Reference:6538 - Revision history

Klaudiusz: Remove conversational Bond presentation wording

2026-09-29T08:19:25Z

Remove conversational Bond presentation wording

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:19, 29 September 2026
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	Period-correct delivery splits across two rivet bracelet families. The 7206 is the fixed-link rivet Oyster, found with end-links 80 (7206/80). The 6636 is the expandable rivet Oyster, with end-links 64 or 65 (6636/64, 6636/65) — the same fitments documented across the 5508, 5510, 6536, 6542, and earliest 5512 / 1675 production. Reference-number stamping on the bracelets only appears from 1961 onwards, so 6538-era bracelets are typically unstamped — an important authentication tell. The "Big Logo" deployant clasp is characteristic of the late-1950s / early-1960s rivet runs and turns up frequently on cataloged 6538 examples.		Period-correct delivery splits across two rivet bracelet families. The 7206 is the fixed-link rivet Oyster, found with end-links 80 (7206/80). The 6636 is the expandable rivet Oyster, with end-links 64 or 65 (6636/64, 6636/65) — the same fitments documented across the 5508, 5510, 6536, 6542, and earliest 5512 / 1675 production. Reference-number stamping on the bracelets only appears from 1961 onwards, so 6538-era bracelets are typically unstamped — an important authentication tell. The "Big Logo" deployant clasp is characteristic of the late-1950s / early-1960s rivet runs and turns up frequently on cataloged 6538 examples.

	The 9315 folded-link Oyster is post-rivet and primarily a 1968-onward service replacement. A 9315 on a 6538 should be treated as later or service fitment unless provenance shows otherwise. Connery's on-screen Bond 6538 wore a 16mm striped NATO across 20mm lugs rather than a bracelet~~; that NATO presentation is what most viewers picture, but the~~ factory delivery configuration was the rivet Oyster.		The 9315 folded-link Oyster is post-rivet and primarily a 1968-onward service replacement. A 9315 on a 6538 should be treated as later or service fitment unless provenance shows otherwise. Connery's on-screen Bond 6538 wore a 16mm striped NATO across 20mm lugs rather than a bracelet. The factory delivery configuration was the rivet Oyster; the NATO belongs to the screen presentation.

	<span id="bond-on-screen-attribution"></span>		<span id="bond-on-screen-attribution"></span>

Klaudiusz: Deep anti-slop and evidence audit: remove repetition and conversational Bond/bracelet wording, qualify service fitment, canonicalize headings

2026-09-29T08:19:06Z

Deep anti-slop and evidence audit: remove repetition and conversational Bond/bracelet wording, qualify service fitment, canonicalize headings

Show changes

Klaudiusz: Deep correctness and anti-slop audit: 6538

2026-09-28T21:31:41Z

Deep correctness and anti-slop audit: 6538

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:31, 28 September 2026
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	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex Submariner 6538 'Big Crown' — James Bond, 1956–1959 \| Rolexopedia		\|title=Rolex Submariner 6538 'Big Crown' — James Bond, 1956–1959 \| Rolexopedia
	\|description=The 6538 is the big-crown Goldfinger Submariner. 1956–1959 production, no crown guards at any point, two-line gilt and rare four-line OCC dials, Connery on-screen across four films, A/6538 SBS military sub-branch,		\|description=The 6538 is the big-crown Goldfinger Submariner. 1956–1959 production, no crown guards at any point, two-line gilt and rare four-line OCC dials, Connery on-screen across four films, A/6538 SBS military sub-branch
	\|keywords=Rolex, 6538, Submariner, Goldfinger, Bond, big crown, four-line, A/6538, MilSub		\|keywords=Rolex, 6538, Submariner, Goldfinger, Bond, big crown, four-line, A/6538, MilSub
	\|image=Ref 6538 hero.webp		\|image=Ref 6538 hero.webp
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	The 6538 followed the 6200 on the big-crown side of the Submariner line. It ran alongside the small-crown 5508 and briefly overlapped the 5510 before the crown-guard 5512 appeared in 1959. The 6200 introduced the 8 mm crown and 200 m rating; the 6538 carried those features into the later 1950s run.		The 6538 followed the 6200 on the big-crown side of the Submariner line. It ran alongside the small-crown 5508 and briefly overlapped the 5510 before the crown-guard 5512 appeared in 1959. The 6200 introduced the 8 mm crown and 200 m rating; the 6538 carried those features into the later 1950s run.

	~~The crown-guard transition often misattributed to the 6538 is in fact the 6538-to-5512 transition.~~ Phillips's 2025 article on the four-line 6538 ~~reads it~~ as "the last of the pure, no-guard Submariners, before ~~Rolex transitioned to~~ the ~~more familiar Ref.~~ 5512 and ~~Ref.~~ 5513.~~" Dealer-side editorial agrees the~~ no-crown~~-guard format is universal across the 6538~~ run~~. Articles that describe "four-liner crown guards" on later 6538s confuse two different evolutions —~~ the four-line dial ~~(mid-run, see Dial map) and~~ the 5512 ~~crown guards (late~~ 1959~~, after the 6538). The 6538 carries no crown guards at any point~~.		Phillips's 2025 article describes the four-line 6538 as the last of the pure, no-guard Submariners before the 5512 and 5513. The 6538 has no crown guards throughout its run; the four-line term refers to the dial layout. Crown guards belong to the later 5512 transition in 1959.

	<span id="production-outline"></span>		<span id="production-outline"></span>
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	The 6538 uses caliber 1030, a 25-jewel bidirectional automatic rated at 18,000 vph. The 1030 appears across the no-crown-guard Submariner family and early Explorer references. On the 6538, four-line “Officially Certified Chronometer” dials identify examples catalogued with chronometer certification; the standard two-line dial does not make that claim.		The 6538 uses caliber 1030, a 25-jewel bidirectional automatic rated at 18,000 vph. The 1030 appears across the no-crown-guard Submariner family and early Explorer references. On the 6538, four-line “Officially Certified Chronometer” dials identify examples catalogued with chronometer certification; the standard two-line dial does not make that claim.

	A296 — used on the 6098 / 6150 / 6350 line ~~that runs~~ alongside the small-crown Submariners — is a full-rotor uni-directional Perpetual~~, not a bumper~~. Rolex's 1931 Perpetual patent ~~designed the~~ rotor ~~for 360° rotation from the start~~; the 1030 of 1950 introduced bidirectional winding ~~via~~ the butterfly rotor and a thinner autowind module, which ~~is what dropped~~ the bubble-back ~~caseback~~ profile. ~~Earlier Rolex articles describing A296 as bumper-style mistook the autowind-module thickness for a bumper architecture (~~Phillips Geneva Watch Auction FOUR lot 146, November 2016~~, frames~~ the ~~A296→1030 swap explicitly as a thickness~~ change ~~rather than an architectural one)~~.		A296, used on the 6098 / 6150 / 6350 line alongside the small-crown Submariners, is a full-rotor uni-directional Perpetual. Rolex's 1931 Perpetual patent used a 360° rotor; the 1030 of 1950 introduced bidirectional winding through the butterfly rotor and a thinner autowind module, which reduced the bubble-back profile. Phillips Geneva Watch Auction FOUR lot 146 (November 2016) describes the A296-to-1030 change in those terms.

	<span id="dial-map"></span>		<span id="dial-map"></span>
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	== Bond on-screen attribution ==		== Bond on-screen attribution ==

	~~The Christie's~~ June 2018 Explorer-dial 6538 ~~is not Connery's actual screen watch. Editorial coverage describes its~~ red meters-first “200/660” text, missing bezel, and original-owner painter provenance. ~~Bonhams's~~ December 2020 sale ~~also carried a disclaimer~~ that its watches had not appeared in the films ~~and were only the same model~~.		Christie’s June 2018 documented an Explorer-dial 6538 with red meters-first “200/660” text, a missing bezel, and original-owner painter provenance. The catalogue presents it as a model example; it does not connect the watch to Connery. Bonhams’s December 2020 sale likewise stated that its watches had not appeared in the films.

	~~The whereabouts of the actual Connery screen watches are not publicly documented.~~ The on-screen configuration is generally described as a two-line gilt 6538 on a striped NATO. ~~No public lot has been credibly tied to~~ the screen watches themselves.		The on-screen configuration is generally described as a two-line gilt 6538 on a striped NATO. Public auction records currently document model matches rather than the screen watches themselves.

	[[File:Ref_6538_bonhams-explorer.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Bonhams Explorer\|Bonhams Explorer]]		[[File:Ref_6538_bonhams-explorer.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Bonhams Explorer\|Bonhams Explorer]]

Admin: Full prose, evidence, dial gallery, and image audit

2026-09-21T13:55:08Z

Full prose, evidence, dial gallery, and image audit

Show changes

Admin: Convert 6 legacy image(s) to WebP

2026-09-14T01:22:49Z

Convert 6 legacy image(s) to WebP

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:22, 14 September 2026
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	== Dial map ==		== Dial map ==

	[[File:~~Ref 6538 dial~~-detail.~~jpg~~\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=6538 dial close-up\|6538 dial close-up]]		[[File:Ref_6538_dial-detail.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=6538 dial close-up\|6538 dial close-up]]

	<span id="two-line-gilt"></span>		<span id="two-line-gilt"></span>
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	=== Four-line gilt chronometer (OCC) ===		=== Four-line gilt chronometer (OCC) ===

	[[File:~~Ref 6538 four~~-line-chronometer.~~jpg~~\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=Four Line Chronometer\|Four Line Chronometer]]		[[File:Ref_6538_four-line-chronometer.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=Four Line Chronometer\|Four Line Chronometer]]
	The four-line dial adds two further lines of "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" text. Phillips New York 2018 lot 77 (NY080118/77) is the canonical four-line auction record — a 1957 example with full set including a chronometer certificate dated 12 August 1957. The Sotheby's tropical four-line lot, circa 1958 (already-cited), anchors the variant in the auction record. Blackbird places four-line dials predominantly in the second series (case range ~158,100–158,400), US market.		The four-line dial adds two further lines of "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" text. Phillips New York 2018 lot 77 (NY080118/77) is the canonical four-line auction record — a 1957 example with full set including a chronometer certificate dated 12 August 1957. The Sotheby's tropical four-line lot, circa 1958 (already-cited), anchors the variant in the auction record. Blackbird places four-line dials predominantly in the second series (case range ~158,100–158,400), US market.

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	<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">		<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
	File:~~Ref 6538 explorer~~-369.~~jpg~~\|alt=Explorer 369\|Explorer 369		File:Ref_6538_explorer-369.webp\|alt=Explorer 369\|Explorer 369
	File:~~Ref 6538 explorer~~-dial.~~jpg~~\|alt=Explorer Dial\|Explorer Dial		File:Ref_6538_explorer-dial.webp\|alt=Explorer Dial\|Explorer Dial
	</gallery>		</gallery>

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	== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==		== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==

	[[File:~~Ref 6538 crown~~-detail.~~jpg~~\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=8mm Brevet crown detail\|8mm Brevet crown detail]]		[[File:Ref_6538_crown-detail.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=8mm Brevet crown detail\|8mm Brevet crown detail]]

	The defining feature is the oversized 8mm Brevet crown — larger than the 6mm crowns of the 5508 and 6536 and the source of the reference's nickname. The case measures 37mm without crown, with a domed acrylic crystal. No crown guards across the entire run; the unguarded case profile is one of the cleanest single visual identifiers. The 5512 introduces full crown guards in late 1959 and runs alongside the early 5513.		The defining feature is the oversized 8mm Brevet crown — larger than the 6mm crowns of the 5508 and 6536 and the source of the reference's nickname. The case measures 37mm without crown, with a domed acrylic crystal. No crown guards across the entire run; the unguarded case profile is one of the cleanest single visual identifiers. The 5512 introduces full crown guards in late 1959 and runs alongside the early 5513.
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	The whereabouts of the actual Connery screen watches are not publicly documented. The on-screen configuration is consistently described as a two-line gilt 6538 on a striped NATO; that combination drives much of the modern collector demand for documented two-line 6538s. The Bond connection drives a meaningful premium across the reference, but no public lot has been credibly tied to the screen watches themselves.		The whereabouts of the actual Connery screen watches are not publicly documented. The on-screen configuration is consistently described as a two-line gilt 6538 on a striped NATO; that combination drives much of the modern collector demand for documented two-line 6538s. The Bond connection drives a meaningful premium across the reference, but no public lot has been credibly tied to the screen watches themselves.

	[[File:~~Ref 6538 bonhams~~-explorer.~~jpg~~\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Bonhams Explorer\|Bonhams Explorer]]		[[File:Ref_6538_bonhams-explorer.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Bonhams Explorer\|Bonhams Explorer]]

	<span id="a6538-special-boat-service-military"></span>		<span id="a6538-special-boat-service-military"></span>

Klaudiusz: Image: swap portrait hero for landscape Hodinkee whole-watch shot; place former hero (two-line dial detail) in Two-line gilt section

2026-09-13T17:32:25Z

Image: swap portrait hero for landscape Hodinkee whole-watch shot; place former hero (two-line dial detail) in Two-line gilt section

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:32, 13 September 2026
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	<span id="two-line-gilt"></span>		<span id="two-line-gilt"></span>
	=== Two-line gilt ===		=== Two-line gilt ===

			[[File:Ref 6538 portrait.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=6538 two-line dial, brevet crown, and leather strap\|6538 two-line dial, brevet crown, and leather strap]]

	The standard 6538 dial. Glossy black lacquer ground with gilt printing, "Submariner" above and the depth-rating line below. The dominant configuration across the run, including the Connery on-screen watch. Specialist estimates put the ratio of two-line to four-line surviving examples at 10–20:1.		The standard 6538 dial. Glossy black lacquer ground with gilt printing, "Submariner" above and the depth-rating line below. The dominant configuration across the run, including the Connery on-screen watch. Specialist estimates put the ratio of two-line to four-line surviving examples at 10–20:1.

Admin: Prose review: remove research commentary, inflated claims and repetitive phrasing

2026-09-12T14:05:14Z

Prose review: remove research commentary, inflated claims and repetitive phrasing

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:05, 12 September 2026
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	</div>		</div>

	The 6538 is the big-crown Submariner of the late 1950s ~~and the most famous vintage Rolex outside the Daytona Paul Newman category~~. Sean Connery wore a two-line gilt 6538 on a 16mm striped NATO across 20mm lugs in ''Dr. No'' (1962), ''From Russia with Love'' (1963), ''Goldfinger'' (1964), and ''Thunderball'' (1965)~~, and that on-screen run turned the reference into the most recognised early Submariner on the planet~~. The Bond ~~association is half~~ the ~~story~~. The 6538 is also the mature no-crown-guard big-crown Submariner: 200m depth rating, caliber 1030 (Rolex's first bidirectional automatic), and the oversized 8mm Brevet crown that gives the case its silhouette. When collectors say "big crown Sub" or "Bond Sub," this is the watch they mean.		The 6538 is the big-crown Submariner of the late 1950s, known for Sean Connery’s appearances wearing it as James Bond. Sean Connery wore a two-line gilt 6538 on a 16mm striped NATO across 20mm lugs in ''Dr. No'' (1962), ''From Russia with Love'' (1963), ''Goldfinger'' (1964), and ''Thunderball'' (1965). The Bond films made the reference widely recognizable. The 6538 is also the mature no-crown-guard big-crown Submariner: 200m depth rating, caliber 1030 (Rolex's first bidirectional automatic), and the oversized 8mm Brevet crown that gives the case its silhouette. When collectors say "big crown Sub" or "Bond Sub," this is the watch they mean.

	<span id="core-facts"></span>		<span id="core-facts"></span>
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	Production ran 1956 to 1959 across the auction-house consensus. Monochrome's Altieri (2017) writes "manufactured from 1955 until about 1959"; the specialist dealer trade variously gives "the latter part of the 1950s", "less than six years from 1955 to the end of 1959", and ca. 1955 through ca. 1959. Phillips, Sotheby's, and Christie's lots cluster the launch in 1956, which leaves the 1955 reading as the dealer-trade minority view against a 1956–1959 auction-house consensus.		Production ran 1956 to 1959 across the auction-house consensus. Monochrome's Altieri (2017) writes "manufactured from 1955 until about 1959"; the specialist dealer trade variously gives "the latter part of the 1950s", "less than six years from 1955 to the end of 1959", and ca. 1955 through ca. 1959. Phillips, Sotheby's, and Christie's lots cluster the launch in 1956, which leaves the 1955 reading as the dealer-trade minority view against a 1956–1959 auction-house consensus.

	~~Total production is the noisiest gap~~. Blackbird Watch Manual (Biebuyck, December 2019) gives case-number ranges by series rather than a single total: First Series ~140,300–140,500 (~200 watches); Second Series ~158,100–158,400; Third Series 307,100–307,600 plus a 383,000 group; Fourth Series ~426,000–449,300. The four series add to roughly 1,500–2,000 examples — the strongest direct evidence in the auction record. Aggregator dealer copy quotes "estimated 40,000 examples" with "barely 30%" surviving. The 40,000 figure is anomalously high vs every auction-house claim and almost certainly conflates broader serial-number range with reference-specific output. ~~Both extremes deserve mention; the~~ Blackbird ~~four~~-~~series model is the better-grounded reading~~.		Production estimates vary widely. Blackbird Watch Manual (Biebuyck, December 2019) gives case-number ranges by series rather than a single total: First Series ~140,300–140,500 (~200 watches); Second Series ~158,100–158,400; Third Series 307,100–307,600 plus a 383,000 group; Fourth Series ~426,000–449,300. The four series add to roughly 1,500–2,000 examples — the strongest direct evidence in the auction record. Aggregator dealer copy quotes "estimated 40,000 examples" with "barely 30%" surviving. The 40,000 figure is anomalously high vs every auction-house claim and almost certainly conflates broader serial-number range with reference-specific output. The Blackbird estimate rests on identified case-number groups, though Rolex has not confirmed a total.

	<span id="movement-notes"></span>		<span id="movement-notes"></span>
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	=== Tropical variants ===		=== Tropical variants ===

	Tropical dials appear in both two-line and four-line configurations. Aging patterns vary — even brown in some examples, dramatic chocolate or reddish tones in others. Tropical change is irreversible. A tropical four-line 6538 with an honest case, original bezel, and documented provenance is among the most valuable vintage Rolex watches on the market ~~— four-line rarity, tropical irreversibility, and Bond-era production converging on a single configuration~~.		Tropical dials appear in both two-line and four-line configurations. Aging patterns vary — even brown in some examples, dramatic chocolate or reddish tones in others. Tropical change is irreversible. A tropical four-line 6538 with an honest case, original bezel, and documented provenance is among the most valuable vintage Rolex watches on the market.

	<span id="red-depth-text"></span>		<span id="red-depth-text"></span>

Klaudiusz: Text audit: fix stray comma-period typo

2026-09-07T02:34:05Z

Text audit: fix stray comma-period typo

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:34, 7 September 2026
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	=== Red depth text ===		=== Red depth text ===

	Some 6538 dials carry the depth rating in red rather than gilt or white. Phillips (Logan Baker, 2019) has sold both MK I and MK II Red Sub lots at its Geneva sales. The most famous red-depth 6538 in the public record is the Christie's June 2018 example (see auction record below): an Explorer dial with red meters-first "200/660" depth rating,.		Some 6538 dials carry the depth rating in red rather than gilt or white. Phillips (Logan Baker, 2019) has sold both MK I and MK II Red Sub lots at its Geneva sales. The most famous red-depth 6538 in the public record is the Christie's June 2018 example (see auction record below): an Explorer dial with red meters-first "200/660" depth rating.

	<span id="explorer-dial-6538"></span>		<span id="explorer-dial-6538"></span>

Klaudiusz: Galleries: convert 1 in-section image cluster(s) to comparison galleries (same files, same captions)

2026-09-07T00:09:49Z

Galleries: convert 1 in-section image cluster(s) to comparison galleries (same files, same captions)

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:09, 7 September 2026
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	=== Explorer dial ===		=== Explorer dial ===

	[[File:Ref 6538 explorer-369.jpg~~\|thumb\|right\|220px~~\|alt=Explorer 369\|Explorer 369]]		<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
	[[File:Ref 6538 explorer-dial.jpg~~\|thumb\|right\|220px~~\|alt=Explorer Dial\|Explorer Dial]]		File:Ref 6538 explorer-369.jpg\|alt=Explorer 369\|Explorer 369
			File:Ref 6538 explorer-dial.jpg\|alt=Explorer Dial\|Explorer Dial
			</gallery>

	Explorer-dial 6538 examples carry the 3-6-9 numeral layout (numerals at three, six, and nine o'clock in place of the usual baton markers) most associated with the 6200. The prevailing reading among collectors and auction catalogs is that Rolex used Explorer dials as substitutes when supplies of the standard Submariner dial ran short during early production. Of the fifteen Explorer-dial Submariners Phillips has sold across all references (6200, 6538, 5510, 5512, 5513), only a handful are 6538s. The Christie's June 2018 record-setter combines an Explorer dial with red meters-first depth text — the configuration Hodinkee's Pulvirent called "a perfect storm Submariner."		Explorer-dial 6538 examples carry the 3-6-9 numeral layout (numerals at three, six, and nine o'clock in place of the usual baton markers) most associated with the 6200. The prevailing reading among collectors and auction catalogs is that Rolex used Explorer dials as substitutes when supplies of the standard Submariner dial ran short during early production. Of the fifteen Explorer-dial Submariners Phillips has sold across all references (6200, 6538, 5510, 5512, 5513), only a handful are 6538s. The Christie's June 2018 record-setter combines an Explorer dial with red meters-first depth text — the configuration Hodinkee's Pulvirent called "a perfect storm Submariner."

Admin: Layout: 1 image(s) moved into subsections

2026-09-06T23:03:51Z

Layout: 1 image(s) moved into subsections

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:03, 6 September 2026
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	<span id="core-facts"></span>		<span id="core-facts"></span>


	== Core facts ==		== Core facts ==
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	[[File:Ref 6538 dial-detail.jpg\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=6538 dial close-up\|6538 dial close-up]]		[[File:Ref 6538 dial-detail.jpg\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=6538 dial close-up\|6538 dial close-up]]
	~~[[File:Ref 6538 four-line-chronometer.jpg\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=Four Line Chronometer\|Four Line Chronometer]]~~

	<span id="two-line-gilt"></span>		<span id="two-line-gilt"></span>
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	=== Four-line gilt chronometer (OCC) ===		=== Four-line gilt chronometer (OCC) ===

			[[File:Ref 6538 four-line-chronometer.jpg\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=Four Line Chronometer\|Four Line Chronometer]]
	The four-line dial adds two further lines of "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" text. Phillips New York 2018 lot 77 (NY080118/77) is the canonical four-line auction record — a 1957 example with full set including a chronometer certificate dated 12 August 1957. The Sotheby's tropical four-line lot, circa 1958 (already-cited), anchors the variant in the auction record. Blackbird places four-line dials predominantly in the second series (case range ~158,100–158,400), US market.		The four-line dial adds two further lines of "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" text. Phillips New York 2018 lot 77 (NY080118/77) is the canonical four-line auction record — a 1957 example with full set including a chronometer certificate dated 12 August 1957. The Sotheby's tropical four-line lot, circa 1958 (already-cited), anchors the variant in the auction record. Blackbird places four-line dials predominantly in the second series (case range ~158,100–158,400), US market.

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	The Christie's June 2018 USD 1,068,500 result for the Explorer-dial red-depth 6538 is the public record price ceiling and shows dial rarity plus original-owner provenance rather than any direct Bond link. The Phillips USD 567,000 four-line is the canonical four-line OCC benchmark. Tropical four-line examples in clean condition trade at the upper-middle of the market alongside Bond-era two-line gilts in original condition. The 6538 holds its market position across both dial configurations — condition, dial character, and presence of original components drive the spread far more than sub-variant rarity does.		The Christie's June 2018 USD 1,068,500 result for the Explorer-dial red-depth 6538 is the public record price ceiling and shows dial rarity plus original-owner provenance rather than any direct Bond link. The Phillips USD 567,000 four-line is the canonical four-line OCC benchmark. Tropical four-line examples in clean condition trade at the upper-middle of the market alongside Bond-era two-line gilts in original condition. The 6538 holds its market position across both dial configurations — condition, dial character, and presence of original components drive the spread far more than sub-variant rarity does.


	== Related references ==		== Related references ==