Page Dimensions

Approx. 8 1/4" x 11" (21cm x 28cm)

Story and Details

There's a sea of Submariner ads out there... But only a few that rise with the tide of the best. This 1966 advertisement showing a Ref. 5513 is one of them. Conceived during the Mad Men Era, it's a one-off creative layout characteristic of most Rolex ads published before 1967. And instead of an underwater or nautical setting, the typical theme of early Submariner ads, the scene appears to be a formal affair, given the gentleman's attire and stemware he's holding. This repositioning of the Submariner as more than strictly a watch for diving is a prime example of a shift in marketing strategy and tactics of the day. And it's not just about selling a man on the watch's versatility. Ads of the 1960s tended to have some level of sexual undertone to attract male consumers to the product.

With the inclusion of a woman's hand touching the man's watch, and the line of copy, "Ask her. Maybe she knows." there's certainly a sexual element present to get a man's attention and then show him an enticing product that might lure a woman (not just a fish).

Of course, suggestive imagery and myriad interpretations aside, this is a tremendously iconic Submariner ad. For many, the one that comes to mind first when the topic of Rolex advertisements comes up.