Rolex Submariner 1680 Vintage Diver 40mm, matte black dial, on 93150 bracelet!

Description

Time to put up a long-time piece of my personal collection. If the cliche ever applied, this watch truly needs no introduction-- a vintage Rolex Submariner 1680. This watch is a classic and an icon and given how well known it is, I'll just focus on a few of the vintage touches I find so appealing. The date wheel has a fine brushed silver finish rather than the glossy white of today's models. The printed font on the matte dial looks more elegant in my opinion, with ever-so open 6's on the depth rating that you almost need a loupe to discern. The lower beat rate of the time-honored Caliber 1575 powering the watch gives the progression of the seconds hand a captivating steadiness, and does not seem to detract from the accuracy decades later. The original "top hat" acrylic crystal adds a warmth and depth to the piece that is absent in the more sterile sapphire glass coming on later references. Compared to modern subs, the 40mm case wears slightly smaller and certainly wears slimmer, and yet it featured thicker lugs than the 5-digit references, giving it wrist presence as well as functional material should future owners choose to have an expert restoration of bevel lines, etc.
It is in excellent vintage condition, and has been polished once during a service in the 1980s. Case remains strong with very thick lugs. I want to be transparent about some minor damage to the bezel insert visible at 3 o'clock. The lume on the dial has been professionally stabilized, and now looks excellent on the otherwise untouched dial.
I did not acquire the watch with its original bracelet, and included with the sale, it comes on a later genuine Rolex 93150 bracelet with 501B endlinks. This bracelet was from a 1990s submariner. Of course it is a perfect fit and feels higher quality than the older folded link bracelets, and to me strikes the balance between the charming jangliness of hollow end links and the high-quality finishing you would expect of Rolex. Despite being a vintage piece, these were truly designed as tool watches and are built like a tank. Together with the recent movement service you should not have any issues for a long time.
Even though I'm not an expert on today's wild Rolex market, I did some searching of similar listings and believe I have priced this well. If it becomes too difficult to field offers, I will consider re-listing this as a no reserve auction, so please follow and check back!
Every part of this watch is authentic Rolex. Again, the bracelet is taken from a more modern submariner but is also authentic Rolex. The watch will also go through eBay's Authenticity Guarantee program. Please check out my feedback and bid with confidence, and happy watch hunting!