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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 5510 Submariner}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 5510 Submariner}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex Submariner 5510 — Big Crown, Cal 1530, 1957–1958 | Rolexopedia
|title=Rolex Submariner 5510 — Big Crown and caliber 1530 | Rolexopedia
|description=The 5510 is the final big-crown Submariner — Q1 1958 to late 1959, no crown guards, 200m depth, the first reference fitted with caliber 1530, and a Royal Australian Navy MilSub branch with the rare Explorer dial.
|description=The Rolex Submariner 5510 has an 8mm crown, no crown guards and caliber 1530. Production dates, dial descriptions, military provenance and auction records.
|keywords=Rolex, 5510, Submariner, specifications, big crown, MilSub, RAN
|keywords=Rolex, 5510, Submariner, specifications, big crown, MilSub, RAN
|image=Ref 5510 hero 2.webp
|image=Ref 5510 hero.webp
|image_alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 5510
|image_alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 5510
|type=Article
|type=Article
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<div class="rp-lead">
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 5510 hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 5510|Rolex Submariner Ref. 5510]]
[[File:Ref 5510 hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 5510, Big Crown, gilt dial, red triangle bezel|Rolex Submariner Ref. 5510 "Big Crown" — 8mm winding crown, no crown guards, black gilt dial, red triangle bezel pip]]
</div>
</div>


The 5510 is the final big-crown Submariner. It closes the no-crown-guard 6200/6538 lineage and is the first reference fitted with caliber 1530, the architecture that goes on to power early 5512 and 5513 production. The combination — 8mm Brevet crown and slim no-crown-guard case from the 6538 era, with the next generation's running gear underneath — is what makes a one-year reference one of the rarest steel Submariners. Auction-house catalogs converge on roughly 300 examples produced (Phillips, Sotheby's, Bonhams); Fratello reads the figure as 500 and dealer copy as up to 1000. The 300-figure dominates auction-house text without primary citation, and the higher numbers appear in editorial without one — a defensible band runs 300–600.
The 5510 is a steel Submariner with an 8mm winding crown, no crown guards and caliber 1530. It followed the 6538 and is usually dated around 1958–1959, although published end dates differ. Examples include black gilt dials and Explorer-style 3-6-9 dials. Sotheby's attributes one Explorer-dial watch to Royal Australian Navy issue.


<span id="core-facts"></span>
<span id="core-facts"></span>
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|-
|-
| production
| production
| Q1 1958 to late 1959 (Phillips, Sotheby's, Antiquorum); Horologium extends to late 1960
| Around 1958–1959 in Phillips and Antiquorum accounts; later end dates are discussed below
|-
|-
| total produced
| total produced
| ~300 (Phillips, Sotheby's, Bonhams catalogs); 500 (Fratello); ~1,000 (dealer copy)
| No verified factory total; published estimates differ
|-
|-
| serial cluster
| serial observations
| 362,xxx range across documented examples (case 362,153 / 362,187 / 362,252)
| Both 361,xxx and 362,xxx examples appear in auction catalogues
|-
|-
| case
| case
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|-
|-
| crown
| crown
| 8mm Brevet — identical to the 6538, distinct from the 7mm crown introduced on the 5512
| 8mm, marked Brevet
|-
|-
| crown guards
| crown guards
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|-
|-
| movement
| movement
| caliber 1530, 25 jewels — first appearance on a Submariner; not chronometer-rated (chronometer arrived with caliber 1560 on the early 5512)
| Caliber 1530; 25 jewels in the Phillips examples, 26 in one Sotheby's catalogue entry
|-
|-
| depth rating
| depth rating
| 200m / 660ft, printed on the dial in two-line layout
| 200m / 660ft dial rating
|-
|-
| crystal
| crystal
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== Where it sits in the line ==
== Where it sits in the line ==


The 5510 closes the big-crown no-crown-guard line. The 6200 (1953–55) opened it, the 6538 (1956–59) carried it through the late 1950s, and the 5510 caps it. Phillips Geneva XX 2024 lot 220 reads the 5510 as "the third interpretation of the big-crown Submariner... eventually replaced by the reference 5512 in 1959." On the small-crown side, the 5508 ran concurrently with the 5510 on a parallel 100m / 6mm-crown branch; the 5510 is the depth-rated and crown-bigger sister.
The [[Reference:6538|6538]] and 5510 both have large crowns without protective shoulders. The 5510 uses caliber 1530. Phillips's 2024 catalogue dates its replacement by the crown-guard [[Reference:5512|5512]] to 1959.


The handoff to the crown-guard era follows immediately. The 5512 launched in 1959 with crown guards, a 7mm crown, and the eventual move to the chronometer-rated caliber 1560 — every visual hallmark that distinguishes the 5510 from the modern Submariner silhouette. Read the 5510 as the engineering bridge: a 6538 case with the next generation's automatic underneath.
The [[Reference:5508|5508]] is the contemporary small-crown model. Because the 5510 and 6538 look similar, the engraved reference number matters more than the outline of the case.


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


Production ran approximately one year. Antiquorum repeatedly catalogues the 5510 as "produced for only one year, from the end of 1958 till 1959"; Phillips Geneva XX (Nov 2024) follows the same window. Horologium's December 2010 piece extends the run to late 1960 (Q3 1958 – late 1960), a minority span carried in the Australian collector trade.
Phillips dates the 5510's introduction to 1958 and replacement to 1959. Antiquorum's 2019 catalogue gives late 1958–1959, while Horologium estimates the third quarter of 1958 through late 1960. Bonhams's 2007 essay extends production into the mid-1960s without identifying a dated late example. These accounts do not establish a precise factory start or end date.


The serial cluster is tight: most documented 5510 cases sit in the 362,xxx band. Bonhams 16805/140 (case 362,252), Antiquorum Monaco 2018 lot 314-248 (case 362,187), Sotheby's Important Watches 2023 lot 107 (case 362,153), and Harrington's archive listing (case 362,000) all fall inside that range. Phillips Geneva XX 2024 lot 220 sits a few thousand higher. The cluster shows the short run.
Case evidence is more specific. Bonhams records inner casebacks stamped 1.1958; Phillips lists cases 361,913 and 362,218, and Antiquorum's tropical example is 361,848. The reference cannot be identified by a 362,xxx serial alone. Antiquorum's 2019 entry lists the outlying case number 301,833 and a 34mm diameter; those catalogue figures need confirmation against the watch.


The total-production estimate has not been reconciled. Phillips New York Dec 2021 lot 27 catalog notes "research indicates less than 300 examples were manufactured"; Sotheby's 2023 lot 107 reads "estimated that only around 300 units were manufactured"; Bonhams 16805/140 reads "fewer than 300 examples." Fratello's "Top 5 rarest steel Submariners" piece gives 500. Dealer copy and chrono24 listings frequently quote 1,000. The 300-figure dominates auction text but appears uncited; the higher numbers appear in editorial and dealer copy without primary citation. Treat 300–600 as the defensible band, with attribution.
Phillips's 2021 essay estimates fewer than 300 watches; Fratello gives 500. Neither entry identifies a factory production record for its figure. The total remains unverified.


<span id="movement-notes"></span>
<span id="movement-notes"></span>
== Movement notes ==
== Movement notes ==


The 5510 is the first Submariner fitted with caliber 1530, replacing the 1030 that ran the 6538 and earlier 6536/1 examples. The 1530 carries 25 jewels, a straight-line lever escapement, a self-compensating Breguet balance spring, an index regulator, and a monometallic balance with shock absorber (Antiquorum 204-163; Harrington's). It is automatic, full-rotor — not a bumper movement. Power reserve runs approximately 42 hours.
The auction examples cited here use automatic caliber 1530. Antiquorum's 2008 description lists a lever escapement, Breguet balance spring and shock protection. See the [[Reference:Movements#cal-1530|caliber 1530 guide]] for the movement family.


The 5510's caliber 1530 is not chronometer-rated. The "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" four-line dial text and the chronometer-grade caliber 1560 came in with the 5512 transition in 1959. The 1530 is therefore a watershed movement on the Submariner — first appearance, but pre-chronometer. The chronometer upgrade to 1560 follows on the 5512.
Phillips lists 25 in its 2021 and 2024 examples; Sotheby's lists 26 for case 362,231 in its 2008 catalogue. Phillips also mentions chronometer-certified 5510s, but does not identify one in that essay. The catalogue statement alone cannot establish the dial or movement configuration of those watches.


A small forum thread (RolexForums) introduces a contradiction: some military-issue 5510 examples may have carried caliber 1520 instead of 1530. The published reference literature does not corroborate this, and no documented auction lot shows a non-1530 5510. No documented source has corroborated this; the 5510 is canonically a 1530 reference.


<span id="dial-map"></span>
<span id="dial-map"></span>
== Dial map ==
== Dial map ==


Every documented 5510 dial carries 200m=660ft depth printing in the two-line layout below the Submariner wording. The depth-rating step from the 100m of the contemporary 5508 small-crown to the 200m of the 5510 is itself a signature distinction — the 5510 is depth-rated up from the 5508, not transitional within its own run. No 100m or four-line variant surfaces in documented examples.
The dial descriptions below overlap: a gilt dial can also have a Swiss-only signature or have aged brown.


<span id="standard-gilt-dial"></span>
<span id="standard-gilt-dial"></span>
=== Standard gilt ===
=== Standard gilt ===


Glossy black lacquer dial with gilt printing, Mercedes hour and minute hands, lollipop seconds, two-line "Submariner / 200m=660ft" layout. Bonhams 15422/115 (early 1958) anchors the standard configuration; Phillips New York 2021 lot 27 (USD 144,900) and Antiquorum NY 2008 lot 204-163 (USD 155,000) confirm. The dial sits in the late-gilt period — surface lacquer, gold-toned text, radium luminous compound.
The usual layout has luminous geometric hour markers and gilt text on a black dial. Bonhams's 2007 example has Mercedes hands and a white seconds hand; Christie's case 361,946 has white depth text beneath gilt wording.
 
[[File:Ref 5510 dial-detail.webp|thumb|right|250px|Dial, bezel, and Brevet crown on a 1958 5510 — Phillips New York, 2021, lot 27|alt=Dial, bezel, and Brevet crown on a 1958 5510 — Phillips New York, 2021, lot 27]]


<span id="swiss-only-dial"></span>
<span id="swiss-only-dial"></span>
=== Swiss only ===
=== Swiss only ===


A subset of 5510 dials carry "Swiss" beneath 6 o'clock without the "T<25" specification that arrived later, indicating radium luminous compound. Phillips Geneva XX 2024 lot 220 documents the Swiss-only black lacquer configuration; Antiquorum Monaco 2019 lot 322-315 carries Swiss-only with a riveted Oyster.
Phillips and Antiquorum describe dials signed Swiss beneath six o'clock. Swiss-only signatures also appear on the gilt dials described above.


<span id="tropical-gilt"></span>
<span id="tropical-gilt"></span>
=== Tropical gilt ===
=== Tropical gilt ===


Black gilt that has aged to brown under sustained UV. Antiquorum Geneva 2023 lot 360-460 documents a tropical 5510 with year-matched 1958-dated riveted bracelet at 177mm length, estimated CHF 120,000–180,000.
Collectors use 'tropical' for a dial whose colour has changed, commonly from black to brown. Antiquorum's 2023 lot 460 is a brown-dial 5510, case 361,848. The cause of the colour change is unspecified.
 
[[File:Ref 5510 tropical.webp|thumb|left|250px|Tropical (brown) gilt dial, case 361,848 — Antiquorum Geneva, May 2023, lot 460|alt=Tropical (brown) gilt dial, case 361,848 — Antiquorum Geneva, May 2023, lot 460]]


<span id="explorer-dial-ran-milsub"></span>
<span id="explorer-dial-ran-milsub"></span>
=== Explorer dial (RAN MilSub) ===
=== Explorer dial (RAN MilSub) ===


The 5510 carries an Explorer-dial branch tied to the Royal Australian Navy. Approximately four RAN-issued 5510 MilSubs are known per Sotheby's 2023 catalog; the dial layout reads 3-6-9 with the standard Submariner depth-rating beneath, and the lugs are fixed-bar (issued for nylon strap mount). Sotheby's Important Watches 2023 lot 107 documents the configuration with USD 160,000–320,000 estimate; The Phillips Explorer-dial editorial identifies the 362,xxx serial cluster for the RAN branch. The Phillips article and Fratello's RAN MilSub feature are the canonical editorial sources.
Sotheby's 2023 lot 107, case 362,153, has a 3-6-9 Explorer-style dial and fixed strap bars peened against the outside of the case. Sotheby's attributes it to Royal Australian Navy issue. Its statement that four RAN 5510s were known refers to the time the watch entered the Hammer collection, not a current count.


Antiquorum Monaco 2018 lot 314-248 documents a reprinted Explorer dial on case 362,187 — the reprint downgraded the lot to a EUR 33,488 against a 20,000–25,000 estimate. Original Explorer-dial 5510s sit at the apex of the reference's collector market.
Antiquorum explicitly identifies the Explorer dial on case 362,187 as reprinted. The catalogue gives no Australian Navy provenance for it.


<span id="white-printing-transition"></span>
<span id="white-printing-transition"></span>
=== White-printing transition (forum-documented only) ===
<span id="White-printing_transition_(forum-documented_only)"></span>
=== Other printing and dial descriptions ===


A small group of 5510 dials surfaces in collector forums showing a transition from gilt to white printing — the typographic change that goes on to define the matte 5512 / 5513 era. The published reference literature does not yet catalogue this variant on the 5510, and the forum-level evidence has not been corroborated by an auction-house lot.
Bonhams's 2007 essay mentions later white-print dials, but its own lot has gilt text and the essay supplies no dated example of the claimed later type. Sotheby's 2008 lot 138, case 362,231, is catalogued as an 'exclamation point' dial with a dot below the six-hour marker. The catalogue does not establish when that dial was fitted.


<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span>
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span>
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==


The 5510 case measures approximately 38mm without crown — slightly larger than the 37mm small-crown 5508 it ran alongside. Bonhams 15422/115 catalog reads "8mm Brevette crown (larger than the standard 6mm), which was launched in 1958." Phillips Geneva XX 2024 lot 220 describes the "thicker case and an 8mm crown" as defining features. The 8mm "Brevet" signed crown is identical to the 6538 and distinctly larger than the 7mm crown introduced on the 5512 (Monochrome 55XX/1680 history). The 5510 carries no crown guards — its single sharpest visual differentiator from every Submariner that follows.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 5510 wrist-detail.webp|The unguarded 8mm crown and gilt bezel insert, worn on the wrist
File:Ref 5510 caseback.webp|Screw-down Oyster caseback, smooth exterior with no date stamp — Phillips New York, 2021, lot 27
</gallery>
 
Auction measurements are usually about 37–38mm without the crown. The case has no crown guards and uses an 8mm crown marked Brevet, meaning patent. Phillips gives 38mm for both its 2021 and 2024 examples; Bonhams gives 37mm for its 2007 lot.


The bezel is the friction-rotating dive type with a gilt-printed insert: minute graduations 0–60 with a luminous triangle at 12. The crystal is the domed acrylic Tropic 17 (29.50mm), the same crystal family the 5510 shares with the 6200, 6538, and the Tudor 7924; the Tropic 19 used on the 5512 / 5513 / 5514 / 5517 is a service-replacement option on the 5510, not its original spec. The case profile reads slightly thicker than the 5508 to accommodate the larger crown tube and the deeper 200m rating.
The bezel rotates in both directions. Auction descriptions record black inserts, including red-triangle examples, and an acrylic crystal.  


The caseback is screw-down threaded Oyster construction, identical to the 6538 architecture. The exterior wears smooth without a date stamp; the interior carries the reference, the case number, and a Roman-quarter date stamp in the format "Q.YY" (Bonhams 15422/115 cites "inner case dated 1.1958" on an early-1958 example; Bonhams 16805/140 cites "screw on back stamped inside 1.1958" on the Royal Navy lot, case 362,252).
The caseback screws into the case. Bonhams records an internal 1.1958 stamp on both its early example and the watch privately owned by naval diver B. Turner. Turner's caseback also bears his name and service number. The stamp dates that caseback; it does not establish the sale date or originality of the bracelet.


<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging"></span>
<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging"></span>
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==


Period-correct delivery is the 7206 riveted Oyster with 58 end-links — the same fitment used on the 5508, 6538, and early 5512. Bonhams 15422/115 catalog documents "Steel Rolex Oyster riveted expanding link with folding clasp" on a 1958 5510. The 58 end-link stamp aligns with the 1958 production year; clasp date codes from Q4 1958 / 1959 are consistent with original-delivery on the 362,xxx case band.
Auction watches carry several bracelet configurations. Phillips's 2021 lot has a riveted Oyster bracelet, end links stamped 65 and a clasp stamped 2.58. Its 2024 lot has a 'Big Logo' bracelet and a 2.59 clasp. Original delivery of those bracelets is not established by their dates.


The 9315 / 93150 folded-link Oyster turns up frequently on cataloged 5510 examples but the clasp dating proves these are bracelet swaps. Bonhams 16805/140 (RN diver provenance, case 362,252) wears "stainless steel Rolex 93150 with 580 end pieces" — the bracelet dates later than the head and is a documented service replacement. Antiquorum Monaco 2019 lot 322-315 documents a riveted Oyster with deployant clasp stamped 1.67 (Q1 1967), again period-late or service replacement. Phillips Geneva XX 2024 lot 220 documents a "Big Logo" stretch riveted bracelet with clasp dated 2.59 — close to the case-head date and consistent with original-delivery.
Bonhams's B. Turner watch has a 93150 bracelet with 580 end pieces. Antiquorum's 2019 example has a riveted bracelet with a 1.67 clasp. The latter clasp is later than the catalogue's circa-1958 date for the watch, but the listing does not say who fitted it. A later bracelet is not necessarily a documented Rolex service replacement.


The diver's extension feature is absent on the period 7206 fitment; the extension appears with the later 9315 / 93150 swap. A 5510 sold with a clean original 7206 / 58 / 1958–59 clasp is the rarity, not the norm.
End-link numbers identify components; they are not year codes. A clasp date can help assess whether a bracelet is contemporary with a watch, but cannot prove that Rolex supplied the two together. Antiquorum lists an original box with its 2023 tropical example; the description does not establish a box type exclusive to the 5510.


<span id="bond-association"></span>
<span id="bond-association"></span>
== Bond association ==
== Bond association ==


The 5510 carries the "James Bond big crown" nickname through family resemblance to the 6538. The on-screen Goldfinger (1964) watch is canonically the 6538, documented across Rolex Magazine and Hodinkee's million-dollar 6538 piece. Horologium's December 2010 5510 notes are direct: "there is no clear evidence that 007 (Sean Connery incarnation) wore the 5510 in his Bond films." Forum analysis kept the 5510 alternative alive for years; the surviving primary photographic evidence places the Goldfinger crown on the 6538. Dealers and auction copy still call the 5510 "James Bond big crown" by association.
The 5510 is sometimes called a 'James Bond' Submariner because it resembles the big-crown 6538. Horologium notes that clear evidence of Sean Connery wearing a 5510 is absent. The nickname alone is not screen provenance.




== Special branches ==
== Special branches ==


The 5510 RAN MilSub Explorer dial is the principal sub-branch on the reference. Civilian-issue 5510s populate the standard gilt and Swiss-only configurations. There is no documented gold or precious-metal 5510 — the reference is steel-only across surviving examples. The Bonhams 16805/140 Royal Navy lot (case 362,252, engraved B. Turner P/JX 905415, accompanied by RN diving log) is the canonical military-provenance non-MilSub example.
The Australian Navy attribution above is different from the provenance of Bonhams's B. Turner watch. Bonhams says Turner bought his 5510 in Singapore in 1958 and used it during Royal Navy service. The lot included a diving history sheet matching his engraved service number and Rolex correspondence from 1979.  


<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
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{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
! Sale !! Lot !! Year !! Serial !! Variant !! Hammer
! Sale !! Lot !! Year !! Serial !! Description !! Published result or estimate
|-
|-
| Phillips Geneva XX || 220 || 2024 || 362,xxx || Swiss-only black lacquer, Big Logo bracelet || CHF 190,500
| [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080424/220 Phillips Geneva XX] || 220 || 2024 || 362,218 || Black lacquer dial; Big Logo bracelet || Result: CHF 190,500
|-
|-
| Phillips New York || 27 || 2021 || — || two-liner gilt, "Ride the Wave" provenance || USD 144,900
| [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/NY080121/27 Phillips New York] || 27 || 2021 || 361,913 || Gilt two-line dial; Ride the Wave collection || Result: USD 144,900
|-
|-
| Antiquorum NY || 204-163 || 2008 || — || cal. 1530, gilt black, grade 3-7 case || USD 155,000
| [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-204-163 Antiquorum New York] || 163 (sale 204) || 2008 || not listed || Black dial; caliber 1530 || Result: USD 155,000
|-
|-
| Bonhams || 15422/115 || — || — || gilt black, white seconds hand, Goldfinger framing || USD 93,600 incl. premium
| [https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15422/lot/115/ Bonhams New York] || 115 (sale 15422) || 2007 || not listed || Gilt dial; white seconds hand || Result: USD 93,600 including premium
|-
|-
| Bonhams || 16805/140 || — || 362,252 || Royal Navy diver provenance, RN log, 9315/580 bracelet || GBP 24,000 incl. premium
| [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/16805/lot/140/ Bonhams London] || 140 (sale 16805) || 2009 || 362,252 || B. Turner; 93150 bracelet, 580 end pieces || Result: GBP 24,000 including premium
|-
|-
| Antiquorum Monaco || 314-248 || 2018 || 362,187 || reprinted Explorer dial RAN || EUR 33,488
| [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5510-submariner-lot-314-248 Antiquorum Monaco] || 248 (sale 314) || 2018 || 362,187 || Reprinted Explorer dial || Result: EUR 33,488
|-
|-
| Antiquorum Geneva || 360-460 || 2023 || — || tropical brown, year-matched 1958 bracelet || est. CHF 120,000–180,000
| [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5510-submariner-lot-360-460 Antiquorum Geneva] || 460 (sale 360) || 2023 || 361,848 || Brown dial; bracelet dated 58 || Estimate: CHF 120,000–180,000
|-
|-
| Sotheby's Important Watches || 107 || 2023 || 362,153 || RAN MilSub Explorer dial, fixed lugs || est. USD 160,000–320,000
| [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/important-watches-2/reference-5510-big-crown-explorer-dial-submariner Sotheby's Important Watches] || 107 || 2023 || 362,153 || RAN attribution; Explorer dial; fixed bars || Estimate: USD 160,000–320,000
|-
|-
| Sotheby's Hiroshi Fujiwara || — || 2023 || — || gilt black, cal. 1530 25j || est. HKD 400,000–550,000
| [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/personal-effects-hiroshi-fujiwara/rolex-submariner-big-crown-reference-5510-a Sotheby's Hiroshi Fujiwara] || — || 2023 || — || Gilt dial; caliber 1530 || Estimate: HKD 400,000–550,000
|-
|-
| Antiquorum Monaco || 322-315 || 2019 || — || Swiss-only lacquer, riveted Oyster clasp 1.67 || est. EUR 150,000–170,000
| [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5510-lot-322-315 Antiquorum Monaco] || 315 (sale 322) || 2019 || 301,833 (catalogue) || Swiss-only dial; clasp 1.67; catalogue dimensions require confirmation || Estimate: EUR 150,000–170,000
|-
|-
| Harrington's || — || — || 362,000 || full cal. 1530 architecture, "James Bond" naming || USD 93,125
| [https://harringtonsauctions.com/products/rolex-very-rare-ref-5510-oyster-perpetual-submariner-james-bond-big-crown-wristwatch-circa-1958 Harrington's] || — || Not stated || 362,000 || Black dial; riveted bracelet || Result: $93,125 including premium; currency not stated
|}
|}


The 5510 trades at the top of the early Submariner market on rarity rather than dial drama. Unrestored Swiss-only and gilt examples cluster CHF 100,000–200,000; tropical examples and RAN MilSubs sit higher. Reprinted-dial examples and military-issue lots with later bracelets settle at the lower end. The reference's narrow collector audience values the technical handoff from the big-crown era to the chronometer-rated 5512 / 5513 generation that followed.
Results and estimates are labelled separately. The entries span different currencies, sale years and watch conditions; they do not establish a current price range.




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


* [[Reference:6538|Submariner 6538]] — "Big Crown", James Bond (1956–1959)
* [[Reference:6538|Submariner 6538]], big crown
* [[Reference:6536|Submariner 6536]] — Early Gilt No-Crown-Guard (1955–1958)
* [[Reference:6536|Submariner 6536]], early model without crown guards
* [[Reference:5508|Submariner 5508]] — 1957–1961
* [[Reference:5508|Submariner 5508]], small crown
* [[Reference:6205|Submariner 6205]] — 1953–1957
* [[Reference:6205|Submariner 6205]], early Submariner
* [[Reference:6200|Submariner 6200]] — "King Sub", Big Crown (1953–1956)
* [[Reference:6200|Submariner 6200]], big crown
* [[Reference:6204|Submariner 6204]] — 1953–1954
* [[Reference:6204|Submariner 6204]], early Submariner


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


* [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.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080424/220 Phillips Geneva XX, lot 220, 2024] — Phillips
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/fratello-top-5-the-rarest-steel-rolex-submariner-references/ Top 5: The Rarest Steel Rolex Submariner References] (Fratello, 2024)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/NY080121/27 Phillips New York, lot 27, 2021] — Phillips
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/bringing-a-rolex-submariner-5510-australian-milsub-back-to-life/ Bringing a Rolex Submariner 5510 Australian MilSub Back to Life] (Fratello)
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15422/lot/115/ Bonhams New York, lot 115, 6 December 2007] — Bonhams
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/grail-material-1959-rolex-submariner-ref-5508/ Grail Material: 1959 Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508] (Fratello)
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/16805/lot/140/ Bonhams London, lot 140, 10 June 2009] — Bonhams
* [https://horologium.com.au/2010/12/19/rolex-5510-some-notes/ Rolex 5510: Some Notes] (Horologium, 2010)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-204-163 Antiquorum New York, lot 163, 17 April 2008] — Antiquorum
* [https://www.watchprosite.com/rolex/rolex-submariner-reference-5510-the-rarest-of-the-big-crowns-/732.1671921.17217716/ Rolex Submariner Reference 5510 — The Rarest of the Big Crowns] (Watchprosite forum)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5510-submariner-lot-314-248 Antiquorum Monaco, lot 248, July 2018] — Antiquorum
* [https://www.windvintage.com/rolex-big-crown-submariner-reference-5510-unpolished Rolex Big Crown Submariner Reference 5510 Unpolished] — Eric Wind (Wind Vintage)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5510-lot-322-315 Antiquorum Monaco, lot 315, 16 July 2019] — Antiquorum
* [https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2005/02/chapter-3-sean-connerythe-original.html Chapter 3: Sean Connery — The Original Bond] (Rolex Magazine, 2005)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5510-submariner-lot-360-460 Antiquorum Geneva, lot 460, May 2023] — Antiquorum
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080424/220 Rolex Reference 5510 — Geneva Watch Auction XX, lot 220] (Phillips, 2024)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/important-watches-2/reference-5510-big-crown-explorer-dial-submariner Sothebys Important Watches, lot 107, December 2023] — Sotheby's
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/NY080121/27 Rolex Reference 5510 — New York Watch Auction, lot 27] (Phillips, 2021)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2008/important-watches-ge0804/lot.138.html Sothebys Geneva, lot 138, 2008] — Sotheby's
* [https://www.phillips.com/article/144608770/rolex-submariner-explorer-dial-6200-big-crown-5512-vintage-auction Rolex Submariner Explorer Dial — 6200, 5510, 5512] (Phillips article)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/personal-effects-hiroshi-fujiwara/rolex-submariner-big-crown-reference-5510-a Sothebys Personal Effects of Hiroshi Fujiwara, 2023] — Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/important-watches-2/reference-5510-big-crown-explorer-dial-submariner Reference 5510 Big Crown Explorer Dial Submariner — Important Watches lot 107] (Sotheby's, 2023)
* [https://harringtonsauctions.com/products/rolex-very-rare-ref-5510-oyster-perpetual-submariner-james-bond-big-crown-wristwatch-circa-1958 Harringtons reference 5510, case 362000] — Harrington's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/personal-effects-hiroshi-fujiwara/rolex-submariner-big-crown-reference-5510-a Rolex Submariner Big Crown Reference 5510 — Personal Effects of Hiroshi Fujiwara] (Sotheby's, 2023)
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5731391 Christies reference 5510, case 361946] — Christie's
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15422/lot/115/ Rolex Submariner Reference 5510 — Bonhams lot 15422/115] (Bonhams)
* [https://horologium.com.au/2010/12/19/rolex-5510-some-notes/ Rolex 5510: Some notes] — Horologium
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/16805/lot/140/ Rolex Submariner Reference 5510 RN provenance — Bonhams lot 16805/140] (Bonhams)
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/fratello-top-5-the-rarest-steel-rolex-submariner-references/ Top 5: The Rarest Steel Rolex Submariner References] — Fratello
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-204-163 Rolex Submariner Ref. 5510 — Antiquorum NY lot 204-163] (Antiquorum, 2008)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5510-submariner-lot-314-248 Rolex Ref. 5510 reprinted Explorer dial — Antiquorum Monaco lot 314-248] (Antiquorum, 2018)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5510-lot-322-315 Rolex Ref. 5510 Swiss-only lacquer — Antiquorum Monaco lot 322-315] (Antiquorum, 2019)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5510-submariner-lot-360-460 Rolex Ref. 5510 tropical — Antiquorum Geneva lot 360-460] (Antiquorum, 2023)
* [https://harringtonsauctions.com/products/rolex-very-rare-ref-5510-oyster-perpetual-submariner-james-bond-big-crown-wristwatch-circa-1958 Rolex Reference 5510 — Harrington's Auctions] (Harrington's)
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra


[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Submariner]]

Latest revision as of 00:00, 29 September 2026


Submariner › 5510

Rolex Submariner Ref. 5510, Big Crown, gilt dial, red triangle bezel
Rolex Submariner Ref. 5510 "Big Crown" — 8mm winding crown, no crown guards, black gilt dial, red triangle bezel pip

The 5510 is a steel Submariner with an 8mm winding crown, no crown guards and caliber 1530. It followed the 6538 and is usually dated around 1958–1959, although published end dates differ. Examples include black gilt dials and Explorer-style 3-6-9 dials. Sotheby's attributes one Explorer-dial watch to Royal Australian Navy issue.

Core facts

detail value
reference 5510
family Submariner (no date)
production Around 1958–1959 in Phillips and Antiquorum accounts; later end dates are discussed below
total produced No verified factory total; published estimates differ
serial observations Both 361,xxx and 362,xxx examples appear in auction catalogues
case approximately 38mm
crown 8mm, marked Brevet
crown guards none
movement Caliber 1530; 25 jewels in the Phillips examples, 26 in one Sotheby's catalogue entry
depth rating 200m / 660ft dial rating
crystal acrylic

Where it sits in the line

The 6538 and 5510 both have large crowns without protective shoulders. The 5510 uses caliber 1530. Phillips's 2024 catalogue dates its replacement by the crown-guard 5512 to 1959.

The 5508 is the contemporary small-crown model. Because the 5510 and 6538 look similar, the engraved reference number matters more than the outline of the case.

Production outline

Phillips dates the 5510's introduction to 1958 and replacement to 1959. Antiquorum's 2019 catalogue gives late 1958–1959, while Horologium estimates the third quarter of 1958 through late 1960. Bonhams's 2007 essay extends production into the mid-1960s without identifying a dated late example. These accounts do not establish a precise factory start or end date.

Case evidence is more specific. Bonhams records inner casebacks stamped 1.1958; Phillips lists cases 361,913 and 362,218, and Antiquorum's tropical example is 361,848. The reference cannot be identified by a 362,xxx serial alone. Antiquorum's 2019 entry lists the outlying case number 301,833 and a 34mm diameter; those catalogue figures need confirmation against the watch.

Phillips's 2021 essay estimates fewer than 300 watches; Fratello gives 500. Neither entry identifies a factory production record for its figure. The total remains unverified.

Movement notes

The auction examples cited here use automatic caliber 1530. Antiquorum's 2008 description lists a lever escapement, Breguet balance spring and shock protection. See the caliber 1530 guide for the movement family.

Phillips lists 25 in its 2021 and 2024 examples; Sotheby's lists 26 for case 362,231 in its 2008 catalogue. Phillips also mentions chronometer-certified 5510s, but does not identify one in that essay. The catalogue statement alone cannot establish the dial or movement configuration of those watches.


Dial map

The dial descriptions below overlap: a gilt dial can also have a Swiss-only signature or have aged brown.

Standard gilt

The usual layout has luminous geometric hour markers and gilt text on a black dial. Bonhams's 2007 example has Mercedes hands and a white seconds hand; Christie's case 361,946 has white depth text beneath gilt wording.

Dial, bezel, and Brevet crown on a 1958 5510 — Phillips New York, 2021, lot 27
Dial, bezel, and Brevet crown on a 1958 5510 — Phillips New York, 2021, lot 27

Swiss only

Phillips and Antiquorum describe dials signed Swiss beneath six o'clock. Swiss-only signatures also appear on the gilt dials described above.

Tropical gilt

Collectors use 'tropical' for a dial whose colour has changed, commonly from black to brown. Antiquorum's 2023 lot 460 is a brown-dial 5510, case 361,848. The cause of the colour change is unspecified.

Tropical (brown) gilt dial, case 361,848 — Antiquorum Geneva, May 2023, lot 460
Tropical (brown) gilt dial, case 361,848 — Antiquorum Geneva, May 2023, lot 460

Explorer dial (RAN MilSub)

Sotheby's 2023 lot 107, case 362,153, has a 3-6-9 Explorer-style dial and fixed strap bars peened against the outside of the case. Sotheby's attributes it to Royal Australian Navy issue. Its statement that four RAN 5510s were known refers to the time the watch entered the Hammer collection, not a current count.

Antiquorum explicitly identifies the Explorer dial on case 362,187 as reprinted. The catalogue gives no Australian Navy provenance for it.

Other printing and dial descriptions

Bonhams's 2007 essay mentions later white-print dials, but its own lot has gilt text and the essay supplies no dated example of the claimed later type. Sotheby's 2008 lot 138, case 362,231, is catalogued as an 'exclamation point' dial with a dot below the six-hour marker. The catalogue does not establish when that dial was fitted.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

  • The unguarded 8mm crown and gilt bezel insert, worn on the wrist
    The unguarded 8mm crown and gilt bezel insert, worn on the wrist
  • Screw-down Oyster caseback, smooth exterior with no date stamp — Phillips New York, 2021, lot 27
    Screw-down Oyster caseback, smooth exterior with no date stamp — Phillips New York, 2021, lot 27

Auction measurements are usually about 37–38mm without the crown. The case has no crown guards and uses an 8mm crown marked Brevet, meaning patent. Phillips gives 38mm for both its 2021 and 2024 examples; Bonhams gives 37mm for its 2007 lot.

The bezel rotates in both directions. Auction descriptions record black inserts, including red-triangle examples, and an acrylic crystal.

The caseback screws into the case. Bonhams records an internal 1.1958 stamp on both its early example and the watch privately owned by naval diver B. Turner. Turner's caseback also bears his name and service number. The stamp dates that caseback; it does not establish the sale date or originality of the bracelet.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Auction watches carry several bracelet configurations. Phillips's 2021 lot has a riveted Oyster bracelet, end links stamped 65 and a clasp stamped 2.58. Its 2024 lot has a 'Big Logo' bracelet and a 2.59 clasp. Original delivery of those bracelets is not established by their dates.

Bonhams's B. Turner watch has a 93150 bracelet with 580 end pieces. Antiquorum's 2019 example has a riveted bracelet with a 1.67 clasp. The latter clasp is later than the catalogue's circa-1958 date for the watch, but the listing does not say who fitted it. A later bracelet is not necessarily a documented Rolex service replacement.

End-link numbers identify components; they are not year codes. A clasp date can help assess whether a bracelet is contemporary with a watch, but cannot prove that Rolex supplied the two together. Antiquorum lists an original box with its 2023 tropical example; the description does not establish a box type exclusive to the 5510.

Bond association

The 5510 is sometimes called a 'James Bond' Submariner because it resembles the big-crown 6538. Horologium notes that clear evidence of Sean Connery wearing a 5510 is absent. The nickname alone is not screen provenance.


Special branches

The Australian Navy attribution above is different from the provenance of Bonhams's B. Turner watch. Bonhams says Turner bought his 5510 in Singapore in 1958 and used it during Royal Navy service. The lot included a diving history sheet matching his engraved service number and Rolex correspondence from 1979.

Historical market and auction record

Sale Lot Year Serial Description Published result or estimate
Phillips Geneva XX 220 2024 362,218 Black lacquer dial; Big Logo bracelet Result: CHF 190,500
Phillips New York 27 2021 361,913 Gilt two-line dial; Ride the Wave collection Result: USD 144,900
Antiquorum New York 163 (sale 204) 2008 not listed Black dial; caliber 1530 Result: USD 155,000
Bonhams New York 115 (sale 15422) 2007 not listed Gilt dial; white seconds hand Result: USD 93,600 including premium
Bonhams London 140 (sale 16805) 2009 362,252 B. Turner; 93150 bracelet, 580 end pieces Result: GBP 24,000 including premium
Antiquorum Monaco 248 (sale 314) 2018 362,187 Reprinted Explorer dial Result: EUR 33,488
Antiquorum Geneva 460 (sale 360) 2023 361,848 Brown dial; bracelet dated 58 Estimate: CHF 120,000–180,000
Sotheby's Important Watches 107 2023 362,153 RAN attribution; Explorer dial; fixed bars Estimate: USD 160,000–320,000
Sotheby's Hiroshi Fujiwara — 2023 — Gilt dial; caliber 1530 Estimate: HKD 400,000–550,000
Antiquorum Monaco 315 (sale 322) 2019 301,833 (catalogue) Swiss-only dial; clasp 1.67; catalogue dimensions require confirmation Estimate: EUR 150,000–170,000
Harrington's — Not stated 362,000 Black dial; riveted bracelet Result: $93,125 including premium; currency not stated

Results and estimates are labelled separately. The entries span different currencies, sale years and watch conditions; they do not establish a current price range.


Related references

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

Sources

Retrieved from "https://rolexopedia.net/index.php?title=Reference:5510&oldid=11038"