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[[File:Ref_6536-1_hero.jpeg|thumb|right|300px|Photo: [https://www.windvintage.com/rolex-small-crown-submariner-reference-65361-copy Wind Vintage]]]
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 6536/1 Submariner}}
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex 6536/1 Submariner — Rolexopedia
|description=Collector notes on the small-crown Rolex Submariner 6536/1: dated auction examples, dial and bezel variations, caliber records, and bracelet fitments.
|keywords=Rolex, 6536/1, Submariner, caliber 1030, red depth, OCC, bracelet
|image=Ref_6536-1_hero.webp
|image_alt=Stainless steel Rolex Submariner 6536/1, case 229694, photographed for Antiquorum lot 167
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
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The 6536/1 is the clearest documented thin-case small-crown Submariner of the late 1950s. Where the broader 6536 family can feel blurry, this is the branch that sharpens it back up.
<small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] → [[Reference:6536|6536]] → '''6536/1'''</small>
 
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref_6536-1_hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex Submariner 6536/1 with black bezel and tropical dial|Case 229694, catalogued by Antiquorum as a 1957 ref. 6536/1. Photo: Antiquorum, Monaco 2026, lot 167.]]
</div>
 
Auction records distinguish the small-crown, no-guard 6536/1 from the parent 6536 through the suffix stamped inside the caseback. The examples reviewed here date from the fourth quarter of 1955 to 1959, and most catalogues identify caliber 1030. The records also show variations in depth text, bezel layouts, hands, and bracelets on individual watches.


==Core facts==
==Core facts==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
Line 11: Line 27:
|-
|-
| reference
| reference
| 6536/1
| 6536/1; also written 6536-1 in catalogues
|-
|-
| family
| family
| Submariner
| Submariner, no date
|-
|-
| production
| documented dates
| late 1950s
| auction examples dated 1955–1959; this is a span of catalogue examples, not a factory schedule
|-
|-
| case
| case
| thin-case, small-crown
| stainless steel, no crown guards, small Brevet crown measuring about 6 mm
|-
| diameter
| usually listed as 36–38 mm; Sotheby's gives 40 mm for case 229,711, a catalogue outlier
|-
| crystal
| type 16, as listed in the cited specialist reference
|-
| depth rating
| 100 m / 330 ft; early red text can read 100/330
|-
|-
| movement
| movement
| caliber 1030
| usually catalogued with automatic caliber 1030; isolated Sotheby's lots list calibers 1530 and 1080
|-
|-
| depth rating
| dial
| 100m
| black, with gilt printing in many examples; red-depth, white/silver depth text, and OCC-marked examples are documented
|-
| bezel
| documented no-hash and first-15-minute hash layouts, with red or silver/white triangle examples
|-
|-
| date
| bracelet
| none
| auctioned examples include riveted Oyster and Jubilee bracelets; fitment varies by individual watch
|-
|-
| crown guards
| date display
| none
| none
|-
| crystal
| acrylic
|}
|}


==Where it sits in the line==
==Where it sits in the line==


The 6536/1 sits on the small-crown side of the split that runs opposite the big-crown 6538. It is a sub-variant of the 6536 parent reference, sharing the same case generation and production era. The caseback engraving, stamped 6536/1 rather than just 6536, is the definitive identifier.
The 6536/1 sits beside the big-crown 6538 in the no-guard Submariner range. Auction catalogues describe it as the successor or variant of the 6536, and several record both references in overlapping mid-1950s production. The inside caseback is the direct distinction in the records: Phillips describes case 155,502 with 6536/1 and II.56 stamps, while Christie's records a 6536-1 IV.55 caseback on case 112,317.
 
The parent [[Reference:6536|6536]] page covers the earlier double-reference cases and the relationship between the two small-crown forms. The later [[Reference:5508|5508]] carries the small-crown, no-guard layout into the caliber 1530 period.


==Production outline==
==Production outline==


The source set places the reference in the late 1950s and treats it as the most clearly documented version of the small-crown branch. Production was short, consistent with the rapid evolution of the Submariner line during this period.
Auction houses date the examples in this article between 1955 and 1959. Three Christie's lots record IV.55 inside casebacks, Phillips records II.56 on case 155,502, and Sotheby's records III.57 on case 306,989. Christie's also catalogued case 398,989 as manufactured in 1959. These dates anchor individual watches; the full serial sequence for the /1 suffix remains unsettled.
 
Christie's sale-room notice corrects its 6536 listing for case 399,426 to 6536/1. The catalogue dates the watch to 1959 and lists caliber 1030 with 25 jewels; the correction gives no caseback basis.


==Movement notes==
==Movement notes==


Caliber 1030 is confirmed by the Sotheby's 2018 Lot 252 example, with the caseback stamped 6536/1 and III.57. This is a full-rotor automatic, a significant step forward from the bumper movements of the earliest Submariners.
Most reviewed auction catalogues identify caliber 1030. Phillips records a 25-jewel 1030 on case 155,502. Christie's lists 17 jewels on two other 1955 examples, cases 112,233 and 112,517; it lists 25 on IV.55 case 112,317 and OCC-marked case 30,308. The Movements page lists 25 jewels as the standard Cal. 1030 specification. Christie's descriptions preserve both jewel counts, with no explanation for the difference.
 
Sotheby's catalogued case 306,198 as a 6536/1 with caliber 1530 and 25 jewels; the other reviewed lots identify caliber 1030. Its 2019 lot 64 also catalogues case 155,729 as a left-handed 6536/1 with caliber 1080 and 25 jewels. Sotheby's says the case has been modified for a left-handed wearer but cannot establish whether Rolex made the change. Treat both as isolated lot details; neither establishes a standard 6536/1 movement or case construction.
 
[[File:Ref_6536-1_movement.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Caliber and opened caseback of the Antiquorum 2026 6536/1 example|Movement and inside caseback photographed for Antiquorum lot 167. The catalogue identifies the watch as case 229,694 with caliber 1030.]]


==Dial map==
==Dial map==


The family history gives the best structure here: early four-line layout, then red-triangle bezel variants, then later hash bezels. The Grey and Patina 1958 watch makes the red-triangle side easier to picture.
The auction records show several dial layouts. Christie's cases 112,233 and 112,517 carry red 100/330 depth text; both have IV.55 caseback stamps. Other catalogued watches use white or silver 100m=330ft text; Sotheby’s case 399,687 is specifically described with silver printing. Christie's describes case 30,308 as a dark-brown tropical dial with OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER wording and calls it a “four-line” layout.


Rolex Forum collectors have documented an "invert" dial variant on the 6536/1, a configuration where the dial text or printing is inverted from the standard layout. It is treated as a rare sub-variant within the reference.
Hodinkee's Submariner comparison describes a large white lollipop seconds hand on an early layout and a smaller white version on another. Sotheby's groups no-hash, red-triangle, and hashed bezels into three visual updates. The sources describe a visual sequence; the auction records do not establish a Rolex production chart. Replacement hands and inserts are possible, so assign these details to the individual examples.


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


The 6536/1 is the slimmer, smaller-crown counterpart to the 6538. That thinner profile is one of the defining characteristics of the branch.
The cases are stainless steel, unguarded, and fitted with a small Brevet crown. Phillips lists a 6 mm crown and a 37 mm case for 155,502. Other catalogues list diameters from 36 to 38 mm. Sotheby's gives 40 mm for case 229,711, an outlier among the reviewed measurements. The [https://rolexhaven.com/6536-1-red-depth--55.html 6536/1 Red Depth reference page] identifies the crystal as type 16; it gives no material.


Forum research adds specificity to the red-triangle bezel: on 6536/1 examples, the bezel markers for the first 15 minutes feature a red-painted triangle at 12 o'clock, with minute hash marks running from 0/60 to 15. A no-hash bezel insert variant also exists on the 6536/1, where the bezel omits the minute hash marks entirely, documented by forum collectors and the Wind archive example.
Documented bezel inserts include no-hash and first-15-minute hash layouts, with red, silver, or white triangles at 12. Sotheby's lot 297 describes a hashed bezel with a white triangle; Antiquorum's 2026 photographs show a red triangle and hashes on case 229,694. Each auction records the insert fitted at the time of sale; the bezel can be replaced.


==Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes==
[[File:Ref_6536-1_case-profile.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Angled view of the Rolex 6536/1 case and bezel from Antiquorum lot 167|Angled catalogue view of case 229,694. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 167.]]


Sotheby's 2018 Lot 252 gives the cleanest direct bracelet anchor with a rivet bracelet on the watch. Wind adds a stronger archive bracelet story with an original Rolex stretch rivet bracelet dated to 1957. Both fitments are period-correct for the reference.
==Bracelets and clasps==
 
Auction records show several bracelet combinations. Phillips and Antiquorum both photograph riveted Oyster 7206 bracelets with end-links 80, but their clasp codes differ: 2.67 and 2 61. Christie's records other riveted bracelets with end-links 58 and 65. Phillips lot 66 has a Jubilee bracelet with end-links 50 and an A 14 clasp; Sotheby's case 112,256 has a Jubilee 62510 bracelet stamped 1960. These are observed auction fitments. Dates on a bracelet or clasp belong to that component; the auction records leave the timing of its pairing with the watch head unestablished.
 
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
Ref_6536-1_bracelet.webp|7206 bracelet and end-link 80 on Antiquorum case 229,694. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 167.
Ref_6536-1_clasp.webp|Clasp photographed with the same Antiquorum bracelet. Its catalogue records code 2 61.
</gallery>
 
==Auction records==
 
The following lots show how catalogue descriptions and component markings vary by watch.
 
[[File:Ref 6536-1 historical-example.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Submariner 6536/1 case 306989 with no-hash red-triangle bezel|Sotheby's 2018 example, case 306,989, catalogued with an III.57 caseback stamp.]]
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! House and lot !! Case / date !! Dial, movement, or bezel !! Bracelet and clasp
|-
| [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6042751 Christie's 6042751] || 112,233; IV.55 || Red 100/330; cal. 1030, 17 jewels || bracelet 4.62; end-links 80
|-
| [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6166879 Christie's 6166879] || 112,317; IV.55 || cal. 1030, 25 jewels || clasp 2.57; end-links 58; bracelet dated 1957 by Christie's
|-
| [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6102844 Christie's 6102844] || 112,517; IV.55 || Red 100/330; cal. 1030, 17 jewels || clasp 3.55; end-links 65
|-
| [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/221608 Phillips 66] || 112,473; 1955 || Red 100/330; cal. 1030, 25 jewels || Jubilee; end-links 50; clasp A 14
|-
| [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/important-watches-2/reference-6536-1-submariner-a-stainless-steel-automatic Sotheby's 35] || 112,256; 4 55 caseback || cal. 1030 || Jubilee 62510 stamped 1960
|-
| [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080117/102 Phillips 102] || 155,502; II.56 || cal. 1030, 25 jewels || riveted 7206; end-links 80; clasp 2.67
|-
| [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5790000 Christie's 89] || 30,308; circa 1957 || OCC wording; cal. 1030, 25 jewels || Oyster bracelet stamped 4.57
|-
| [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-6536-1-submariner-no-crown-guard-tropical-dial-stainless-steel-lot-388-167 Antiquorum 167] || 229,694; 1957 || Tropical dial; cal. 1030 || riveted 7206; end-links 80; clasp 2 61
|-
| [https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/important-watches-n09952/lot.252.html Sotheby's 252] || 306,989; III.57 || Black lacquer dial; no-hash red triangle || riveted Oyster bracelet
|-
| [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/important-watches-online/rolex-submariner-ref-6536-1-steel-automatic Sotheby's 297] || 229,711; circa 1957; 40 mm || cal. 1030; hashed bezel with white triangle || Oyster bracelet
|-
| [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5430870 Christie's 5430870] || 398,989; 1959 || Black gloss dial; cal. 1030, 25 jewels || clasp stamped 4.57
|-
| [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5454562 Christie's 109] || 399,426; circa 1959 || Sale-room notice corrects the reference from 6536 to 6536/1; cal. 1030, 25 jewels || Oyster link bracelet
|-
| [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/fine-watches-6/reference-6536-1-submariner-small-crown-james-bond Sotheby's 623] || 306,198; circa 1957 || cal. 1530, 25 jewels || riveted Oyster bracelet
|-
| [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/fine-watches/submariner-reference-6536-1-montre-bracelet-en Sotheby's 423] || 399,687; circa 1959 || Silver depth text; cal. 1030, 25 jewels || riveted C&I bracelet for Rolex USA
|-
| [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/watches-online-8/rolex-submariner-reference-6536-1-left-handed Sotheby's 64] || 155,729; circa 1956 || left-handed case; cal. 1080, 25 jewels || Oyster bracelet; no reference listed
|}


==Special branches==
== Related references ==


The red-triangle and later hash-bezel versions matter enough to treat as real internal branches. The red-triangle insert is the earlier, more collectible configuration; the hash-bezel represents a later evolution within the same reference.
* [[Reference:6536|Submariner 6536]]
* [[Reference:6538|Submariner 6538]]
* [[Reference:5508|Submariner 5508]]
* [[Reference:5512|Submariner 5512]]


==Historical market and auction record==
See also the [[Reference:submariner|Submariner family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet and clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].


Sotheby's 2018 Lot 252 remains the strongest direct lot source. It documents a 1957 watch with caseback stamped 6536/1 and III.57, caliber 1030, and descendants-of-original-owner provenance. Wind adds an unusually strong original-owner-family archive example with no-hash bezel and original bracelet, while Grey and Patina gives a second sold 1958 example with red triangle insert.
== Gallery ==


Three documented lots in the source set, each with distinct bezel, bracelet, and provenance characteristics, give the 6536/1 a clearer market profile than many early Submariner references can claim.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
Ref_6536-1_hero.webp|Antiquorum lot 167, full view of case 229,694.
Ref_6536-1_case-profile.webp|Angled view of the same case.
Ref_6536-1_movement.webp|Movement and inside caseback.
Ref_6536-1_bracelet.webp|7206 bracelet with end-link 80.
Ref_6536-1_clasp.webp|Clasp code 2 61 on the same lot.
Ref 6536-1 historical-example.webp|Sotheby's 2018 example, case 306,989.
</gallery>


==Sources==
== Sources ==


* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/important-watches-n09952/lot.252.html unknown, "Submariner Ref 6536/1, A Stainless Steel Automatic Wristwatch With Bracelet, Circa 1957", Sotheby's, 2018-12]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080117/102 "Rolex Ref. 6536/1 Submariner "Small Crown", Geneva V", Phillips, 2017-05-13]
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-1-the-early-references/ Tom Mulraney, "History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 1, The Early References", Monochrome, 2020-08-18]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/important-watches-n09952/lot.252.html "Submariner Ref 6536/1, A Stainless Steel Automatic Wristwatch With Bracelet, Circa 1957", Sotheby's, 2018-12]
* [https://www.windvintage.com/rolex-small-crown-submariner-reference-65361-copy Eric Wind, "Rolex Small Crown Submariner Reference 6536-1 Unpolished", Wind Vintage]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6042751 Christie's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1, case 112233, lot 6042751", Christie's, 2019]
* [https://greyandpatina.com/product/1958-rolex-6536-1-small-crown-submariner/ unknown, "1958 Rolex 6536-1 Small Crown Submariner", Grey and Patina, 2025]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6166879 Christie's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1, case 112317, lot 6166879", Christie's]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6102844 Christie's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536-1 Red Depth, case 112517, lot 6102844", Christie's]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5790000 Christie's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536-1 with OCC dial, lot 5790000", Christie's]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-6536-1-submariner-no-crown-guard-tropical-dial-stainless-steel-lot-388-167 Antiquorum, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1, case 229694, lot 167", Antiquorum, 2026-06-28]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/221608 Phillips, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1 Red Depth, Geneva Watch Auction XXIII, lot 66", Phillips, 2021]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/important-watches-2/reference-6536-1-submariner-a-stainless-steel-automatic Sotheby's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1, case 112256, Important Watches lot 35", Sotheby's, 2021]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/important-watches-online/rolex-submariner-ref-6536-1-steel-automatic Sotheby's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1, case 229711, Important Watches Online lot 297", Sotheby's, 2023]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/fine-watches-6/reference-6536-1-submariner-small-crown-james-bond Sotheby's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1, case 306198, Fine Watches lot 623", Sotheby's, 2024]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/fine-watches/submariner-reference-6536-1-montre-bracelet-en Sotheby's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1, case 399687, Fine Watches lot 423", Sotheby's, 2024]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/watches-online-8/rolex-submariner-reference-6536-1-left-handed Sotheby's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1, left-handed, Watches Online lot 64", Sotheby's, 2019]
* [https://rolexhaven.com/6536-1-red-depth--55.html RolexHaven, "Submariner 6536-1 Red Depth 1955", RolexHaven]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5430870 Christie's, "Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1, case 398989, Important Watches lot 5430870", Christie's]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5454562 Christie's, "Christie's Important Watches lot 5454562, sale-room correction for ref. 6536/1", Christie's]
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/rolex-submariner-reference-points Stephen Pulvirent, "Reference Points: Understanding The Rolex Submariner", Hodinkee, 2019-07-18]


[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:working-draft]]
[[Category:References]]

Latest revision as of 03:44, 8 October 2026


Submariner → 6536 → 6536/1

Rolex Submariner 6536/1 with black bezel and tropical dial
Case 229694, catalogued by Antiquorum as a 1957 ref. 6536/1. Photo: Antiquorum, Monaco 2026, lot 167.

Auction records distinguish the small-crown, no-guard 6536/1 from the parent 6536 through the suffix stamped inside the caseback. The examples reviewed here date from the fourth quarter of 1955 to 1959, and most catalogues identify caliber 1030. The records also show variations in depth text, bezel layouts, hands, and bracelets on individual watches.

Core facts

detail value
reference 6536/1; also written 6536-1 in catalogues
family Submariner, no date
documented dates auction examples dated 1955–1959; this is a span of catalogue examples, not a factory schedule
case stainless steel, no crown guards, small Brevet crown measuring about 6 mm
diameter usually listed as 36–38 mm; Sotheby's gives 40 mm for case 229,711, a catalogue outlier
crystal type 16, as listed in the cited specialist reference
depth rating 100 m / 330 ft; early red text can read 100/330
movement usually catalogued with automatic caliber 1030; isolated Sotheby's lots list calibers 1530 and 1080
dial black, with gilt printing in many examples; red-depth, white/silver depth text, and OCC-marked examples are documented
bezel documented no-hash and first-15-minute hash layouts, with red or silver/white triangle examples
bracelet auctioned examples include riveted Oyster and Jubilee bracelets; fitment varies by individual watch
date display none

Where it sits in the line

The 6536/1 sits beside the big-crown 6538 in the no-guard Submariner range. Auction catalogues describe it as the successor or variant of the 6536, and several record both references in overlapping mid-1950s production. The inside caseback is the direct distinction in the records: Phillips describes case 155,502 with 6536/1 and II.56 stamps, while Christie's records a 6536-1 IV.55 caseback on case 112,317.

The parent 6536 page covers the earlier double-reference cases and the relationship between the two small-crown forms. The later 5508 carries the small-crown, no-guard layout into the caliber 1530 period.

Production outline

Auction houses date the examples in this article between 1955 and 1959. Three Christie's lots record IV.55 inside casebacks, Phillips records II.56 on case 155,502, and Sotheby's records III.57 on case 306,989. Christie's also catalogued case 398,989 as manufactured in 1959. These dates anchor individual watches; the full serial sequence for the /1 suffix remains unsettled.

Christie's sale-room notice corrects its 6536 listing for case 399,426 to 6536/1. The catalogue dates the watch to 1959 and lists caliber 1030 with 25 jewels; the correction gives no caseback basis.

Movement notes

Most reviewed auction catalogues identify caliber 1030. Phillips records a 25-jewel 1030 on case 155,502. Christie's lists 17 jewels on two other 1955 examples, cases 112,233 and 112,517; it lists 25 on IV.55 case 112,317 and OCC-marked case 30,308. The Movements page lists 25 jewels as the standard Cal. 1030 specification. Christie's descriptions preserve both jewel counts, with no explanation for the difference.

Sotheby's catalogued case 306,198 as a 6536/1 with caliber 1530 and 25 jewels; the other reviewed lots identify caliber 1030. Its 2019 lot 64 also catalogues case 155,729 as a left-handed 6536/1 with caliber 1080 and 25 jewels. Sotheby's says the case has been modified for a left-handed wearer but cannot establish whether Rolex made the change. Treat both as isolated lot details; neither establishes a standard 6536/1 movement or case construction.

Caliber and opened caseback of the Antiquorum 2026 6536/1 example
Movement and inside caseback photographed for Antiquorum lot 167. The catalogue identifies the watch as case 229,694 with caliber 1030.

Dial map

The auction records show several dial layouts. Christie's cases 112,233 and 112,517 carry red 100/330 depth text; both have IV.55 caseback stamps. Other catalogued watches use white or silver 100m=330ft text; Sotheby’s case 399,687 is specifically described with silver printing. Christie's describes case 30,308 as a dark-brown tropical dial with OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER wording and calls it a “four-line” layout.

Hodinkee's Submariner comparison describes a large white lollipop seconds hand on an early layout and a smaller white version on another. Sotheby's groups no-hash, red-triangle, and hashed bezels into three visual updates. The sources describe a visual sequence; the auction records do not establish a Rolex production chart. Replacement hands and inserts are possible, so assign these details to the individual examples.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

The cases are stainless steel, unguarded, and fitted with a small Brevet crown. Phillips lists a 6 mm crown and a 37 mm case for 155,502. Other catalogues list diameters from 36 to 38 mm. Sotheby's gives 40 mm for case 229,711, an outlier among the reviewed measurements. The 6536/1 Red Depth reference page identifies the crystal as type 16; it gives no material.

Documented bezel inserts include no-hash and first-15-minute hash layouts, with red, silver, or white triangles at 12. Sotheby's lot 297 describes a hashed bezel with a white triangle; Antiquorum's 2026 photographs show a red triangle and hashes on case 229,694. Each auction records the insert fitted at the time of sale; the bezel can be replaced.

Angled view of the Rolex 6536/1 case and bezel from Antiquorum lot 167
Angled catalogue view of case 229,694. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 167.

Bracelets and clasps

Auction records show several bracelet combinations. Phillips and Antiquorum both photograph riveted Oyster 7206 bracelets with end-links 80, but their clasp codes differ: 2.67 and 2 61. Christie's records other riveted bracelets with end-links 58 and 65. Phillips lot 66 has a Jubilee bracelet with end-links 50 and an A 14 clasp; Sotheby's case 112,256 has a Jubilee 62510 bracelet stamped 1960. These are observed auction fitments. Dates on a bracelet or clasp belong to that component; the auction records leave the timing of its pairing with the watch head unestablished.

Auction records

The following lots show how catalogue descriptions and component markings vary by watch.

Rolex Submariner 6536/1 case 306989 with no-hash red-triangle bezel
Sotheby's 2018 example, case 306,989, catalogued with an III.57 caseback stamp.
House and lot Case / date Dial, movement, or bezel Bracelet and clasp
Christie's 6042751 112,233; IV.55 Red 100/330; cal. 1030, 17 jewels bracelet 4.62; end-links 80
Christie's 6166879 112,317; IV.55 cal. 1030, 25 jewels clasp 2.57; end-links 58; bracelet dated 1957 by Christie's
Christie's 6102844 112,517; IV.55 Red 100/330; cal. 1030, 17 jewels clasp 3.55; end-links 65
Phillips 66 112,473; 1955 Red 100/330; cal. 1030, 25 jewels Jubilee; end-links 50; clasp A 14
Sotheby's 35 112,256; 4 55 caseback cal. 1030 Jubilee 62510 stamped 1960
Phillips 102 155,502; II.56 cal. 1030, 25 jewels riveted 7206; end-links 80; clasp 2.67
Christie's 89 30,308; circa 1957 OCC wording; cal. 1030, 25 jewels Oyster bracelet stamped 4.57
Antiquorum 167 229,694; 1957 Tropical dial; cal. 1030 riveted 7206; end-links 80; clasp 2 61
Sotheby's 252 306,989; III.57 Black lacquer dial; no-hash red triangle riveted Oyster bracelet
Sotheby's 297 229,711; circa 1957; 40 mm cal. 1030; hashed bezel with white triangle Oyster bracelet
Christie's 5430870 398,989; 1959 Black gloss dial; cal. 1030, 25 jewels clasp stamped 4.57
Christie's 109 399,426; circa 1959 Sale-room notice corrects the reference from 6536 to 6536/1; cal. 1030, 25 jewels Oyster link bracelet
Sotheby's 623 306,198; circa 1957 cal. 1530, 25 jewels riveted Oyster bracelet
Sotheby's 423 399,687; circa 1959 Silver depth text; cal. 1030, 25 jewels riveted C&I bracelet for Rolex USA
Sotheby's 64 155,729; circa 1956 left-handed case; cal. 1080, 25 jewels Oyster bracelet; no reference listed

Related references

See also the Submariner family index, movement reference, bracelet and clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.

Gallery

Sources