The Vault › All references › Submariner
Submariner · 1962 to 1989
“Vintage No-Date”
Grade B · 78/100Today's call: Hold
B: solid, selective. Ranked #46 of 129 references in The Crown Index vault.
| Original retail (1968) | $230 |
|---|---|
| Market today | $12,000 – $22,000 |
| Vs original retail | +7291% |
| 1-year trend | +4% |
Twenty-seven years of production, worn by divers, soldiers, and Bond. Early gilt dials trade for multiples of later matte dials.
The entry ticket to serious vintage Rolex collecting, and the one with the most minefields: service dials, replaced hands, polished cases.
Produced for 27 years and worn by half the interesting men of the 20th century: Sean Connery and Roger Moore as Bond, plus a generation of actual navy divers who bought them at base exchanges for two weeks' pay.
The 5513 is the gateway drug of vintage collecting because every year of production looks slightly different: gilt chapter-ring dials, 'Bart Simpson' coronets, maxi dials. Learning to read them is half the fun and all of the price.
Our verdict: Beautiful, historic, risky. Budget for an expert authentication before wiring money.
| Sizes | 40mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet material | Oystersteel (stainless) |
| Factory bracelet | Oyster |
| Factory bezels | Faded aluminum dive bezel |
| Notable dials | Gilt gloss (early); Matte; 'Maxi' dials |
| Caliber | 1520 / 1530 |
| Production | 1962 to 1989 (discontinued) |
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