Watch Anniversaries in 2023

A main reason for its enduring popularity is how Rolex has consistently upgraded the Submariner while staying true to its original design. Even with the addition of modern bells and whistles like the Cerachrom bezel and solid bracelet links, one can easily spot a Submariner from afar.

The Submariner also led the dive watch’s ascent from tool watch to luxury timepiece as they added precious metal versions in the 1970s. Today, the Submariner is enjoyed by almost anyone, from professional divers to celebrities and casual collectors.

We saw a 50^th anniversary edition in 2003, the famous green-bezel Rolex Kermit; while the last new release was made in 2020 when Rolex introduced the 41mm Submariner. There is no word of an anniversary edition for release this year, even as Rolex presented in the recent Watches and Wonders fair. For now, us Rolex fans can sit back and wait.

70 Years – Rolex Explorer (1953)

The Rolex Explorer, released in 1953, truly lives up to its name. It traces its beginnings to a Rolex watch made for high-altitude Himalayan exploration, and while it was expressly made for adverse environments, its classic, minimalist design also makes it easy to dress up.

The Rolex Explorer has changed very little since its launch, with all its iterations remaining true to its hallmark features: a robust Oyster case, a high-contrast 3-6-9 dial, a reliable time-only caliber, and comfortable wear thanks to the Oyster bracelet. The most noticeable changes to the original design was the introduction of the 39mm case size in 2010 (later discontinued), and the two-tone steel and gold edition in 2021.

For its 70^th anniversary, the Explorer range is expanded with the arrival of the new 40mm model – the first time that the Explorer appears in this case size. It is crafted in Oystersteel, a stainless steel alloy specific to Rolex.

60 Years – Rolex Daytona (1963)

Among the most highly anticipated watch anniversaries this year is the Daytona’s – after all, it’s one of the most coveted watches in existence, regardless of whether it’s vintage or modern. Its story began in 1963 when Rolex introduced the ref 6239 “Cosmograph”, a chronograph with a tachymeter on its bezel, which was especially made for race car drivers.

There have been three generations of the Daytona since then, with the last one having been introduced in 2000. It is marked by the launch of Rolex’s first in-house chronograph movement, the Caliber 4130, which has powered the Daytona since then.

For 2023, the Daytona headlines the new releases of Rolex. An entirely new range of Daytonas are introduced with a redesigned case and bezel, where the edge of the bezel is now crafted in the same material as the case. This makes the dial look larger, but fret not, the Daytona remains at 40mm.

More importantly, Rolex finally updated the Daytona’s movement. The new Caliber 4131 now shows a Rolex-exclusive Côtes de Genève decoration, which comes with a polished groove between with each ridge. It also comes with the improvements that Rolex introduced to its movements – including the Chronergy escapement, Paraflex shock absorbers, and an optimized ball bearing for better accuracy and performance. It also offers an improved power reserve of 72 hours.

60 Years – Heuer Carrera (1963)

Even before the Carrera was introduced, Heuer had already established a reputation in the world of motorsports thanks to their stopwatches. Still, Jack Heuer continued to see the need for a legible chronograph. He desired to develop one with a clean, simple design – one that would give the wearer everything they need, and nothing they don’t.

In 1963, Heuer debuted the Carrera. Named after the dangerous and infamous Carrera Panamericana race, it achieved immediate success due to its classical styling.

Over the decades, the Carrera has grown into a vast collection that includes, alongside the classic cushion-cased Carrera silhouette, avant garde skeleton dials and the use of newer materials like titanium and ceramic.

To celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the Tag Heuer Carrera, the brand introduced several novelties, headlined by the Carrera Chronograph 39mm, which features the new “glassbox” design.

Its domed crystal calls back to the hesalite crystal designs from the 1970s, and displays the tachymeter bezel in a slightly different way. While it was typically laid flat on the edges of the dial, the glassbox design follows the sloping edges of the crystal, resulting in a vintage-meets-modern look.

30 Years – Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore (1993)

It’s not just the mid-century classics that are celebrating big milestones this year. The relatively young AP Royal Oak Offshore, whom we all know as the beefier and perhaps more adventurous sibling of the Royal Oak, turns 30 this year.

Introduced in 1993, the Royal Oak Offshore was the brand’s answer to the growing preference for larger watches. As a derivative of the classic Royal Oak, the Offshore collection also allowed Audemars Piguet to experiment with new materials, color schemes, and statement designs, thus getting the attention of a younger audience.

Since then, the Royal Oak Offshore has become the go-to of watch collectors who seek a powerful and sporty timepiece.

For its 30^th anniversary, Audemars Piguet presented four new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronographs, all in black ceramic. These include: a tribute to the 1999 “End of Days” model, a 42mm Self-Winding Chronograph, a 43mm Flying Tourbillon, and one that combines black ceramic with gold accents for powerful contrast.

That these watches have stood the test of time and continue to inspire today’s timepieces is indeed worth celebrating. To get your piece of watch history, explore our vast selection of watches, vintage and modern, at SwissWatchExpo.com.