| Brand: | Rolex |
| Model: | Oyster Perpetual Submariner |
| Reference: | 5513 |
| Gender: | male/uni-sex |
| Year: | 1963 |
| Material: | stainless steel |
| Dial Color: | black |
| Dimensions: | 40mm |
| Watch Movement: | automatic |
| Bracelet/Strap: | stainless steel |
| Box/Paper: | WRIST ICONS watch pouch if ordered at WRIST ICONS |
| Condition: | EXCELLENT |
This Rolex Submariner is a really special one. The gilt dial has a two line print. The pointed crown guard (PCG) case has a really nice and extremely rare long 5 bezel with a skinny 4. The dial has a very nice even patina and white SWISS only text what has been only produced in 1963! The watch comes with a nice riveted oyster bracelet.
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.
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:
Needless to say this is a very laborious and intensive process.
In the early 1960s, people started to become aware of just how dangerous radium was for both watchmakers and customers, and in 1963 Rolex would fully transition over to tritium lume on all of its future watches (until synthetic materials became available in the 1990s). The year of 1963 was a transition year. Rolex re-used stock of « Swiss marked » dial plates, adding tritium. As well as a distinctive sign to mark dials as safe. The underlines and white Swiss were born. There were upper underline (screams with a dash under Oyster perpetual), Low underline / Swiss only (dash under Submariner and under 6 word Swiss) and Swiss only white (all printed in gold color, except for the word Swiss under 6). The underline mark was used to signify lesser radioactivity in the luminous mixture on the hour plots, following the outlawing of Radium use. Although the dials are signed SWISS only they are laminated with tritium. The SWISS only in white fonts is very rare with only a few examples known. A year later in 1964 the new generation tritium luminous got added on glossy dials, signing chanced from “Swiss” to “Swiss – T<25” & “T-Swiss-T”. These transitional dials are rare and highly sought after by collectors all around the world.
Early Submariner 5512 watches were outfitted with the non-chronometer rated Caliber 1530, therefore the dials did not include the “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” label. Colloquially, these models are aptly referred to as two-liner Submariner 5512 models.
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.
So there is one detail that makes this 5513 arguably more attractive than the 5512: it has 2-lines of text instead of 4-lines due to the lack of “Superlative Officially Certified Chronometer,” which is found on the majority of 5512 Submariners from 1963. The result is a cleaner look due to no chronometer markings.
The 5512 Submariner reference was introduced in 1959. It was a big improvement. This was the first reference with the crown guards. 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. The reference 5513 is the longest produced reference so far in the line of Submariners, to be precise from 1962 to around 1989. A year after production started, the diver was equipped with a renewed caliber 1520, based on the previous caliber 1530. This was a chronometer movement with a Breguet overcoil. A discovery that ensured that the timepiece could be adjusted more accurately. In caliber 1520 this was replaced by their own ‘flat’ coil spring. This was done to save costs. This caliber is made with 17, 25, 26 Jewels (stone bearings) made. The first Submariner with caliber 1520 was made in 1963, but the timepiece type was used until around 1980.
This particular watch has just undergone a full service. This work was carried out by our Rolex authorized watchmaker using Rolex parts. This stunning example of the Rolex Submariner 5513 reference comes with a rare "Two Liner SWISS only" Gilt Dial and 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.
Overall, the Rolex Submariner 5513 is noteworthy, both for its design and execution. 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.
