SOLD-Rolex Submariner 5512 from 1962 with a gilt four liner chapter ring dial and exclamation point

This Rolex Submariner is a really special one. It’s a gilt four liner with a really nice long 5 bezel and has chapter ring and exclamation point. The dial has a very nice even patina.

What we really like about this gilt four liner dial is the golden color font print with the additional text “Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified” written in silver colored lines.  This dial has really nice chapter ring rounding the minute markers and a very peculiar exclamation point. Exclamation point dials were a precursor to the notable underline dial, signifying the transition from radium to tritium lume.  And on top of that this stunning dial has a really nice creamy sandy color patina on the lume plots all very well matched with the gilt handset.

So what is a gilt dial?

Rolex produced the 5513 reference meters first for only a very short period with a gilt dial. The gilt dial sub was only produced from 1962 until 1967. Now begin with the question

what exactly is a “gilt” dial, and why is it so highly coveted? As some may know, the very definition of the word gilt is “covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint”. It is important to understand the technique how a gilt dial was actually made. The gilt writing on Rolex dials was in fact done first and afterwards a lacquer coating was placed on top of the dial.

So how are these gilt dials exactly produced?

The gold colour on a gilt dial is not ink, but the underlying metal, revealed in negative relief. To produce these dial you have to follow these steps:

1. make a brass dial
2. polish the brass dial
3. the dial can then also be gold, silver or copper plated
4. the desired design — text, name, logo, markers — is printed or stamped with a special clear coating which is soluble, non-conductive ink.
5. paint is galvanically applied to the dial; the applied clear coating prevents this paint from binding to those parts of the dial. This is done in a galvanic tank in an electrical process similar to gold plating. The colour is most commonly black, but it doesn’t have to be, the same process can be used to create any coloured dial.
6. to reveal the dial design the plate is ‘washed’, removing the soluble ink and allowing the bare metal to shine through.
7. to add extra text, the process can be repeated if further layers of colour are desired for the final design
8. lastly, a clear lacquer coating is added to the dial to give it a “glossy”, shiny finish

Needless to say this is a very laborious and intensive process.

The 5512 reference and its movement

The 5512 Submariner reference was introduced in 1959. It was a big improvement. This was the first reference with the crownguards. The ref. 5512 also came with a slightly larger 40mm Oyster case, 2mm larger than its 38mm predecessor.

Thereby it was the first Submariner which was chronometer rated which was also stated on the dials with two extra lines of text.

The Rolex Submariner 5512 and Submariner 5513 started both out with the Rolex caliber 1530 movement but the Rolex Submariner Ref 5512 later on was equipped with a chronometer certified caliber 1560 and 1570 movement, bearing the chronometer writing on the dial above the 6 o'clock position AKA the 4 lines of text as opposed to the non-chronometer certified 2 liner dial's of ref 5513's which is the easy and main way to tell the difference between the 5512 and 5513 references of no date submariners.

When Rolex replaced the Caliber 1530 with the chronometer-rated Caliber 1560 (and eventually the Caliber 1570), the company naturally included the SCOC text on the dial. Thus, these models are nicknamed the four-liner Submariner 5512.

Condition report

This stunning example of the Rolex Submariner 5512 reference comes with a  rare "Four Liner" Gilt Dial is in really good honest vintage condition.

This Submariner has a stunning and rare gilt meters first dial. The dial that has a beautifully even gloss black paint with uniform patina, and full and intact lume plots with an excellent matching hand set. Comes with a dome plexi crystal, under which the dial markers are warm and creamy with sharp and bold gilt text, a truly original and well preserved dial that classes this example in the premium range for condition.

If you’re looking for an honest and no questions example, this is it, a true rarity as these rarely become available in this condition. Check the high res pics, even more stunning in the flesh, and no disappointments.

• Dial: Original beautiful Four liner gilt dial. The dial has a really nice even patina with a kind of creamy colour tritium. The lacquer of this dial has a beautiful even and consistent patina on top of the black galvanized painted brass gilt dial
• Hands: Original Tritium gilt steel hands. The creamy patina of the hands match the patina of the hour markers perfectly.
• Case: case has been polished before. The lugs are still thick & even showing bevels, lugs and crown guards that has been well preserved and looked after. Reference & serial numbers are fully legible. Case shows wear but very reasonable for its age (Please see pictures). Inside case and movement is sharp and ultra clean with no corrosion, beautifully aged. Triple coronet double lock crown.. Serial number in the correct range with numbers between lugs partially visible, but still visible and correct inner caseback stamp dating it to third Quarter - 1/1962.
• Bezel: really nice LONG 5 bezel. The LONG 5 bezel is the earliest bezel without the red triangle faded from black to grey. This bezel was only produced for a very short time in the mid 1960s. The bezel has its original tritium pearl. The key tell on this one is the long five feature in the 50 marker.  It is the interior of the five that is elongated vertically rather than in the MK1 which is square..
• Bracelet: excellent Rolex C&I bracelet with 7-71 year codet. Bracelet has some stretch and wear but is in really great wearable condition.
• Movement: Bought serviced. Just checked by our watchmaker. Running perfectly with a one year service warranty. The watch carries the self-winding automatic 1560 movement polished decorations and circular Côtes de Genève finishing. The movement features 26 jewels and a bi-directional central rotor, beating at 18,000 A/h, with a power reserve of 42-hours. The movement is clean, and during the time of testing the watch was fully functional.
• Accessories: None.
• Notes: Absolutely stunning example of a super desirable Rolex Submariner 5512 with an attractive dial, original hand, original bezel and later bracelet. Very hard to find these in this condition.

Overall, the Rolex Submariner 5512 is noteworthy, both for its design and execution. This Rolex Submariner 5512 is remarkably well preserved. 

As with all of our pre-owned watches this watch comes with a full 12 month warranty with ourselves that will be invoked from the day of purchase.

Viewings can be arranged at our office by appointment.

This particular watch has just undergone a full service. This work was carried out by our Rolex authorized watchmaker using Rolex parts.

As with all of our pre-owned watches this watch comes with a full 12 month warranty with ourselves that will be invoked from the day of purchase.

If you put it on your wrist, you feel you have locked and Wrist Icon!

• Brand: Rolex
• Model: Submariner
• Serial numbe: 764689 partially visible
• Reference: 5512
• Year: Circa 1962
• caliber: Automatic 1560 movement without/date
• Case: It has a stainless steel case with screw down case back. waterproof screw-down crown, rotatable time-lapse diver's bezel, acrylic crystal. Excellent case with reasonable wear from use. Inner caseback has printed I 62
• Bezel and insert: comes with a lightly faded fat font LONG 5 Mark II bezel insert ( first fat font after the red triangle MARK I. It is a sharp original bezel with original "Hooked 5" insert with Tritium dot present.
• Dimensions: 40 mm diameter;
• Crystal: Plexiglass
• Dial: transitional gilt meters first four liner dial with warm creamy tritium hour markers.
• Bracelet/Strap: stainless steel Rolex C&I bracelet folded oyster bracelet with a Rolex signed flip lock buckle. It wears really good, Bracelet dated to 7 71 and has 11 links. Bracelet has been polished and the Rolex crown on the clasp is nice & fully working
• Lug Width: 20mm
• Box/Papers: only watch