Jump to content

Reference:5508: Difference between revisions

From Rolexopedia
[checked revision][checked revision]
← Older edit
VisualWikitext
Slop sweep: paragraph challenge + AI-tone scrub
Deep prose and structure audit: tighten bezel, movement and auction wording; canonicalize headings
 
(31 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 5508 Submariner}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex 5508 — BezelBase
|title=Rolex Submariner 5508 (1958–1962) — Reference guide | Rolexopedia
|description=The 5508 is the last mainstream small-crown Submariner made without crown guards. That matters because it closes the earliest case chapter just before the…
|description=Reference 5508 is the last small-crown 100m Submariner without crown guards. This guide covers its c.1958–1962 production, caliber 1530 variants, gilt and exclamation dials, and documented bracelet fitments.
|keywords=Rolex, 5508, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
|keywords=Rolex, 5508, Submariner, specifications, small crown, exclamation dial, James Bond
|image=Ref 5508 hero 3.webp
|image=Ref 5508 hero 3.webp
|image_alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508
|image_alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508
|type=article
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-14T16:12:52Z
|published_time=2026-04-14T16:12:52Z
|modified_time=2026-04-23T04:35:01Z
|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:12:54Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


<small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] -> '''5508'''</small>
<small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] › '''5508'''</small>


The 5508 is the last mainstream small-crown Submariner without crown guards, the watch that closes the earliest Submariner case chapter just before the 5512 locks crown guards into the line for good. Production runs roughly 1957 to 1961, with documented late examples carrying 1962 features. It is a fully gilt-era watch, slim through the case middle, and the cleanest mature expression of the no-crown-guard small-crown shape.
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 5508 hero 2.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex 5508 Submariner|Rolex 5508 Submariner]]
</div>


[[File:Ref 5508 hero 3.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508|Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508]]<span id="core-facts"></span>
The 5508 is the last small-crown 100m Submariner without crown guards. Auction catalogues usually date its production to 1958–1962, with some sources placing the launch in 1957. It is the small-crown counterpart to the big-crown 5510, with a 6mm crown and a 100m rating. Caliber 1530 examples are documented with 17, 25, and 26 jewels. Sean Connery's on-screen Submariner in ''Dr. No'' (1962) was a big-crown 6538; the “James Bond Submariner” label for the 5508 is collector shorthand rather than on-screen provenance.


== Core facts ==
<span id="core-facts"></span>
 
==Core facts==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
Line 32: Line 35:
|-
|-
| production
| production
| approximately 1957 to 1961
| usually dated 1958 to 1962; some sources place the launch in 1957
|-
|-
| movement
| serial cluster
| caliber 1530
| 361,650 (1958) → 489,831 (1959) → 762,896 (1962, II.62 caseback) → 764,524 (1962); rough envelope 360k–410k for 1958–59 jumping to 760k+ for 1962
|-
|-
| case
| case
| 37mm, transitioning to 38mm in later production
| 37mm small-crown, no crown guards (later examples thicker through the case middle but still 37mm-class)
|-
|-
| crown
| crown
| small, no crown guards
| 6mm Brevet — small crown, distinct from the 8mm big-crown 6538/5510 and the later 7mm guarded 5512/5513
|-
| crown guards
| none
|-
| movement
| caliber 1530, automatic; documented jewel counts include 17, 25, and 26; chronometer-rated variants appear later in the run
|-
| depth rating
| 100m / 330ft, two-line layout (some 1959 onward four-line "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" variants documented)
|-
|-
| crystal
| crystal
| acrylic
| acrylic
|-
| water resistance
| 100m
|-
|-
| lume
| lume
| radium, transitioning to tritium in late examples
| radium → exclamation transition in 1962 (the underline transition is a 5512/5513 feature in 1963, not a 5508 feature)
|}
|}


<span id="where-it-sits-in-the-line"></span>
<span id="where-it-sits-in-the-line"></span>
== Where it sits in the line ==
==Where it sits in the line==
The 5508 sits at the end of the small-crown 100m branch. It ran alongside the big-crown 200m 5510 and ended in 1962, before the 5512 brought crown guards, a 7mm crown, and caliber 1560. The 5508 inherited the small-crown case from the 6204 and 6205 and used the slimmer, bidirectional caliber 1530 in place of the earlier A260 family.


The 5508 sits at the clean endpoint of the early small-crown branch. It runs alongside the big-crown 6538 and the transitional 5510, and exits the catalog just before the 5512 introduces crown guards and the 40mm case that becomes the family standard.
The 6mm Brevet crown distinguishes the 5508 from the later 7mm guarded references. The 6538's 8mm crown carries the same Brevet marking; the marking identifies the period, not the crown size.


From the 6204 and 6205 the 5508 inherits the small-crown identity but upgrades to caliber 1530 from the earlier bumper automatics. A subtle case-size increase from 37mm in early production to 38mm later foreshadows the 40mm jump that arrives with the 5512.
<span id="production-outline"></span>
==Production outline==
Production is generally dated 1958 to 1962. Sotheby's and Bonhams catalogue the launch as a replacement for the 6536/1 in 1958; Phillips documents a 1962 example. Le Monde Edmond places the launch in 1957, so the start year remains a source disagreement.


<span id="production-outline"></span>
Use case-back date codes alongside serials when assigning a build year — Rolex date-coded casebacks separately from serials. Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 lot 213 (case 361,650, "circa 1958") and Bonhams Feb 2018 lot 24627/98 (1959, 6251H rivet bracelet) anchor the launch period; Sotheby's Watches Online 2020 lot 37 (case 489,831, circa 1959) and Antiquorum Geneva 2020 lot 333-422 (case 490,575, circa 1958) populate the early-band cluster. The late cluster sits in the 762k–764k band: Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 2019 lot 881 (case 762,896, II.62 caseback), Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 2021 (case 764,122, 1962), Antiquorum Monaco 2024 (case 764,196, 1962), Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (case 764,524, 1962). The general Rolex serial charts in circulation (1958 ~224k–328k, 1962 ~643k) under-shoot the 5508-observed serials because the head-stamping ran later than the catalog-year for this specific reference.
== Production outline ==


Production runs from approximately 1957 to 1961, a mid-length run by early Submariner standards, with a small set of late examples documented into 1962. The 5508 belongs entirely to the glossy gilt dial era: glossy black lacquer with gilt-coloured printing, markers, and chapter ring. The case stays small-crown and unguarded throughout, and the depth rating stays at 100m, which is the last time that figure appears on a small-crown Submariner before the crown-guard generation lifts it.
Most documented 5508 examples have glossy black gilt dials, with gilt-coloured printing. Late-run examples include the exclamation-dial transition.


<span id="movement-notes"></span>
<span id="movement-notes"></span>
== Movement notes ==
==Movement notes==
The 5508 introduces caliber 1530 to the small-crown line. Bonhams and Sotheby's catalogue copy commonly cites 25 jewels, while Phillips lots document 26 jewels. Other published records cite 17 jewels. The surviving examples support 17, 25, and 26 as documented counts during the run, but they do not provide a complete serial-by-serial transition.
 
The 1530 is not chronometer-rated at launch. The chronometer-rated four-line "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" dial is therefore a later 5508 spec, not the day-one configuration. Le Monde Edmond describes the 1530 as a later design than the 6536/1's 1030; that comparison does not establish a serial cutoff. The chronometer-rated upgrade to caliber 1560 follows on the 5512.


The 5508 uses caliber 1530, a full-rotor automatic and a clean upgrade over the bumper A260 of the 6204 and 6205. It is the same movement that appears in early 5512 and 5513 production, which makes the 5508 the bridge between the bumper-era small-crown watches and the mature crown-guard family. Caliber 1530 shares the diameter of the earlier 1030 but was reduced to 5.75mm in height, a slimming that preserved case compatibility while sitting flatter in the watch.
Caliber 1530 belongs to the same 12½-ligne movement family as the earlier 1030, with documented fitment in the 5508. Published height figures vary by source, so the page does not use a single height value to identify a watch.


<span id="dial-map"></span>
<span id="dial-map"></span>
== Dial map ==
==Dial map==
 
[[File:Ref 5508 gilt-dial-red-triangle.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert|Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert]]
[[File:Ref 5508 gilt-dial-red-triangle.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert|Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert]]


<span id="glossy-gilt"></span>
The documented 5508 dial groups are two-line standard dials, four-line “SCOC” dials, and late exclamation dials with a luminous dot below 6 o'clock. The “six-line” label seen in some listings is not established here. Underline dials belong to the 5512 and 5513 from 1963, after the 5508 run.
=== Glossy gilt ===


Every production-era 5508 dial is glossy black lacquer with gilt-coloured printing, markers, and chapter ring. The layout is the established Submariner format: Mercedes hands (the three-pointed hour hand whose top point carries a circular lume plot), depth rating, and Submariner text. Some examples carry a Singer manufacturer marking on the reverse, visible only with the dial removed; Singer was one of the principal Swiss dial suppliers to Rolex during this period, and the back-stamp is a useful provenance indicator on loose dials.
<span id="standard-two-line-gilt"></span>
===Standard two-line gilt===
Glossy black lacquer dial with gilt-coloured printing, Mercedes hour and minute hands, lollipop seconds, two-line "Submariner / 100m=660ft" layout. Some examples carry a Singer manufacturer marking on the reverse, visible only with the dial removed; Singer was one of the principal Swiss dial suppliers to Rolex during this period, and the back-stamp is a useful provenance indicator on loose dials.


<span id="four-line-gilt-variant"></span>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
=== Four-line gilt variant ===
File:Ref 5508 bezel-dial-closeup.webp|alt=Bezel and dial closeup on a standard two-line 5508|Bezel and two-line dial, standard gilt configuration
File:Ref 5508 hands.webp|alt=Mercedes hands and lollipop seconds hand on a 5508 dial|Mercedes hands and lollipop seconds hand
</gallery>


A four-line gilt dial variant is documented on the 5508. It is anomalous on its face, because the 5508 is a non-chronometer reference and the fourth line of text is the COSC chronometer certification that should not appear on a non-chronometer watch. Collectors treat the four-line 5508 as a rare sub-variant rather than a production standard.
<span id="four-line-scoc-gilt"></span>
===Four-line "SCOC" gilt===
A subset of 5508 dials carry the "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" line above 6 o'clock — the four-line layout. Antiquorum's 2008 Revolution sale lot 204 explicitly catalogues a "Gilt Four Line" 5508. The four-line dial coexists with the two-line dial during overlapping years rather than replacing it cleanly. A four-line dial identifies a chronometer-marked example in the cited lot records. The available evidence does not establish a universal jewel-count transition or a serial-by-serial pairing between the 17-, 25-, and 26-jewel executions.


<span id="tropical"></span>
<span id="exclamation-dial"></span>
=== Tropical ===
===Exclamation dial (1962)===
Late-run 5508s carry an exclamation dot beneath the depth rating at 6 o'clock. The dot is associated with the radium-to-tritium transition and appears in published 1962 examples. Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 2019 lot 881, Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160, and Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 2021 lot 340-173 document examples in that cluster.


Tropical examples, where the black lacquer has aged to brown or chocolate tones, are known and actively sought. A 1959 example with serial 489,xxx is a strong tropical anchor.
<span id="tropical-gilt"></span>
===Tropical gilt===
Tropical 5508 dials are black gilt dials that have aged to brown or chocolate tones. Sotheby's Fine Watches 2023 lot 40 and a documented 1959 example with serial 489,xxx provide published comparisons. Faded bezel inserts and period riveted bracelets occur on some examples, but neither is a rule for every tropical dial.


<span id="exclamation-dot"></span>
<span id="service-dials"></span>
=== Exclamation dot ===
===Service dials===
Rolex service-replacement dials are documented on surviving 5508s. A service dial may have cleaner printing or different luminous material than an original dial. Compare the dial, movement, and provenance together, and distinguish a factory replacement from a third-party refinish rather than assuming a clean dial is original.


Late 5508 examples from around 1962 can carry an exclamation dot, a small lume dot placed under the six o'clock marker. The dot belongs to the late-radium transition, when Rolex was moving from radium to tritium luminous material, and is one of the few features that places a 5508 firmly at the tail end of the run. A 1962 exclamation-dot example with its original presentation box is documented.
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span>
==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==
[[File:Ref 5508 case-profile.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Small crown case profile — no crown guards|Small crown case profile — no crown guards]]


<span id="service-dials"></span>
The 5508 case is small-crown and unguarded throughout. The 6mm Brevet crown distinguishes it from the 6538 and 5510's 8mm crowns and the 5512 and 5513's 7mm guarded crowns. The crown carries the Rolex coronet and Brevet marking used during this period.
=== Service dials ===


Service replacement dials appear on surviving 5508s and need to be distinguished from original production dials. A 1958 example carries a service dial alongside a later bezel insert, a repaired rivet bracelet, and a later Jubilee clasp. It is not a clean watch, but it is an honest one, and shows how the layered history of a vintage Submariner reads in the metal.
The acrylic crystal and rotating dive bezel carry over from the earlier 6204 lineage. The 100m rating continues the small-crown specification used from the 6204. The later crown-guard 5512 moved to a 200m rating. The bezel insert reads gilt minute graduations on a black ground, with a luminous triangle at 12; Published examples include a red-triangle insert, with the 12 marker filled with red enamel or lacquer. The standard production fitment is the all-black insert.


<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown-notes"></span>
[[File:Ref 5508 red-triangle-hero.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=5508 fitted with the red-triangle bezel insert variant|5508 fitted with the red-triangle bezel insert variant]]
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==
[[File:Ref 5508 case-profile.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Small crown case profile — no crown guards|Small crown case profile — no crown guards]]


The 5508 case is small-crown and unguarded throughout, starting at 37mm in early production and growing to 38mm later in the run. The acrylic crystal and rotating dive bezel carry over from the earlier 6204 lineage, and the 100m depth rating reflects the small-crown specification that runs from the 6204 forward.
The caseback is smooth externally; the interior can carry the reference, case number, and Roman-quarter date code (II.62 indicates the second quarter of 1962). Use the date code with the serial and the rest of the watch because the observed 5508 serials do not map neatly onto general Rolex charts.


The absence of crown guards is the visual identifier. Set against the 5512 that follows, the 5508 sits cleaner and slimmer through the right side of the case.
<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging"></span>
==Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes==
Period-correct delivery bracelets on the 5508 split across three references depending on year and option. The earliest examples ship with the 6251H riveted Oyster (Bonhams Feb 2018, 1959 example with clasp 2/68 marking a service event but original-style fitment). The 7206 fixed-link riveted Oyster is the period-correct mainstream fitment — Bonhams Dec 2023 lot 38 documents a 1958 example with clasp 4/69, and Phillips Hong Kong 2019 lot 881 documents the 1962 fitment with end-link 64. The 6636 expandable riveted Oyster is the third documented original-delivery option — Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (1962, clasp 4/64) and Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 (riveted Oyster with deployant clasp 1/58) anchor the 6636 fitment.


<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
The 9315 folded-link Oyster is a later replacement rather than a period 5508 delivery fitment in the cited records. A 9315 on a 5508 should therefore be treated as a service or later replacement until its provenance shows otherwise. The cited bracelet reference dates reference-number stamps on the largest rivet link to 1962. An unstamped bracelet may predate that change; the clasp and end links still need separate checks. Clasp date codes are the cleanest single-component dating tool: a clasp dating later than the case head implies a swap or service-era replacement.
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==


Documented bracelet fitments are the 7206/58 rivet bracelet and the 6636/58 stretch rivet bracelet. One example carries a rivet bracelet with 80 end links; another shows a rivet stretch bracelet with 64 end pieces and a clasp dated 3/60. A 1962 example pairs a period-correct rivet bracelet with an original presentation box, the only 5508 in the documented set with surviving packaging.
A 1962 example is documented with a period presentation box. That lot does not establish how often original packaging survives.


<span id="special-branches"></span>
<span id="bond-association"></span>
== Special branches ==
==Bond association==
[[File:Ref 5508 historical-example.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=No-crown-guard 5508 example|No-crown-guard 5508 example]]The 5508 is itself the special branch within the 5xxx family. It is the only mature small-crown 5xxx Submariner without crown guards, and that transitional position carries the reference more than any one variant does.
Collectors sometimes call the 5508 a “James Bond Submariner,” but the on-screen watch in ''Dr. No'' was the big-crown 6538. Auction houses use the small-crown label for the 5508 as a catalogue convention, not as proof that it appeared in the film.


<span id="exclamation-dot-late-examples"></span>
[[File:Ref 5508 historical-example.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=No-crown-guard 5508 example|No-crown-guard 5508 example]]
=== Exclamation dot late examples ===


The exclamation-dot examples from 1962 form a distinct sub-branch that bridges the 5508 into the radium-to-tritium transition era and overlaps with early crown-guarded production on neighbouring references.
==Special branches==
The late exclamation dials mark the radium-to-tritium transition. Four-line SCOC dials appear alongside standard two-line dials, and tropical examples are aged finishes rather than separate reference variants.


<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
== Historical market and auction record ==
==Historical market and auction record==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Sale !! Lot !! Year !! Serial !! Variant !! Hammer
|-
| Phillips Geneva NINE || 213 || 2019 || 361,650 || 1958 black gilt, red triangle insert || CHF 500,000
|-
| Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS || 881 || 2019 || 762,896 || 1962 exclamation gilt, II.62 caseback, 7206/64 bracelet || HK$ 2,687,500
|-
| Phillips Geneva XV || 160 || 2022 || 764,524 || 1962 exclamation, 6636 clasp 4/64 || CHF 132,300
|-
| Antiquorum Geneva || 333-422 || 2020 || 490,575 || 1958 ghost bezel, rivet bracelet '63 || CHF 56,250
|-
| Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi || 340-173 || 2021 || n/a || 1962 chapter-ring exclamation gilt || EUR 33,750
|-
| Antiquorum Monaco || 370-227 || 2024 || 764,196 || 1962 signature dial || est. EUR 20,000–40,000
|-
| Bonhams || 24627/98 || 2018 || n/a || 1959 black, 6251H rivet || GBP 9,375 incl. premium
|-
| Bonhams || 28036/38 || 2023 || n/a || 1958 gilt, 7206 clasp 4/69 || est. GBP 15,000–20,000
|-
| Sotheby's Watches Online 2 || n/a || 2020 || n/a || small-crown James Bond catalogue copy ||
|-
| Sotheby's Fine Watches 5 || 40 || 2023 || 400,505 || 1958 tropical with 1960 papers ||
|-
| Sotheby's Cologne || n/a || 2023 || n/a || 1962 small-crown James Bond || est. EUR
|}
 
The auction records cover different years, variants and markets, so they do not establish a market trend. A service dial or replacement bracelet also changes the comparison, so each result needs to be read with its lot description.
 
 
==Related references==
* [[Reference:5510|Submariner 5510]]: Big Crown, Cal 1530 (1957–1958)
* [[Reference:6538|Submariner 6538]]: "Big Crown", James Bond (1956–1959)
* [[Reference:6536|Submariner 6536]]: Early Gilt No-Crown-Guard (1955–1958)
* [[Reference:6205|Submariner 6205]]: 1953–1957
* [[Reference:6200|Submariner 6200]]: "King Sub", Big Crown (1953–1956)
* [[Reference:6204|Submariner 6204]]: 1953–1954


The documented set is small but consistent. A 1959 tropical example with serial 489,xxx, caliber 1530, faded original bezel, and rivet bracelet with 64 end pieces sets the high end. The 1958 example with service dial, later insert, repaired bracelet, and later Jubilee clasp sets the honest survivor end. The 1962 exclamation-dot example with presentation box rounds out the set.
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]].


The 5508 holds a specific market position. It is less famous than the 6538 and less structurally important than the 5512, but it is the cleanest expression of the small-crown no-crown-guard Submariner in its most mature form. Collectors who prize the slim early case shape over the later crown-guard profile pay close attention here.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 5508 hero 2.webp|alt=Rolex 5508 Submariner small-crown case|5508 small-crown Submariner
File:Ref 5508 gilt-dial-red-triangle.webp|alt=5508 gilt dial with red-triangle bezel insert|Gilt dial and red-triangle insert
File:Ref 5508 bezel-dial-closeup.webp|alt=5508 standard two-line gilt dial and bezel|Two-line gilt dial
File:Ref 5508 hands.webp|alt=5508 Mercedes hands and lollipop seconds hand|Mercedes and lollipop hands
File:Ref 5508 case-profile.webp|alt=5508 case profile without crown guards|Small-crown case profile
File:Ref 5508 red-triangle-hero.webp|alt=5508 red-triangle bezel insert|Red-triangle bezel insert
File:Ref 5508 historical-example.webp|alt=5508 no-crown-guard Submariner example|No-crown-guard example
</gallery>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* RolexHaven.com variant pages: [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-red-triangle--58.html 5508 Red Triangle] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-silver-depth--58.html 5508 Silver Depth] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-tropical--58.html 5508 Tropical] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-scoc--59.html 5508 SCOC] / [https://rolexhaven.com/ and more]
* [https://newsroom.rolex.com/watches/oyster-collection/submariner Rolex, "The Submariner — history and specifications"]
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-2-the-55xx-1680references/ History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date] — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-2-the-55xx-1680references/ History of the Rolex Submariner — Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date] — Tom Mulraney (Monochrome, 2020)
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/vintage-rolex-submariner-reference-5508.html Vintage Rolex Submariner Reference 5508] — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/grail-material-1959-rolex-submariner-ref-5508/ Grail Material: 1959 Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508] (Fratello)
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/inside-mike-woods-for-exhibition-only-a-private-rolex-collection-on-limited-display Inside Mike Wood's 'For Exhibition Only': A Private Rolex Collection On Limited Display] — Tim Vaux, Hodinkee
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/watch-review/the-details-are-not-the-details-they-make-the-design-inside-the-rolex-submariner-reference-5508.html Inside the Rolex Submariner Reference 5508]
* [https://wannabuyawatch.com/product/rolex-submariner-ref-5508-small-crown-tropical-dial-circa-1959/ Rolex Submariner Ref 5508 Small Crown Tropical Dial Circa 1959] — unknown, Wanna Buy A Watch?
* [https://bulangandsons.com/blogs/watch-talks/the-rolex-submariner-reference-5508 The Rolex Submariner Reference 5508] (& Sons)
* [https://loupethis.com/auctions/rolex-submariner-5508-service-dial Rolex Submariner 5508 Service Dial] — unknown, Loupe This
* [https://le-monde-edmond.com/rolex-submariner-65361-vs-5508/ Rolex Submariner 6536/1 vs 5508] (Le Monde Edmond)
* [https://www.vintagegoldwatches.com/product/rolex-submariner-ref-5508-1957-exclamation-dot-dial/ Rolex Submariner Ref.5508 1962 Exclamation Dot Dial] — Vintage Gold Watches, Vintage Gold Watches
* [https://rolexpassionreport.com/2932/the-history-of-the-rolex-small-and-big-crown-james-bond-submariner/ The History of the Rolex Small and Big Crown James Bond Submariner] (Rolex Passion Report)
* The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Morning Tundra
* [https://rolexpassionreport.com/316/ The Rolex Exclamation Mark] (Rolex Passion Report)
* [https://rolexpassionreport.com/15606/the-evolution-of-rolex-luminous/ The Evolution of Rolex Luminous] (Rolex Passion Report)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080119/213 Rolex Submariner 5508 — Geneva Watch Auction NINE lot 213] (Phillips, 2019)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/HK080219/881 Rolex Submariner 5508 — Hong Kong SPORTS lot 881] (Phillips, 2019)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080122/160 Rolex Submariner 5508 — Geneva XV lot 160] (Phillips, 2022)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5508-submariner-lot-333-422 Rolex Ref. 5508 ghost bezel — Antiquorum Geneva lot 333-422] (Antiquorum, 2020)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5508-submariner-lot-340-173 Rolex Ref. 5508 chapter-ring exclamation — Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi lot 340-173] (Antiquorum, 2021)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5508-submariner-lot-370-227 Rolex Ref. 5508 — Antiquorum Monaco lot 370-227] (Antiquorum, 2024)
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/24627/lot/98/ Rolex Submariner 5508 — Bonhams lot 24627/98] (Bonhams, 2018)
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28036/lot/38/ Rolex Submariner 5508 — Bonhams lot 28036/38] (Bonhams, 2023)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/watches-online-2/rolex-small-crown-james-bond-submariner-ref-5508 Rolex Small-Crown James Bond Submariner Ref. 5508 — Watches Online 2] (Sotheby's, 2020)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/fine-watches-5/reference-5508-submariner-james-bond-small-crown-a Reference 5508 Submariner James Bond Small Crown — Fine Watches 5 lot 40] (Sotheby's, 2023)
* [https://wannabuyawatch.com/product/rolex-submariner-ref-5508-small-crown-tropical-dial-circa-1959/ Rolex Submariner Ref 5508 Small-Crown Tropical Dial Circa 1959] (Wanna Buy A Watch?)
* [https://loupethis.com/auctions/rolex-submariner-5508-service-dial Rolex Submariner 5508 Service Dial] (Loupe This)
* [https://www.vintagegoldwatches.com/product/rolex-submariner-ref-5508-1957-exclamation-dot-dial/ Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508 1962 Exclamation Dot Dial] (Vintage Gold Watches)
* [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-red-triangle--58.html 5508 Red Triangle 1958] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-silver-depth--58.html 5508 Silver Depth 1958] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-tropical--58.html 5508 Tropical 1958] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-scoc--59.html 5508 SCOC 1959] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-final-batch--62.html 5508 Final Batch 1962] (RolexHaven)
* [https://rolexhaven.com/bracelets.html RolexHaven Bracelets reference]
* [https://rolexhaven.com/luminous-material.html RolexHaven Luminous Material reference]
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra


[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Working Draft]]

Latest revision as of 07:58, 29 September 2026


Submariner › 5508

Rolex 5508 Submariner
Rolex 5508 Submariner

The 5508 is the last small-crown 100m Submariner without crown guards. Auction catalogues usually date its production to 1958–1962, with some sources placing the launch in 1957. It is the small-crown counterpart to the big-crown 5510, with a 6mm crown and a 100m rating. Caliber 1530 examples are documented with 17, 25, and 26 jewels. Sean Connery's on-screen Submariner in Dr. No (1962) was a big-crown 6538; the “James Bond Submariner” label for the 5508 is collector shorthand rather than on-screen provenance.

Core facts

detail value
reference 5508
family Submariner (no date)
production usually dated 1958 to 1962; some sources place the launch in 1957
serial cluster 361,650 (1958) → 489,831 (1959) → 762,896 (1962, II.62 caseback) → 764,524 (1962); rough envelope 360k–410k for 1958–59 jumping to 760k+ for 1962
case 37mm small-crown, no crown guards (later examples thicker through the case middle but still 37mm-class)
crown 6mm Brevet — small crown, distinct from the 8mm big-crown 6538/5510 and the later 7mm guarded 5512/5513
crown guards none
movement caliber 1530, automatic; documented jewel counts include 17, 25, and 26; chronometer-rated variants appear later in the run
depth rating 100m / 330ft, two-line layout (some 1959 onward four-line "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" variants documented)
crystal acrylic
lume radium → exclamation transition in 1962 (the underline transition is a 5512/5513 feature in 1963, not a 5508 feature)

Where it sits in the line

The 5508 sits at the end of the small-crown 100m branch. It ran alongside the big-crown 200m 5510 and ended in 1962, before the 5512 brought crown guards, a 7mm crown, and caliber 1560. The 5508 inherited the small-crown case from the 6204 and 6205 and used the slimmer, bidirectional caliber 1530 in place of the earlier A260 family.

The 6mm Brevet crown distinguishes the 5508 from the later 7mm guarded references. The 6538's 8mm crown carries the same Brevet marking; the marking identifies the period, not the crown size.

Production outline

Production is generally dated 1958 to 1962. Sotheby's and Bonhams catalogue the launch as a replacement for the 6536/1 in 1958; Phillips documents a 1962 example. Le Monde Edmond places the launch in 1957, so the start year remains a source disagreement.

Use case-back date codes alongside serials when assigning a build year — Rolex date-coded casebacks separately from serials. Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 lot 213 (case 361,650, "circa 1958") and Bonhams Feb 2018 lot 24627/98 (1959, 6251H rivet bracelet) anchor the launch period; Sotheby's Watches Online 2020 lot 37 (case 489,831, circa 1959) and Antiquorum Geneva 2020 lot 333-422 (case 490,575, circa 1958) populate the early-band cluster. The late cluster sits in the 762k–764k band: Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 2019 lot 881 (case 762,896, II.62 caseback), Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 2021 (case 764,122, 1962), Antiquorum Monaco 2024 (case 764,196, 1962), Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (case 764,524, 1962). The general Rolex serial charts in circulation (1958 ~224k–328k, 1962 ~643k) under-shoot the 5508-observed serials because the head-stamping ran later than the catalog-year for this specific reference.

Most documented 5508 examples have glossy black gilt dials, with gilt-coloured printing. Late-run examples include the exclamation-dial transition.

Movement notes

The 5508 introduces caliber 1530 to the small-crown line. Bonhams and Sotheby's catalogue copy commonly cites 25 jewels, while Phillips lots document 26 jewels. Other published records cite 17 jewels. The surviving examples support 17, 25, and 26 as documented counts during the run, but they do not provide a complete serial-by-serial transition.

The 1530 is not chronometer-rated at launch. The chronometer-rated four-line "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" dial is therefore a later 5508 spec, not the day-one configuration. Le Monde Edmond describes the 1530 as a later design than the 6536/1's 1030; that comparison does not establish a serial cutoff. The chronometer-rated upgrade to caliber 1560 follows on the 5512.

Caliber 1530 belongs to the same 12½-ligne movement family as the earlier 1030, with documented fitment in the 5508. Published height figures vary by source, so the page does not use a single height value to identify a watch.

Dial map

Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert
Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert

The documented 5508 dial groups are two-line standard dials, four-line “SCOC” dials, and late exclamation dials with a luminous dot below 6 o'clock. The “six-line” label seen in some listings is not established here. Underline dials belong to the 5512 and 5513 from 1963, after the 5508 run.

Standard two-line gilt

Glossy black lacquer dial with gilt-coloured printing, Mercedes hour and minute hands, lollipop seconds, two-line "Submariner / 100m=660ft" layout. Some examples carry a Singer manufacturer marking on the reverse, visible only with the dial removed; Singer was one of the principal Swiss dial suppliers to Rolex during this period, and the back-stamp is a useful provenance indicator on loose dials.

  • Bezel and dial closeup on a standard two-line 5508
    Bezel and two-line dial, standard gilt configuration
  • Mercedes hands and lollipop seconds hand on a 5508 dial
    Mercedes hands and lollipop seconds hand

Four-line "SCOC" gilt

A subset of 5508 dials carry the "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" line above 6 o'clock — the four-line layout. Antiquorum's 2008 Revolution sale lot 204 explicitly catalogues a "Gilt Four Line" 5508. The four-line dial coexists with the two-line dial during overlapping years rather than replacing it cleanly. A four-line dial identifies a chronometer-marked example in the cited lot records. The available evidence does not establish a universal jewel-count transition or a serial-by-serial pairing between the 17-, 25-, and 26-jewel executions.

Exclamation dial (1962)

Late-run 5508s carry an exclamation dot beneath the depth rating at 6 o'clock. The dot is associated with the radium-to-tritium transition and appears in published 1962 examples. Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 2019 lot 881, Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160, and Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 2021 lot 340-173 document examples in that cluster.

Tropical gilt

Tropical 5508 dials are black gilt dials that have aged to brown or chocolate tones. Sotheby's Fine Watches 2023 lot 40 and a documented 1959 example with serial 489,xxx provide published comparisons. Faded bezel inserts and period riveted bracelets occur on some examples, but neither is a rule for every tropical dial.

Service dials

Rolex service-replacement dials are documented on surviving 5508s. A service dial may have cleaner printing or different luminous material than an original dial. Compare the dial, movement, and provenance together, and distinguish a factory replacement from a third-party refinish rather than assuming a clean dial is original.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

Small crown case profile — no crown guards
Small crown case profile — no crown guards

The 5508 case is small-crown and unguarded throughout. The 6mm Brevet crown distinguishes it from the 6538 and 5510's 8mm crowns and the 5512 and 5513's 7mm guarded crowns. The crown carries the Rolex coronet and Brevet marking used during this period.

The acrylic crystal and rotating dive bezel carry over from the earlier 6204 lineage. The 100m rating continues the small-crown specification used from the 6204. The later crown-guard 5512 moved to a 200m rating. The bezel insert reads gilt minute graduations on a black ground, with a luminous triangle at 12; Published examples include a red-triangle insert, with the 12 marker filled with red enamel or lacquer. The standard production fitment is the all-black insert.

5508 fitted with the red-triangle bezel insert variant
5508 fitted with the red-triangle bezel insert variant

The caseback is smooth externally; the interior can carry the reference, case number, and Roman-quarter date code (II.62 indicates the second quarter of 1962). Use the date code with the serial and the rest of the watch because the observed 5508 serials do not map neatly onto general Rolex charts.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Period-correct delivery bracelets on the 5508 split across three references depending on year and option. The earliest examples ship with the 6251H riveted Oyster (Bonhams Feb 2018, 1959 example with clasp 2/68 marking a service event but original-style fitment). The 7206 fixed-link riveted Oyster is the period-correct mainstream fitment — Bonhams Dec 2023 lot 38 documents a 1958 example with clasp 4/69, and Phillips Hong Kong 2019 lot 881 documents the 1962 fitment with end-link 64. The 6636 expandable riveted Oyster is the third documented original-delivery option — Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (1962, clasp 4/64) and Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 (riveted Oyster with deployant clasp 1/58) anchor the 6636 fitment.

The 9315 folded-link Oyster is a later replacement rather than a period 5508 delivery fitment in the cited records. A 9315 on a 5508 should therefore be treated as a service or later replacement until its provenance shows otherwise. The cited bracelet reference dates reference-number stamps on the largest rivet link to 1962. An unstamped bracelet may predate that change; the clasp and end links still need separate checks. Clasp date codes are the cleanest single-component dating tool: a clasp dating later than the case head implies a swap or service-era replacement.

A 1962 example is documented with a period presentation box. That lot does not establish how often original packaging survives.

Bond association

Collectors sometimes call the 5508 a “James Bond Submariner,” but the on-screen watch in Dr. No was the big-crown 6538. Auction houses use the small-crown label for the 5508 as a catalogue convention, not as proof that it appeared in the film.

No-crown-guard 5508 example
No-crown-guard 5508 example

Special branches

The late exclamation dials mark the radium-to-tritium transition. Four-line SCOC dials appear alongside standard two-line dials, and tropical examples are aged finishes rather than separate reference variants.

Historical market and auction record

Sale Lot Year Serial Variant Hammer
Phillips Geneva NINE 213 2019 361,650 1958 black gilt, red triangle insert CHF 500,000
Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 881 2019 762,896 1962 exclamation gilt, II.62 caseback, 7206/64 bracelet HK$ 2,687,500
Phillips Geneva XV 160 2022 764,524 1962 exclamation, 6636 clasp 4/64 CHF 132,300
Antiquorum Geneva 333-422 2020 490,575 1958 ghost bezel, rivet bracelet '63 CHF 56,250
Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 340-173 2021 n/a 1962 chapter-ring exclamation gilt EUR 33,750
Antiquorum Monaco 370-227 2024 764,196 1962 signature dial est. EUR 20,000–40,000
Bonhams 24627/98 2018 n/a 1959 black, 6251H rivet GBP 9,375 incl. premium
Bonhams 28036/38 2023 n/a 1958 gilt, 7206 clasp 4/69 est. GBP 15,000–20,000
Sotheby's Watches Online 2 n/a 2020 n/a small-crown James Bond catalogue copy
Sotheby's Fine Watches 5 40 2023 400,505 1958 tropical with 1960 papers
Sotheby's Cologne n/a 2023 n/a 1962 small-crown James Bond est. EUR

The auction records cover different years, variants and markets, so they do not establish a market trend. A service dial or replacement bracelet also changes the comparison, so each result needs to be read with its lot description.


Related references

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

  • Rolex 5508 Submariner small-crown case
    5508 small-crown Submariner
  • 5508 gilt dial with red-triangle bezel insert
    Gilt dial and red-triangle insert
  • 5508 standard two-line gilt dial and bezel
    Two-line gilt dial
  • 5508 Mercedes hands and lollipop seconds hand
    Mercedes and lollipop hands
  • 5508 case profile without crown guards
    Small-crown case profile
  • 5508 red-triangle bezel insert
    Red-triangle bezel insert
  • 5508 no-crown-guard Submariner example
    No-crown-guard example

Sources

Retrieved from "https://rolexopedia.net/index.php?title=Reference:5508&oldid=11344"