Out of the nine new Rolex Submariner watches for 2022, the new generation 41mm-wide Rolex Submariners with the updated 3235 family of movements also includes some precious metal varieties. Those include the reference 126619 in 18k white gold, as well as these two reference 126618LB (blue dial and bezel) and 126618LN (black dial and black bezel Submariner watches in 18k yellow gold. For the most part, the new Submariner watches don’t materially add new styles to the larger Rolex Submariner universe — even though the cases, bracelets, and dials are new. That said, Rolex has not recently offered a blue-on-blue version of the Submariner in all 18k yellow gold, which makes the 126618LB a welcome novelty for those who have been missing this in the collection.
Blue dial Submariner fans also have the 126613LB Rolesor (two-tone steel and gold) watches for 2020 to be interested in, but in all gold, the Submariner takes on new character (and is nearly $20,000 more “precious”). Both black and blue dial new Submariner watches are available either as 126618 or 126613 models this year. The biggest news for the 2020 Rolex Submariner watches is the case size has been marginally increased to 41mm-wide over 40mm-wide. Other than that, the aesthetic tweaks of the dial and case bring the Submariner back to what it appeared like prior to the previous generation “maxi dial” Submariner look. We see thinner lugs for the 126618 watches, as well as slightly smaller hour markers.
Rolex has now fitted the Submariner with its modern generation caliber 3235 automatic movement which features the time with an instant-adjust date window. The movement operates at 4Hz with 70 hours of power reserve and is COSC along with Superlative (in-house Rolex testing) Chronometer certified.

Both the 126618LB in blue and 126618LN in black have Cerachrom ceramic bezel inserts. The dials are the standard Submariner in design, but I believe that in the future, Rolex may once again offer these watches with diamond hour markers (at least a partial set of them). There is no better-machined luxury gold sports diver’s watch on the planet that I know of, which makes the Rolex “Oyster Perpetual” Submariner in all 18k yellow gold an interesting blend of tool timepiece and luxury item. Look out for a hands-on aBlogtoWatch look at the Rolex Submariner Date reference 126618LB and 126618LN watches soon.