What is the water resistance rating of the Rolex Submariner?

The current Rolex Submariner has a water-resistance rating of 300 metres, or 1,000 feet.

That rating applies to the modern Submariner and Submariner Date models. Their Oyster cases, screw-down backs and Triplock winding crowns help keep water out, while the unidirectional bezel lets divers track elapsed underwater time without accidentally showing more remaining dive time than is safe.

The rating has increased over the model’s history. When the Submariner launched in 1953, it was waterproof to 100 metres. Rolex raised the rating to 200 metres in 1954, and the Submariner reached 300 metres in 1989. The Submariner Date achieved the same 300-metre rating earlier, in 1979.

A common mistake is confusing the Submariner with Rolex’s deeper-rated professional divers’ watches. The Sea-Dweller is rated to 1,220 metres, while the Deepsea reaches 3,900 metres. Also, a depth rating is a laboratory guarantee of water resistance, not a recommendation that every owner should dive to that exact depth.