Nicknamed “Smurf” after the little blue cartoon characters in white hats, this was the first production Submariner made in solid 18K white gold, dressed in blue on blue. Built for the collector who would rather whisper than shout, it looks like steel from across the room and feels like gold on the wrist. Call it the Clark Kent of Submariners, mild-mannered at a glance and something far stronger underneath.

Presents itself in mint condition with little to no signs of wear. Sitting under the sapphire crystal, the glossy royal blue dial shines like wet paint, shifting from cobalt in sunlight to deep navy at dusk, while its round markers glow blue in the dark. Crowned with platinum-coated numerals, the blue Cerachrom ceramic bezel clicks one way to time a dive and never fades. Carved from solid 18K white gold, the Oyster bracelet flashes polished center links between brushed outer links.

Functions include hours, minutes, hacking seconds, quick-set date and dive timing. Everything runs through the Triplock screw-down crown at 3 o’clock, so unscrew it and give it about 40 clockwise winds if it has been resting. Pull it out two clicks to stop the seconds hand and park the hands at 6:30, then push it in one click and turn it clockwise to set yesterday’s date. Back at the second click, roll the hands forward past midnight to today and on to the current time, then screw the crown down to seal in 300 meters of water resistance. Tucked inside the clasp, the Glidelock extension adjusts up to 20mm without tools, while the in-house calibre 3135 automatic holds about 48 hours of power reserve.

Comes as a complete set, double-boxed with warranty card, card holder, guarantee manual, and Submariner booklet.

Retired in 2020 and followed by a black-dial successor, the all-blue Smurf is now a closed chapter. Ideal for a blue collection or a Submariner story, it fits a boardroom as easily as a boat deck. Some watches you wait for, and some are already waiting for you.