The Submariner

Submariner - the word itself screams of adventure, accomplishment, danger and doing what most people would never do. In reality, a ‘submariner’ is actually a crew member on a submarine, a very real occupation which not many individuals hold. In the context of this blog, it is a watch… and not just any watch, it is possibly the most desirable watch ever made. It is a watch that always finishes in the top spot of many watch fans’ Top 10 lists of most sought-after timepieces. The Submariner is the watch that everybody knows, even those who know nothing about watches.

The Submariner is of course a watch by the Swiss company Rolex, first going into production in 1953 and was first shown to the public at the Basel Watch Fair in 1954. Since then, the Submariner has evolved and on its journey through time it has assisted greats like Jacques Cousteau and James Bond in their endeavours. It was the chosen companion of film maker James Cameron when he piloted the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible he co-designed and engineered 11 kilometres (7 miles) to the bottom of the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench. It has been on the wrist of those who changed the world through the latter half of the 20th century and well into the 21st century, and it is still as relevant as ever. Yet through all of this time, it has retained its perfect proportions and features which made it an instant classic back in 1954.

In an ideal world, everybody who wants a Rolex Submariner should get one... but that is not possible for a number of reasons. A Submariner, regardless of age, is costing more than £5,000 nowadays, which is above and beyond what most people are prepared to spend on a wrist watch. Those who can, and will, spend that kind of money are left desperately trying to juggle waiting lists and a hyper inflated second hand market in a mad scramble to land the holy grail of watches. Originally available in steel only, the Submariner was later introduced in a combination of gold and steel and in 18k solid gold.

Since the launch of the Submariner, most watch brands have attempted to follow Rolex’s act by bringing out watches which took everything from a few to a lot of style and design cues from the master. A watch brand had an incomplete lineup if it didn’t offer a diver’s watch which at least tried to give the Submariner a run for its money.

When we planned the Dive E02 range, we knew that there would be both yea and nay-sayers out there. This came after having considered if it was even fair to entertain the idea of making a watch which takes it primary inspiration from the great Submariner in the first place. For us the decision was simple. Here is our rationale: Thomas Burberry invented the trench coat and today most people agree that a Burberry trench coat is the one to have, assuming you can afford it. But how many of today’s trench coats are made by Burberry? Every serious fashion brand offers their own take on the trench coat, meaning that there are hundreds of great trench coats you can buy - some of them even more expensive than a genuine Burberry. All of this is to say that making your own interpretation of this legendary piece of garment is not a counterfeit.

This begs the question: what would it take for Enoksen to join the the ranks of watch companies making a tribute to the Submariner? For starters, a Dive E02 is not just a watch that takes certain design cues from the great Submariner. It is more than that. It is a watch that revives what the original was designed to be; a no nonsense and ultra durable tool watch made for people with a maritime lifestyle.

Although a Submariner was never a cheap watch, in the past it was far more accessible to people with average incomes than is the case today. We wanted to achieve the same with the Dive E02. We wanted to create not just the look, but more importantly the feel, the sense of quality and robustness you get from a Rolex Submariner. Therefore, we made a watch with sublime specifications. 300m water resistance, sapphire crystal and 316L steel. The Dive E02 is a fraction larger than a Submariner and we have made it ours by changing key design features here and there. After all, it was our objective to create a nod to the Submariner, not a shameless replica. You will not automatically or wrongly assume that a Dive E02 is a Submariner when you see it in the flesh.

We didn’t stop there, however. Through our configurator, we are able to offer a choice of 3 different dial colours, 25 different bezel colours and an almost ungodly amount of straps and bracelets. It is truly possible to configure a Dive E02 in your own image.

So there it is: If you like the look and feel of the Rolex Submariner, lack the desire to pay north of £5k for the privilege, and if you want to pick your own, personal colour scheme, look no further than our customisable Dive E02 range.