Reference:6536-1: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 03:44, 8 October 2026

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 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.

7206 bracelet and end-link 80 on Antiquorum case 229,694. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 167.
Clasp photographed with the same Antiquorum bracelet. Its catalogue records code 2 61.

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

Gallery

Antiquorum lot 167, full view of case 229,694.
Angled view of the same case.
Movement and inside caseback.
7206 bracelet with end-link 80.
Clasp code 2 61 on the same lot.
Sotheby's 2018 example, case 306,989.

Sources

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 6536/1 Submariner}}
 {{#seo:
-|title=Rolex 6536/1 — BezelBase
+|title=Rolex 6536/1 Submariner — Rolexopedia
-|description=The 6536/1 is the caseback-confirmed sub-variant of the late-1950s small-crown, no-crown-guard Submariner on caliber 1030. Some examples carry COSC chronometer certification and a four-line dial.
+|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, 6536/1, Submariner, COSC, specifications, reference guide
+|keywords=Rolex, 6536/1, Submariner, caliber 1030, red depth, OCC, bracelet
-|type=article
+|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
 }}
 <small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] → [[Reference:6536|6536]] → '''6536/1'''</small>
-The 6536/1 is a caseback-identified sub-variant of the [[Reference:6536|6536]] — same late-1950s small-crown, no-crown-guard case, same caliber 1030. Within the /1 run, a subset of examples was submitted for COSC chronometer certification and carries a four-line dial (the extra line being "Officially Certified Chronometer" above the depth rating). The caseback engraving, stamped 6536/1 rather than 6536, is the definitive identifier.
+<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>
-[[File:Ref_6536-1_hero.jpeg|thumb|right|340px|alt=Photo: [https://www.windvintage.com/rolex-small-crown-submariner-reference-65361-copy Wind Vintage|Photo: [https://www.windvintage.com/rolex-small-crown-submariner-reference-65361-copy Wind Vintage]]]
+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==
-{| class="wikitable"
+{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
 |-
 ! detail
@@ Line 20: / Line 27: @@
 |-
 | reference
-| 6536/1
+| 6536/1; also written 6536-1 in catalogues
 |-
 | family
-| Submariner
+| Submariner, no date
 |-
-| production
+| documented dates
-| late 1950s (documented 1957 to 1959)
+| auction examples dated 1955–1959; this is a span of catalogue examples, not a factory schedule
 |-
 | case
-| 37mm, small 6mm crown, no crown guards
+| 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
-| caliber 1030 (butterfly rotor automatic)
+| usually catalogued with automatic caliber 1030; isolated Sotheby's lots list calibers 1530 and 1080
 |-
-| depth rating
+| dial
-| 100m / 330ft
+| 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
 |-
-| chronometer
+| bracelet
-| some examples COSC-certified with four-line dial
+| auctioned examples include riveted Oyster and Jubilee bracelets; fitment varies by individual watch
 |-
-| date
+| date display
 | none
-|-
-| crystal
-| acrylic (domed)
 |}
 ==Where it sits in the line==
-The 6536/1 is the small-crown branch of the last no-crown-guard Submariner generation. It runs opposite the big-crown 6538 in the same production window, and is the immediate predecessor of the 5508, which carried the same small-crown case into the newer caliber 1530. For the broader context (predecessor 6205, successor 5508, and the 5512 crown-guard transition in 1959), see the parent [[Reference:6536|6536]] article.
+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==
-Documented 6536/1 examples run from 1957 to 1959. Production was short, consistent with the rapid evolution of the Submariner during this period. The parent 6536 and the 6536/1 ran concurrently rather than sequentially, with the caseback engraving — not the calendar date — determining which variant a given example belongs to.
+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==
-Caliber 1030 is confirmed by [https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/important-watches-n09952/lot.252.html Sotheby's 2018 Lot 252], where the caseback is stamped 6536/1 III.57 (third quarter of 1957). The 1030 is a full-rotor automatic with a butterfly rotor, a meaningful step forward from the bumper movements (a rotor that oscillates between springs rather than rotating freely) 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.
-A portion of 6536/1 examples was submitted for COSC certification. COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) is the Swiss official chronometer testing body; certified watches meet defined accuracy tolerances and are labelled on the dial. Both chronometer and non-chronometer versions run the same base caliber 1030; the distinction is a certification path, not a mechanical one.
+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==
-The dial-map structure in the family history runs: early four-line layout, then red-triangle bezel variants, then late hash-bezel production. The four-line dials — "Oyster Perpetual / Officially Certified / Chronometer / Submariner" above the depth-rating line — are the COSC-certified examples, the cleanest tell for the chronometer branch. Non-COSC dials carry the standard three-line layout.
+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 [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.
+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.
+[[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.]]
+==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.
-Rolex Forum collectors have documented an "invert" dial on the 6536/1, where the dial text is inverted from the standard layout. Documented examples are extremely scarce and the configuration is treated as a rare sub-variant.
+<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>
-==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes==
+==Auction records==
-The 6536/1 is the slim, small-crown case of the late-1950s no-guard generation — the counterpart to the thicker, 8mm-Brevet-crown [[Reference:6538|6538]]. Forum research adds specificity on the bezel: red-triangle examples carry a red-painted triangle at twelve with minute hash marks running zero to fifteen, while a no-hash insert variant omits the minute hash marks entirely. The Wind archive example is the benchmark for the no-hash configuration.
+The following lots show how catalogue descriptions and component markings vary by watch.
-==Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes==
+[[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.]]
-Sotheby's 2018 Lot 252 gives the cleanest direct evidence with a period rivet bracelet on the watch. Wind adds an archive example with an original Rolex stretch rivet bracelet dated to 1957. Both fitments are period-correct for the 6536/1.
+{| 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 two internal branches worth calling out are the bezel generations and the COSC split. On bezels, the red-triangle insert is the earlier and more collected configuration; the later hash-bezel sits at the end of the production run. On movements, the COSC four-line dial is the less common of the two, and the one that has produced the strongest results at auction when combined with honest condition.
+* [[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 is the strongest direct lot source and remains the world-record small-crown Submariner at USD 225,000 — a 1957 watch, caseback stamped 6536/1 III.57, caliber 1030, descendants-of-original-owner provenance, unpolished, with the no-hashmark red-triangle bezel. Wind adds an unusually strong archive example with no-hash bezel and original 1957 bracelet; Grey and Patina gives a second sold 1958 example with red-triangle insert.
+== Gallery ==
-Three documented lots, 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:working-draft]]
-[[Category:References]]