Reference:5513: Difference between revisions

The 5513 is the long-run no-date Submariner and one of the broadest vintage Rolex references to cover under one number. It starts in the early crown-guard gilt era, moves through the long matte-dial years, and finishes with late gloss dials that still sit in an acrylic case. Twenty-seven continuous years of production. No other Submariner reference comes close.

===Late gilt and Bart Simpson===

Late gilt examples lead into the Bart Simpson branch — collector shorthand for a coronet whose points look flatter and wider than the earlier shape.

===Explorer dial (approx. 1962–1965)===

Explorer-dial 5513 examples exist from the earliest production run and are among the most sought-after 5513 variants. The layout replaces the standard rectangular lume plots at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock with the Arabic numerals 3, 6, and 9 — borrowed directly from the Explorer — while keeping slim luminous batons at the remaining hours. Dial text is reduced in size to give the numerals room.

===Underline (approx. 1963–1964)===

Certain early gilt 5513 dials carry an underline printed just below the depth rating and "Submariner" text at six o'clock. These are transitional pieces that appear across several Rolex sport references in the same period — the underline is a Rolex-wide production phenomenon, not something unique to the 5513. Most Underline 5513 examples also carry Cornino (pointed) crown guards, consistent with their position in early production.

===Double Swiss Underline (approx. 1963)===

A rarer sub-variant of the Underline: here the underline sits beneath the Rolex signature at 12 o'clock rather than at 6 o'clock, and the dial carries two "Swiss" text printings at the bottom — one gilt, in line with an open chapter ring, and one white just below it. The "Double Swiss" phenomenon appears across multiple Rolex references from this period. The Double Swiss Underline 5513 is described in collector literature as among the last 5513 examples to feature pointed (Cornino) crown guards, which places the crown guard transition to rounded guards at approximately 1963 for the 5513.

===Gilt, Open Chapter Ring (approx. 1964–1966)===

Once the Underline and Double Swiss variants are past, the main gilt 5513 body uses an open chapter ring — the gilt hash marks around the dial perimeter are not connected by a solid ring on the outer edge. The openness is the visual diagnostic: look at the outer perimeter of the minute track and check whether the hash marks float or connect into a closed band. No underline, no exclamation marks. These are the cleanest, most straightforward early gilt 5513 examples.

===Maxi MK I through MK V (1976–1984)===

The Maxi era introduces noticeably larger lume plots and bolder printing. Collectors break the Maxi phase into five marks, MK I through MK V, based on progressively larger lume plots and subtle text changes. The Maxi era is the most actively collected matte phase because the visual differences between marks are large enough to create distinct sub-branches.

==Dial map==

The dial is where the 5513 breaks into real sub-families.

==Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes==

Current book-backed fitment notes:

===MilSub===

British military 5513 work belongs in its own branch. Collectors shorten "military Submariner" to "MilSub." The archive set includes both a South African Army-associated 5513 and a sold 1974 military 5513 from Watches of Distinction, which helps show both non-British military use and the messy service life of military-issued watches. The British military designation for the 5513 MilSub was W10 — the NATO stock classification for military-issue wristwatches.

==Historical market and auction record==

The lot and archive set is concrete enough to say something useful.