Rolex Submariner réf. 16800 Tansitionnal The 3-6-9 Arabic numeral layout

The 3-6-9 Arabic numeral layout against the luminous baton indices gives it a sporting character that the colour tempers with unexpected warmth

A transitional Submariner in its most characterful configuration

A column-wheel chronograph of the highest order

This Movado Sport wears that construction with the honest character of a tool watch that has lived a full life

The steel case houses a manually wound chronograph movement

Rolex Submariner réf. 16800 Tansitionnal The 3-6-9 Arabic numeral layoutThe 16800 occupies a precise and much appreciated position in the Submariner lineage the transitional reference, produced from 1978 to 1984, that bridged the classic matte dial era and the glossy dials that would follow. It was the first Submariner to feature a sapphire crystal, yet it retained the matte black dial and the overall character of the references that preceded it. For collectors, it represents the best of both worlds. This 1982 example