Rolex Submariner book with Wallpaper* is a deep-diving first

Rolex 'Oyster Perpetual Submariner – The Watch that Unlocked the Deep' book on blue background

Oyster Perpetual Submariner – The Watch that Unlocked the Deep, published in partnership by Rolex and Wallpaper*. Limited-edition silk-bound copies are available from WallpaperSTORE*

(Image credit: Future Studios for Wallpaper*)

In the first officially authorised account, Rolex is uncovering the history of the Oyster Perpetual Submariner watch in a book published in partnership with global design authority Wallpaper*. Oyster Perpetual Submariner – the Watch that Unlocked the Deep, written by author, historian, editor and journalist Nicholas Foulkes, is to be the first in a series of books taking a closer look at the brand’s series of watches.

The Oyster Perpetual Submariner, the first divers’ watch guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100m (or 330ft), has broken records with its technical innovations since its debut in 1953. With its mastery of underwater pressure, it paved the way for timely explorations into the marine world, and was followed by 1967’s Sea-Dweller, the Deepsea in 2008 and the Deepsea Challenge in 2022, the last of which can travel 11,000m, or 36,090ft, underwater.

Foulkes’ account of the processes undertaken in creating the Submariner is interwoven with a look at the adventures of those who tested the prototypes.

Throughout, the Submariner’s design – mostly unchanged since its debut – is celebrated in new and original photography, including historical images from Rolex. ‘The Submariner represents the essence of this design-led approach, its emblematic features and quintessential appearance sculpted over decades by those pioneers who led the field in underwater exploration and continue to illuminate our world beneath the waves, many of whom are featured in this richly illustrated book,’ says Wallpaper* editor-in-chief Bill Prince.

‘Meticulously researched and beautifully realised, Oyster Perpetual Submariner – the Watch that Unlocked the Deep is an essential companion for anyone interested in the creation and evolution of a masterpiece in precision timekeeping.’

A limited number of silk-bound copies are available exclusively through WallpaperSTORE* for pre-order from 16 September 2024 and for purchase from 20 September 2024.

For worldwide distribution, editions in English and French are available from 1 October 2024 – visit ACC Art Books for retailer information.

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Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat art trends and conducted in-depth profiles, as well as writing and commissioning extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys travelling, visiting artists' studios and viewing exhibitions around the world, and has interviewed artists and designers including Maggi Hambling, William Kentridge, Jonathan Anderson, Chantal Joffe, Lubaina Himid, Tilda Swinton and Mickalene Thomas.