Overview
The Submariner undoubtedly stands as one of the most popular and instantly recognizable sports watches of all time. Rolex first introduced the renowned diver in 1953 under the reference 6204. The release was a major accomplishment, as the new Submariner became the first consumer watch to possess a water resistance of up to 100m. Just one year later, Rolex’s sister company, Tudor, unveiled a more affordable version of the Submariner under the reference 7922. While the movement and dial branding were different, the two watches mirrored each other in almost every other aspect, and would continue to do so for the next 15 years.
Tudor eventually began innovating on the classic Submariner design with distinct variants of its own, starting in 1969 with the iconic 7016 “Snowflake” and continuing in 1984 with the more understated 76100 “Lollipop”. The latter represents a transitional model, featuring an hour hand adorned with an uninterrupted luminescent dot resembling the confectionery treat from which it draws its nickname. The 76100 remained in production for a brief span of 4 years before conceding to the final generation of Tudor Submariners, which returned to the original "Mercedes" hour hand design. While the "Lollipops" are considerably rarer than their "Snowflake" predecessors, they’ve been relatively under appreciated over the years and remain a great buy for collectors seeking a unique and playful take on the world’s most beloved watch.
Specifications
Brand:
Tudor
Model:
Submariner
Reference:
76100
Year:
1987
Case Number:
193958
Case Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
40 mm
Lug Width:
20 mm
Thickness:
12.2 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
47.5 mm
Dial:
Blue
Lume:
Tritium
Crystal:
Acrylic
Movement:
Automatic
Caliber:
ETA 2824-2
Bracelet/Strap:
Stainless steel bracelet with 380B end links and K12 clasp code
Max Wrist Size:
6.75 in (10 links)
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The case shows normal signs of wear for a watch of this age. The lugs exhibit a few light scratches and a couple small nicks. They remain thick and well-defined with crisp chamfers and superb brushed finishing still present. The case sides contain micro nicks and tiny scratches throughout. The crown guards are super strong and thick, which is a good sign that this watch has hardly been polished, if at all. The blue bezel has faded to a lovely pale blue and is in superb condition with no notable marks. The case back condition is consistent with the rest of the watch, exhibiting tiny scratches and nicks throughout and one small dent to the back of the lug at 4:30. The Rolex engravings remain sharp and deep.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The dial and hands are in fantastic condition with no signs of oxidation. There is some very small cracking at the center of the dial. The tritium hands are a slightly creamier shade than the hour plots, which is not uncommon for this reference. The lollipop hour hand remains intact with no major cracking. When exposed to UV light, neither the dial, hands, or bezel pearl exhibit any glow. The acrylic crystal has a small dent on the cyclops, but otherwise shows very little wear and has plenty of life left to give.
Bracelet/Strap: The Tudor 9315 stainless steel bracelet exhibits signs of wear consistent with the rest of the watch. The are a few light scratches and hairlines throughout and the links on the 12 o'clock side show some scuffing towards the case. The clasp has some light scratches and desk-diving marks. The deployant blade code of K12 is a close match with the case number. The end links are correctly stamped 380B and the 9315 reference marking is present underneath the first link at 12 o’clock. The Tudor stamp at the clasp remains sharp.
Performance
Functions: All functions including the crown winding, time setting, and date changing are working as expected.
Service History: Unknown.
