Actor Coluche spotted wearing a Rolex

On the wrist of one of France's most iconic comic actors, a Rolex Submariner reference 1680 made a quiet but unmistakable appearance in the 1983 film 'Banzai,' directed by Claude Zidi. The sighting places the watch in its natural era — the ref. 1680 was in production from approximately 1966 to 1979, meaning the piece worn by Coluche would have been a relatively recent vintage at the time of filming, entirely consistent with everyday wear by a prominent public figure of the period.

The Rolex Submariner reference 1680 represents a landmark in the model's lineage. It was the first Submariner to incorporate a date function, distinguished by a cyclops lens over the date aperture at 3 o'clock. The case measures 40mm in stainless steel, fitted with a unidirectional rotating bezel and rated to 200 metres water resistance. At its heart sits the Calibre 1575, a 26-jewel automatic movement with a 48-hour power reserve — a reliable workhorse that Rolex refined continuously throughout the reference's production run. Early examples carried the famous 'red Submariner' text on the dial, a detail that transforms an already desirable watch into a serious collector's piece.

Among vintage Rolex enthusiasts, the ref. 1680 occupies a pivotal position. It bridges the tool-watch purism of the earlier non-date Submariners with the more refined, date-equipped references that followed. The 'red sub' dial variants, in particular, command substantial premiums and are actively pursued by collectors worldwide. Condition, originality of the dial, and matching case serial numbers are critical factors in valuation.

Coluche — born Michel Gérard Joseph Colucci — was at the height of his fame in the early 1980s, a period defined by his anarchic humour, grassroots political campaign for the French presidency, and eventual founding of the Restos du Cœur food charity. A Submariner on his wrist was an entirely plausible choice: accessible enough to wear casually, robust enough for a man who lived loudly.

On today's grey market, a Rolex Submariner reference 1680 in honest condition trades widely depending on dial variant and provenance. Standard black-text examples can fetch between $12,000 and $18,000, while red-print dial specimens regularly exceed $25,000 to $35,000 or more at auction, reflecting sustained collector demand for this transitional reference.