully examined, any necessary repairs are made, and the watch is reassembled. After reassembly, the watch is tested for waterproofness in a multi-hour submerged assessment that ensures that the watch is perfectly waterproof to its rated depth.

A Rolex service is always conducted by a Rolex watchmaker. This process carefully examines every aspect of the watch internally and externally. The watchmaker will repair any damage, replace components where necessary, and, most importantly, reseal the watch and ensure that it remains waterproof.

This is the only way to truly ensure that the watch remains waterproof, and there is no maintenance or cleaning that you can do to maintain this level of waterproofness on your own.

These watches must be serviced every few years to maintain full functionality, especially if they are used in the ocean. If these services are conducted regularly by an official Rolex service center, your Submariner will last longer than you and never lose its waterproofness.

Is The Submariner The Deepest Rated Rolex?

The Submariner is among the best waterproof watches ever made, and it set the standard for waterproof timepieces, but is the Submariner the deepest-rated Rolex?

The Submariner is not the deepest-rated Rolex. The Rolex with the deepest depth rating is the Rolex Sea-Dweller, which is nicknamed ‘the watch that conquered the deep.’

The standard Sea-Dweller watch has an astonishing depth rating of 12800 ft (3900m), but in 2022, Rolex unveiled a new version of the Sea-Dweller called the Deepsea Challenge, which is the deepest-rated watch ever made.

This watch can comfortably reach depths of 36,090ft (11,000m). you read that right – this watch can go 11 kilometers under the ocean without failing in any way. No other watch has ever come close to this depth.

The Sea-Dweller watch range from Rolex is not intended for average divers or the typically sea-goer. These watches are specifically designed for deep-sea exploration and discovery.

The Rolex Submariner has a minuscule depth rating compared to these watches, but the reality is that the Submariner has a depth rating that is plenty deep for anyone who engages in recreational scuba diving, snorkeling, or any kind of swimming.

Unless you are a commercial diver or a deep sea explorer, there is no need for a Sea-Dweller, and the Submariner will perfectly suit your underwater needs.

Conclusion

The Rolex Submariner is an excellent diving watch, and it has several features that make it stand out in this class of timepieces. There are few better watches made for diving than the Submariner, and the depth rating given to the watch of 1000ft makes it ideal for almost all diving purposes.

The depth rating of the Rolex Submariner is unlikely to be increased in the coming years, as this watch is not designed for deeper depths that most divers explore. If you are looking for something that goes deeper than 1000ft, then the Submariner is not the watch for you, but if you want a Rolex that you can wear in any water activity above 1000ft, the Submariner is ideal.

References

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