In 2005, a long Rolex tradition came to an end, at the same time as the new box was introduced. The anchor accessory, which had been added to each Submariner and Sea-Dweller model up till then, was discontinued. New models only come without the anchor.
Much has been written about this anchor over the years, but why Rolex added it in the first place is still unknown, nor what you should do with it. Perhaps this is the reason, coupled with the cost-saving benefit to Rolex, why Rolex took this step.
A few years have now passed and the anchor is now coveted by collectors to complete a watch package. The price for such an anchor for the old Submariner is – depending on the model – now up to 250 Euros/Dollars on the internet and watch fairs, and on eBay USA, even far higher. In addition to the booklets and the guarantee certificate, the anchor also belongs to a complete collector’s package.
Here is a brief overview of the various anchor models supplied by Rolex:
The most common anchor is the Submariner anchor in silver, since it came with the steel and bi-color variant. It is made of stainless steel. On both sides of the anchor, the depths to which the Submariner model is waterproof are stamped. On the one side, the value for the depth measurement is in feet (1000), while on the other side the value is in meters (300). Gold watches came with a gold-colored anchor, which, however, is very rare.
The Sea-Dweller anchor is similar, but the depths correspond to the Sea-Dweller model (1220m/4000ft).
The Plexiglas models of the Submariner series (for example, 5512/5513 or 1680) come with an anchor labeled 200 (metres) or 660 (feet) on the back . These anchors are, as mentioned above, very hard to get today and therefore expensive. Anyone who has one should take care of it or watch for one like a hawk and strike immediately if you find one.
