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Reference:5512: Difference between revisions

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|title=Rolex Submariner 5512 — First Crown-Guard, 1959–1978 | Rolexopedia
|title=Rolex Submariner 5512 — First Crown-Guard, 1959–1978 | Rolexopedia
|description=The 5512 is the chronometer no-date Submariner and the watch that locks crown guards into the Submariner line. It overlaps with the 5513, but it sits…
|description=The 5512 is the no-date Submariner with crown guards, early two-line dials, later chronometer dials, and documented gilt-to-matte and movement changes.
|keywords=Rolex, 5512, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
|keywords=Rolex, 5512, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
|image=Ref 5512 dial-detail.webp
|image=Ref 5512 dial-detail.webp
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<div class="rp-lead">
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 5512 chapter-tropical.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex 5512 Submariner|Rolex 5512 Submariner]]
[[File:Ref 5512 hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex 5512 Submariner|Rolex 5512 Submariner]]
</div>
</div>


The 5512 is the chronometer no-date Submariner that introduced crown guards to the line. It runs alongside the 5513 for almost two decades but sits above it in the range, and it ends up the scarcer watch by a wide margin. The Rolex-commissioned Submariner book by Nicholas Foulkes puts total 5512 production at 17,338 units.
The 5512 is a no-date Submariner introduced in 1959 with crown guards. Early examples can have two-line, non-chronometer dials; later examples carry the four-line chronometer text. It ran alongside the 5513 for most of its life as the chronometer version of the pair. Nicholas Foulkes's Rolex-commissioned Submariner book gives total 5512 production as 17,338 watches.


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<span id="core-facts"></span>
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== Where it sits in the line ==
== Where it sits in the line ==


The 5512 is the premium no-date Submariner: chronometer-grade per the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), sitting above the non-chronometer 5513 in the same no-date slot. That was the commercial split then and remains the collecting split now. At every point in the production overlap, the 5512 is the scarcer, higher-specification watch.
The 5512 was the chronometer version of the no-date Submariner, while the 5513 used non-chronometer movements. That distinction explains the references’ position in the catalogue, but it does not make every early 5512 a chronometer: the first two-line examples are an exception.


<span id="production-outline"></span>
<span id="production-outline"></span>
== Production outline ==
== Production outline ==


Against the 5512's 17,338 units, the non-chronometer 5513 produced 151,449. Roughly one 5512 for every 8.7 5513s. Period retail pricing reflects the chronometer premium: in 1966–1968, a 5512 cost $210–$235 versus $160–$175 for the 5513.
The 17,338 total is a published estimate rather than a surviving Rolex production ledger. Published 5513 totals are not consistent enough to use as a precise production ratio here.


The 5512 reads as a long run with four distinct generations, each defined by crown guard shape, dial type, and movement caliber. The generations overlap at the edges and were never clean factory transitions, but they are stable enough to navigate by.
The run is easiest to follow through changes in crown-guard shape, dial construction, and movement. Those changes overlap; none should be treated as a clean factory break.


<span id="crown-guard-generations"></span>
<span id="crown-guard-generations"></span>
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| Square
| Square
| Gloss gilt, Chapter Ring
| Gloss gilt, Chapter Ring
| Cal. 1570
| Cal. 1530 is the documented early pairing; individual examples need checking
|-
|-
| 2
| 2
| ~1960–1963
| 1959–1963
| Pointed (Cornino)
| Pointed (Cornino)
| Gloss gilt, Chapter Ring; 2-line and 4-line
| Gloss gilt, Chapter Ring; 2-line and 4-line
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|-
|-
| 4
| 4
| Late 1960s
| From about 1963/64
| Rounded
| Rounded
| Matte, white print
| Matte, white print
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Generation 1 — Square crown guards, 1959
Generation 1 — Square crown guards, 1959


The square-crown-guard 5512 is the rarest of the run. Fewer than 15 are usually cited. The guards are blunt and straight, Rolex dropped the shape almost immediately, and surviving examples trade in a different tier from later 5512s. The movement is documented as 1570, the dial is gloss gilt with chapter ring, and Christie's sold one in 2013 for CHF 190,000.
The square-crown-guard 5512 is the first form in the run. The guards are blunt and straight, and Rolex changed the shape quickly because the profile made the crown difficult to reach. Published collector sources do not establish a reliable population count. Early examples are associated with gloss gilt, chapter-ring dials; the movement pairing should be verified on the individual watch.


On gilt dials the gold-coloured text is exposed brass under black gloss, not gold paint on top. Silver text, when present, sits above the lacquer. That layered construction explains why gilt dials age differently from later matte printed dials.
On gilt dials the gold-coloured text is exposed brass under black gloss, not gold paint on top. Silver text, when present, sits above the lacquer. That layered construction explains why gilt dials age differently from later matte printed dials.


Rolex Forum collectors note that three distinct crown-guard shapes are concentrated within 1959 alone: the square guards, an early transitional form, and the beginning of the pointed Cornino profile. Rolex was iterating fast.
The square, eagle-beak, and pointed forms overlap in early examples. The terminology is collector usage, and the case, dial, and movement should be assessed together.


Generation 2 — Pointed "Cornino" crown guards, ~1960–1963
Generation 2 — Pointed "Cornino" crown guards, ~1960–1963


Generation 2 moves to pointed Cornino guards around 1960. The shift was not perfectly clean, and transitional examples exist. Both two-line and four-line dials appear here, which is why the shorthand "5512 equals four-line chronometer" fails early in the run. Movements are 1530 or 1560 depending on timing.
Generation 2 moves to pointed Cornino guards during the early 1960s. The shift was not perfectly clean, and transitional examples exist. Both two-line and four-line dials appear in the early run, so a 5512 is not automatically a four-line chronometer. Movements include the 1530 and 1560 depending on the watch’s date and configuration.


Generation 3 — Pointed "Cornino" crown guards, mid-1960s
Generation 3 — Pointed "Cornino" crown guards, mid-1960s
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Generation 4 — Rounded crown guards, late 1960s
Generation 4 — Rounded crown guards, late 1960s


The transition from pointed to rounded guards happens mid-to-late 1960s. Dial printing shifts from gilt to matte white around the same period; the exact boundary overlaps with the 5513's own matte transition. This generation bridges into the long matte phase that runs to the end of the reference.
The transition from pointed to rounded guards is generally placed around 1963–64. Dial printing shifts from gilt to matte around the middle of the decade, with overlap at the boundary. The rounded case continues through the long matte phase.


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</gallery>
</gallery>


The 5512 starts in the glossy gilt dial era, with a glossy black dial and gilt-coloured printing in place of the later matte style. Early gilt 5512 watches with square or pointed crown guards are where the reference reaches its highest values.
The 5512 starts in the glossy gilt dial era, with a glossy black dial and gilt-coloured printing in place of the later matte style. Early gilt 5512 watches with square or pointed crown guards are documented early configurations; originality and condition vary by watch.


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<span id="matte-years"></span>
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</gallery>
</gallery>


The 5512 dial taxonomy organises by generation rather than by named dial variants. The 5513, by contrast, is classified by named types (Underline, Bart Simpson, Maxi).
The useful first split is gilt versus matte, followed by two-line, four-line, meters-first, feet-first, and Maxi configurations. Collector names such as Underline, Neat Font, and Bart Simpson are labels for particular dial details, not Rolex factory designations.


<span id="early-two-line-and-gilt"></span>
<span id="early-two-line-and-gilt"></span>
=== Early two-line and gilt ===
=== Early two-line and gilt ===
[[File:Ref 5512 two-line gilt pcg.webp|thumb|right|220px|alt=Two-line gilt dial with pointed crown guards|Two-line gilt dial with pointed crown guards]]
[[File:Ref 5512 two-line gilt pcg.webp|thumb|right|220px|alt=Two-line gilt dial with pointed crown guards|Two-line gilt dial with pointed crown guards]]
[[File:Ref 5512 chapter-tropical.webp|thumb|right|220px|alt=Tropical two-line gilt dial close-up|Tropical two-line gilt dial close-up]]


Early 5512 examples can be two-line, before the reference settled into the four-line chronometer layout. These non-COSC two-line dials sit only in the earliest production. Two-line gilt examples with square or pointed crown guards are exceptionally rare.
Early 5512 examples can be two-line, before the reference settled into the four-line chronometer layout. These non-COSC two-line dials sit only in the earliest production. Two-line gilt examples with square or pointed crown guards are documented early configurations; published sources do not establish a reliable population count.


The two-line configuration carries the depth rating and "SUBMARINER" only, with no chronometer certification text. The four-line configuration adds "SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER" and "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED" (the SCOC text). A rare OCC variant exists from the very earliest production: "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED / CHRONOMETER" instead of the standard SCOC layout, analogous to the OCC 1675 GMT.
The two-line configuration carries the depth rating and "SUBMARINER" only, with no chronometer certification text. The four-line configuration adds "SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER" and "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED" (the SCOC text). A very early OCC layout is reported in collector literature, with "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED / CHRONOMETER" in place of the later SCOC wording. It is best treated as an attributed variant rather than a general production rule.


Text colour patterns evolved across the gilt run. In 1959–1960, mixed silver and gold text combinations appear: depth rating in silver, "SUBMARINER" in gold, with SCOC text (when present) in silver. From 1961–1962 with the MK1 Old Font coronet, two-line dials have both lines in silver. With the newer coronet types from 1961–1962, two-line dials show both lines in gold, while four-line dials have the first two lines in gold and the SCOC lines in silver. From 1963 onward the standard pattern is the first two lines in gilt with SCOC text in silver.
Text colour patterns evolved across the gilt run. In 1959–1960, mixed silver and gold text combinations appear: depth rating in silver, "SUBMARINER" in gold, with SCOC text (when present) in silver. From 1961–1962 with the MK1 Old Font coronet, two-line dials have both lines in silver. With the newer coronet types from 1961–1962, two-line dials show both lines in gold, while four-line dials have the first two lines in gold and the SCOC lines in silver. From 1963 onward the standard pattern is the first two lines in gilt with SCOC text in silver.
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After approximately 1967 the 5512 moves from gilt to matte white-letter dials, in step with the wider Submariner line. Matte 5512s include meters-first, feet-first, and late Maxi examples; the subtype boundaries are too soft to force into a rigid chart.
After approximately 1967 the 5512 moves from gilt to matte white-letter dials, in step with the wider Submariner line. Matte 5512s include meters-first, feet-first, and late Maxi examples; the subtype boundaries are too soft to force into a rigid chart.


Rolex Forum collectors identify a "Meters First Neat Fonts" variant as a named sub-type within the matte meters-first category, distinguished by a particularly clean, precisely spaced typeface in the dial printing. A serif dial variant is also documented from approximately 1971–1972, where the dial text uses a serif typeface that differs from both the earlier and later non-serif matte printing. These named variants track the same typographic progression documented in the 5513 dial timeline.
Collector references use names such as "Meters First Neat Font" for particular matte dial layouts. A serif typeface is also reported on some early-1970s examples. These labels describe observed printing differences; they are not a substitute for serial, caseback, and movement evidence.


<span id="gilt-to-matte-transition"></span>
<span id="gilt-to-matte-transition"></span>
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== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==


The 5512 is the first Submariner with crown guards, and it brings a significant case size increase from the 38mm of the preceding 6536/1. Some sources measure the case at 39.5mm; most round to 40mm. Either way, that diameter becomes standard for the entire line through the modern era.
The 5512 is the first Submariner with crown guards, and its case is larger than the 38mm case of the preceding 6536/1. Sources measure it at about 39.5mm or round it to 40mm. The measurement should be understood as approximate, since case condition and measuring method vary.


Crown guard evolution from square to pointed to rounded is the most important physical change across the production run. Collectors call the earliest guard shapes "square crown guards" and the second generation "eagle beaks" or "Cornino" — collector field language, not Rolex factory taxonomy.
Crown-guard shape changes from square to eagle-beak and pointed forms, then to the rounded profile. “Eagle beak” and “Cornino” are collector terms, not Rolex factory designations.


The crystal is a super dome plexi (model 19 or Tropic 39), giving early examples a pronounced domed profile. The watch keeps the standard no-date Submariner format and rotating bezel, with early Long 5 inserts (whose "5" has a long tail) still appearing often enough to matter.
The crystal is an acrylic super dome, commonly identified with the model 19 or Tropic 39 family. The watch has the standard no-date Submariner format and rotating bezel. Long 5 inserts are documented on 1960s examples, but an insert can be replaced and should not date the case by itself.


Early gilt dials show an exclamation dot below the 6 o'clock lume plot, a small round marker that likely functioned as a radium warning indicator. The radium-to-tritium transition occurred in the mid-1960s, and dial printing shifted from "SWISS" to "SWISS T&lt;25" to denote the change in luminous material.
Some early gilt dials show an exclamation dot below the 6 o’clock lume plot. Collectors commonly associate it with the change in luminous material, but the dial alone does not prove the chemistry. The radium-to-tritium transition occurred during the 1960s, and later printing uses "SWISS T&lt;25".


Chapter ring timing: gilt 5512 dials from 1959 through 1962 carry a characteristic gold-tone connected minute track (the chapter ring) around the dial periphery. From 1963 onward the chapter ring is absent, unless the dial is a carryover from an earlier production year. A chapter ring combined with an underline is very rare; when found, casebacks are typically dated to Q4 1962.
Chapter ring timing: gilt 5512 dials from 1959 through 1962 carry a characteristic gold-tone connected minute track (the chapter ring) around the dial periphery. From 1963 onward the chapter ring is absent, unless the dial is a carryover from an earlier production year. A chapter ring combined with an underline is uncommon in published examples; caseback dating still needs to be checked on the individual watch.


<span id="bezel-authentication-fat-font-mark-1-and-the-kissing-40"></span>
<span id="bezel-authentication-fat-font-mark-1-and-the-kissing-40"></span>
=== Bezel authentication: Fat Font Mark 1 and the "Kissing 40" ===
=== Bezel authentication: Fat Font Mark 1 and the "Kissing 40" ===


The earliest 5512 bezels are Fat Font Mark 1, identifiable by two things working together: thick, bold numerals and the "kissing 40" at the 40-minute position, where the 4 and 0 are nearly touching. The gap between them is almost nothing. Once recognised, the layout is unmistakable, and a service bezel that lacks it is easy to spot.
Some early 5512 bezels are described as Fat Font Mark 1, with thick numerals and a closely spaced "40" at the 40-minute position. Those features can help compare an insert with period examples, but bezel inserts are replaceable parts.


The Mark 2 bezel was likely introduced with Generation 3 in the mid-1960s, though the exact transition point is not cleanly documented. Service bezels use thin-font numerals and no kissing 40, both flags that a bezel has been swapped. A genuine Fat Font Mark 1 bezel on an early gilt 5512 is a meaningful authenticity and value indicator; a service bezel on the same case is a significant collector downgrade.
The Mark 2 transition is often placed in the mid-1960s, although the boundary is not firmly documented. A thin-font insert or a different numeral layout may indicate a later replacement, but it is not proof by itself. Authentication requires the insert, case, dial, and movement to agree.


<span id="dial-authentication-the-gilt-fraud-vector"></span>
<span id="dial-authentication-the-gilt-fraud-vector"></span>
=== Gilt dial authentication ===
=== Gilt dial authentication ===


5512 gilt dials, especially chapter-ring dials, are one of the more active fraud vectors in vintage Submariner collecting. The premium on an original gilt 5512 dial is large enough to make refinishing and dial swapping commercially attractive. A genuine 5512 gilt dial should show a gilt chapter ring with the correct hash-mark style for its production period, a Rolex coronet in the shape appropriate for that era, and print characteristics (font weight, letter spacing, depth-rating format) consistent with the serial band.
Gilt 5512 dials need careful authentication because replacement and refinished dials exist. Comparison points include the chapter ring, hash marks, coronet, print weight, letter spacing, and depth-rating format. Those details should agree with the case and movement date.


Late gilt 5512 examples from approximately 1966 can show what collectors call "Bart Simpson" coronets, where the deep yellow of the galvanic gilt process produces a coronet whose colour and proportions draw the cartoon comparison. Less common on the 5512 than on the 5513, but the term does appear in auction catalogues. A bright yellow coronet on a late gilt 5512 warrants verifying the serial range before assuming it is genuine.
Late gilt examples from approximately 1966 can show what collectors call a "Bart Simpson" coronet. The name describes the outline and colour used in collector literature; it is not a Rolex term. A bright coronet still needs to match the watch’s other dating evidence.


Coronet evolution across the gilt era: 5512 gilt production used at least seven identifiable coronet shapes, which serve as dating and authentication aids:
Coronet evolution across the gilt era: 5512 gilt production used at least seven identifiable coronet shapes, which serve as dating and authentication aids:
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# Shorter spikes / rounder coronet (1961–1962): More round at the bottom with shorter spikes.
# Shorter spikes / rounder coronet (1961–1962): More round at the bottom with shorter spikes.
# Tulip coronet (1961–1962): Distinctively shaped, named for its tulip-like appearance.
# Tulip coronet (1961–1962): Distinctively shaped, named for its tulip-like appearance.
# Elongated spikes coronet (1963): Broad base with very long spikes. Seldom seen; a rare variant.
# Elongated spikes coronet (1963): Broad base with very long spikes. Published examples are less common than the classic form.
# Classic coronet (1963–1966): More broad and wide at the bottom than predecessors. Became the most common coronet for the remainder of gilt-gloss production.
# Classic coronet (1963–1966): More broad and wide at the bottom than predecessors. Became the most common coronet for the remainder of gilt-gloss production.
# Bart Simpson coronet (1966): Produced at the very end of gilt-gloss production. Named because the coronet resembles the outline of Bart Simpson's head.
# Bart Simpson coronet (1966): Produced at the very end of gilt-gloss production. Named because the coronet resembles the outline of Bart Simpson's head.


Matching the correct coronet shape to the serial range is one of the primary authentication checks for gilt 5512 dials. A coronet wrong for the period is a strong indicator of a replacement or refinished dial.
Coronet shape can be compared with the serial and caseback date, but it is one check among several. A mismatch is a reason to investigate the dial, not proof that it is replaced.
 
<span id="movement-authentication-butterfly-rotor"></span>
=== Movement authentication: butterfly rotor ===
 
Rolex Forum collectors flag the butterfly rotor as an authentication checkpoint for the 5512. The rotor, named for its shape, is the correct type for certain production periods within the reference's long run. A 5512 with an incorrect rotor type for its serial range is a red flag for movement replacement or parts mixing. The check is a quick visual once the caseback is off, and it matters most on early examples where the movement premium is highest.


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<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
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=== Square crown guards ===
=== Square crown guards ===


Square-crown-guard 5512 examples from 1959 are among the rarest and most valuable vintage Submariners, and they represent the first expression of what becomes the standard Submariner case shape.
Square-crown-guard 5512 examples are the first crown-guard form in the reference. Their scarcity is discussed in collector and auction literature, but no reliable population count is established here.


<span id="pointed-cornino-crown-guards"></span>
<span id="pointed-cornino-crown-guards"></span>
=== Pointed "Cornino" crown guards ===
=== Pointed "Cornino" crown guards ===


The second-generation crown guards form a distinct collecting branch. Less rare than square guards but still early production that predates the rounded guards most collectors know.
The second-generation crown guards are the pointed Cornino form used during the early part of the run. The shape overlaps with other early guard profiles, so the case, dial, and movement need to be checked together.


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</gallery>
</gallery>


Auction results track the generation hierarchy more closely than condition. A 1960 tropical gilt tulip 5512 with stated box and paper traded at $75,000, and a 1965 four-line gilt example at $32,500. At the other end of the run, a 1979 late Maxi 5512 traded at about $18,495.
The surviving sale records in the research set are useful examples rather than a price guide. Grey and Patina archived a 1960 tropical gilt example at $75,000 and a 1965 four-line gilt example at $32,500. Bob’s Watches archived a 1979 Maxi example at about $18,495. Each is a single dealer or archive record, and condition, originality, and included papers differ.


A Sotheby's listing for a 1967 5512 with caliber 1570 movement and inner caseback marked 5513 describes the watch correctly in the lot copy but mislabels it as a date watch in the title despite the no-date dial. The listing is documented but unreliable as a benchmark.
A Sotheby's listing for a 1967 5512 with caliber 1570 movement and inner caseback marked 5513 describes the watch correctly in the lot copy but mislabels it as a date watch in the title despite the no-date dial. The listing is documented but unreliable as a benchmark.


Crown guard shape drives value as hard as the dial does. Square-crown-guard examples from 1959 trade well above rounded-guard examples from the mid-1960s, even when both carry gilt dials. The crown guard is both a date marker and a rarity indicator.
Crown-guard shape is one of several factors collectors compare with dial, case, movement, and condition. It can help place an early watch in the run, but it is not a production date by itself.


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


* [[Reference:5517|Submariner 5517]] — "MilSub", Military Issue (1971–1974)
* [[Reference:5517|Submariner 5517]]: "MilSub", military issue (1971–1974)
* [[Reference:1680|Submariner 1680]] — First Date Sub, 'Red Sub' (1969–1979)
* [[Reference:1680|Submariner 1680]]: first date Sub, "Red Sub" (1969–1979)
* [[Reference:5513|Submariner 5513]] — Non-Date Classic (1962–1989)
* [[Reference:5513|Submariner 5513]]: non-date classic (1962–1989)
* [[Reference:5508|Submariner 5508]] — 1957–1961
* [[Reference:5508|Submariner 5508]]: 1957–1961
* [[Reference:5510|Submariner 5510]] — Big Crown, Cal 1530 (1957–1958)
* [[Reference:5510|Submariner 5510]]: big crown, caliber 1530 (1957–1958)
* [[Reference:6538|Submariner 6538]] — "Big Crown", James Bond (1956–1959)
* [[Reference:6538|Submariner 6538]]: big crown (1956–1959)


See also the [[Reference:submariner|Submariner family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].
See also the [[Reference:submariner|Submariner family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
Ref 5512 hero.webp|5512 Submariner with crown guards
Ref 5512 crown-guard-square.webp|Square crown guards
Ref 5512 crown-guard-pointed.webp|Pointed Cornino crown guards
Ref 5512 dial-detail.webp|5512 dial detail
Ref 5512 matte wrist shot.webp|5512 matte-dial example
</gallery>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
Retrieved from "https://rolexopedia.net/wiki/Reference:5512"