Reference:5512: Difference between revisions

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|-

| case

| 39.~~5mm (Le Monde Edmond) / 40mm (other sources)~~, first Submariner with crown guards

| 39.5–40mm, first Submariner with crown guards

|-

| crystal

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=== Crown guard generations ===

~~Le Monde Edmond documents four~~ production generations for the 5512. The table below maps the key variables for each.

Four production generations are documented for the 5512. The table below maps the key variables for each.

{| class="wikitable"

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'''Generation 1 — Square crown guards, 1959'''

Only approximately 12 known examples survive — arguably the rarest 5512 configuration in any form. The square profile is immediately recognizable: the guards are blunt and straight rather than angled or pointed, a shape Rolex abandoned quickly after the first production run. ~~Le Monde Edmond places the~~ serial number for square guards at 478 0xx onwards (1959), with eagle beak guards starting at serial 478 1xx. Combined square and eagle beak production is estimated at no more than 300 total. The movement is caliber 1570, the dial is gloss black with gilt printing and a chapter ring. One square-crown-guard 5512 sold at Christie’s in December 2013 for CHF 190,000. That sale price has not been beaten in public auction since, which gives some sense of where the ceiling sits when one of these appears.

Only approximately 12 known examples survive — arguably the rarest 5512 configuration in any form. The square profile is immediately recognizable: the guards are blunt and straight rather than angled or pointed, a shape Rolex abandoned quickly after the first production run. The serial number for square guards starts at 478 0xx onwards (1959), with eagle beak guards starting at serial 478 1xx. Combined square and eagle beak production is estimated at no more than 300 total. The movement is caliber 1570, the dial is gloss black with gilt printing and a chapter ring. One square-crown-guard 5512 sold at Christie’s in December 2013 for CHF 190,000. That sale price has not been beaten in public auction since, which gives some sense of where the ceiling sits when one of these appears.

Rolex Forum collectors note that three distinct crown guard shapes are concentrated within 1959 alone — the square guards, an early transitional form, and the beginning of the pointed Cornino profile. Rolex was iterating fast.

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'''Generation 2 — Pointed “Cornino” crown guards, ~1960–1963'''

The transition from square to pointed guards happened sometime in 1960, but it was not a clean break — there are transitional examples. ~~Le Monde Edmond also uses the~~ term “eagle beak” for this guard shape ~~and estimates~~ approximately 200 examples ~~with~~ this configuration. “Cornino” is Italian for “little horn” and describes the sharply pointed tip that gives this generation its personality. Serial number 870xxx (approximately 1962) is a solid Generation 2 example. Both two-line and four-line dials appear in this generation, which matters: the “5512 = four-line chronometer” shorthand breaks down here. Two-line dials carry no COSC certification text. Movement is caliber 1530 or 1560 depending on exact production timing.

The transition from square to pointed guards happened sometime in 1960, but it was not a clean break — there are transitional examples. The term “eagle beak” is also used for this guard shape, with approximately 200 examples estimated for this configuration. “Cornino” is Italian for “little horn” and describes the sharply pointed tip that gives this generation its personality. Serial number 870xxx (approximately 1962) is a solid Generation 2 example. Both two-line and four-line dials appear in this generation, which matters: the “5512 = four-line chronometer” shorthand breaks down here. Two-line dials carry no COSC certification text. Movement is caliber 1530 or 1560 depending on exact production timing.

'''Generation 3 — Pointed “Cornino” crown guards, mid-1960s'''

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The 1530 is the transitional movement shared with the 5510 and early 5513. The 1560 and 1570 are the mature chronometer-grade movements that define the 5512’s premium identity.

One complication worth flagging: ~~Le Monde Edmond documents~~ the first-generation (1959, square-crown-guard) 5512 as carrying caliber 1570, which runs counter to the usual early=1530 sequence. Whether this reflects pre-production or very early inventory use of the 1570 before a brief return to 1530 and 1560, or a documentation quirk, is not yet settled. Treat the Generation 1 / caliber 1570 pairing as documented but not fully explained.

One complication worth flagging: the first-generation (1959, square-crown-guard) 5512 is documented as carrying caliber 1570, which runs counter to the usual early=1530 sequence. Whether this reflects pre-production or very early inventory use of the 1570 before a brief return to 1530 and 1560, or a documentation quirk, is not yet settled. Treat the Generation 1 / caliber 1570 pairing as documented but not fully explained.

The COSC/non-COSC split within the 5512 explains why some 5512s carry caliber 1530 — the same movement found in the 5513. Hodinkee Reference Points confirms: “The early generations of 5513s use the caliber 1530, the same caliber that you’d find in the non-chronometer 5512s.” Only the COSC-certified 5512s used the higher-spec 1570 and 1560-family calibers. Non-COSC examples within the 5512 reference share the 1530 with the 5513, which is why the two references’ movement histories are not as divergent as the four-line/two-line shorthand suggests.

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

The 5512 is the case-development watch. It is the first Submariner with crown guards, and it represents a significant case size increase from the 38mm of the preceding 6536/1. ~~Le Monde Edmond measures~~ the case at 39.5mm; most ~~other sources~~ round to 40mm. Either way, this is the case diameter that becomes standard for the entire line through the modern era. That is the lasting contribution.

The 5512 is the case-development watch. It is the first Submariner with crown guards, and it represents a significant case size increase from the 38mm of the preceding 6536/1. Some sources measure the case at 39.5mm; most round to 40mm. Either way, this is the case diameter that becomes standard for the entire line through the modern era. That is the lasting contribution.

Crown guard evolution from square to pointed to rounded is the most important physical change across the production run. Collectors call the earliest guard shapes “square crown guards” and the second generation “eagle beaks” or “Cornino.” Those names are useful collector field language rather than a neat factory taxonomy.

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That is a fitment map, not a delivery chart.

The observed examples back that caution up. Early ~~Grey and Patina~~ watches wear rivet bracelets, while ~~the~~ late ~~Bob’s~~ maxi example is on 93150/580 with a clasp dated later than the watch. Useful for understanding survival patterns, not for claiming what left the retailer on a specific day.

The observed examples back that caution up. Early documented watches wear rivet bracelets, while a late maxi example is on 93150/580 with a clasp dated later than the watch. Useful for understanding survival patterns, not for claiming what left the retailer on a specific day.

Packaging needs the same caution. One early high-end example is stated as box and paper, but that is still one example, not a policy.

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== Historical market and auction record ==

~~Wind reports that the~~ Rolex-commissioned Submariner book by Nicholas Foulkes puts total 5512 production at 17,338 watches. That number helps explain why the reference feels scarcer than the 5513 in the market and why prices have consistently run higher.

The Rolex-commissioned Submariner book by Nicholas Foulkes puts total 5512 production at 17,338 watches. That number helps explain why the reference feels scarcer than the 5513 in the market and why prices have consistently run higher.

The early high-end branch is in a different universe from later commercial examples. ~~Grey and Patina archived a~~ sold 1960 tropical gilt tulip 5512 with stated box and paper at $75,000, and a sold 1965 four-line gilt example at $32,500. At the other end, ~~Bob’s archived~~ a sold 1979 late-run maxi 5512 at about $18,495. The spread tells the story.

The early high-end branch is in a different universe from later commercial examples. A sold 1960 tropical gilt tulip 5512 with stated box and paper traded at $75,000, and a sold 1965 four-line gilt example at $32,500. At the other end, a sold 1979 late-run maxi 5512 traded at about $18,495. The spread tells the story.

One Sotheby’s lot in the package documents a 1967 5512 with 1570 movement and inner caseback marked 5513, but the public page is sloppy enough to call it a watch with date while plainly showing a no-date Submariner. Treat it as documented but not clean enough for a benchmark.

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 |-
 | case
-| 39.5mm (Le Monde Edmond) / 40mm (other sources), first Submariner with crown guards
+| 39.5–40mm, first Submariner with crown guards
 |-
 | crystal
@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 === Crown guard generations ===
-Le Monde Edmond documents four production generations for the 5512. The table below maps the key variables for each.
+Four production generations are documented for the 5512. The table below maps the key variables for each.
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 111: / Line 111: @@
 '''Generation 1 — Square crown guards, 1959'''
-Only approximately 12 known examples survive — arguably the rarest 5512 configuration in any form. The square profile is immediately recognizable: the guards are blunt and straight rather than angled or pointed, a shape Rolex abandoned quickly after the first production run. Le Monde Edmond places the serial number for square guards at 478 0xx onwards (1959), with eagle beak guards starting at serial 478 1xx. Combined square and eagle beak production is estimated at no more than 300 total. The movement is caliber 1570, the dial is gloss black with gilt printing and a chapter ring. One square-crown-guard 5512 sold at Christie’s in December 2013 for CHF 190,000. That sale price has not been beaten in public auction since, which gives some sense of where the ceiling sits when one of these appears.
+Only approximately 12 known examples survive — arguably the rarest 5512 configuration in any form. The square profile is immediately recognizable: the guards are blunt and straight rather than angled or pointed, a shape Rolex abandoned quickly after the first production run. The serial number for square guards starts at 478 0xx onwards (1959), with eagle beak guards starting at serial 478 1xx. Combined square and eagle beak production is estimated at no more than 300 total. The movement is caliber 1570, the dial is gloss black with gilt printing and a chapter ring. One square-crown-guard 5512 sold at Christie’s in December 2013 for CHF 190,000. That sale price has not been beaten in public auction since, which gives some sense of where the ceiling sits when one of these appears.
 Rolex Forum collectors note that three distinct crown guard shapes are concentrated within 1959 alone — the square guards, an early transitional form, and the beginning of the pointed Cornino profile. Rolex was iterating fast.
@@ Line 117: / Line 117: @@
 '''Generation 2 — Pointed “Cornino” crown guards, ~1960–1963'''
-The transition from square to pointed guards happened sometime in 1960, but it was not a clean break — there are transitional examples. Le Monde Edmond also uses the term “eagle beak” for this guard shape and estimates approximately 200 examples with this configuration. “Cornino” is Italian for “little horn” and describes the sharply pointed tip that gives this generation its personality. Serial number 870xxx (approximately 1962) is a solid Generation 2 example. Both two-line and four-line dials appear in this generation, which matters: the “5512 = four-line chronometer” shorthand breaks down here. Two-line dials carry no COSC certification text. Movement is caliber 1530 or 1560 depending on exact production timing.
+The transition from square to pointed guards happened sometime in 1960, but it was not a clean break — there are transitional examples. The term “eagle beak” is also used for this guard shape, with approximately 200 examples estimated for this configuration. “Cornino” is Italian for “little horn” and describes the sharply pointed tip that gives this generation its personality. Serial number 870xxx (approximately 1962) is a solid Generation 2 example. Both two-line and four-line dials appear in this generation, which matters: the “5512 = four-line chronometer” shorthand breaks down here. Two-line dials carry no COSC certification text. Movement is caliber 1530 or 1560 depending on exact production timing.
 '''Generation 3 — Pointed “Cornino” crown guards, mid-1960s'''
@@ Line 152: / Line 152: @@
 The 1530 is the transitional movement shared with the 5510 and early 5513. The 1560 and 1570 are the mature chronometer-grade movements that define the 5512’s premium identity.
-One complication worth flagging: Le Monde Edmond documents the first-generation (1959, square-crown-guard) 5512 as carrying caliber 1570, which runs counter to the usual early=1530 sequence. Whether this reflects pre-production or very early inventory use of the 1570 before a brief return to 1530 and 1560, or a documentation quirk, is not yet settled. Treat the Generation 1 / caliber 1570 pairing as documented but not fully explained.
+One complication worth flagging: the first-generation (1959, square-crown-guard) 5512 is documented as carrying caliber 1570, which runs counter to the usual early=1530 sequence. Whether this reflects pre-production or very early inventory use of the 1570 before a brief return to 1530 and 1560, or a documentation quirk, is not yet settled. Treat the Generation 1 / caliber 1570 pairing as documented but not fully explained.
 The COSC/non-COSC split within the 5512 explains why some 5512s carry caliber 1530 — the same movement found in the 5513. Hodinkee Reference Points confirms: “The early generations of 5513s use the caliber 1530, the same caliber that you’d find in the non-chronometer 5512s.” Only the COSC-certified 5512s used the higher-spec 1570 and 1560-family calibers. Non-COSC examples within the 5512 reference share the 1530 with the 5513, which is why the two references’ movement histories are not as divergent as the four-line/two-line shorthand suggests.
@@ Line 188: / Line 188: @@
 == Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes ==
-The 5512 is the case-development watch. It is the first Submariner with crown guards, and it represents a significant case size increase from the 38mm of the preceding 6536/1. Le Monde Edmond measures the case at 39.5mm; most other sources round to 40mm. Either way, this is the case diameter that becomes standard for the entire line through the modern era. That is the lasting contribution.
+The 5512 is the case-development watch. It is the first Submariner with crown guards, and it represents a significant case size increase from the 38mm of the preceding 6536/1. Some sources measure the case at 39.5mm; most round to 40mm. Either way, this is the case diameter that becomes standard for the entire line through the modern era. That is the lasting contribution.
 Crown guard evolution from square to pointed to rounded is the most important physical change across the production run. Collectors call the earliest guard shapes “square crown guards” and the second generation “eagle beaks” or “Cornino.” Those names are useful collector field language rather than a neat factory taxonomy.
@@ Line 226: / Line 226: @@
 That is a fitment map, not a delivery chart.
-The observed examples back that caution up. Early Grey and Patina watches wear rivet bracelets, while the late Bob’s maxi example is on 93150/580 with a clasp dated later than the watch. Useful for understanding survival patterns, not for claiming what left the retailer on a specific day.
+The observed examples back that caution up. Early documented watches wear rivet bracelets, while a late maxi example is on 93150/580 with a clasp dated later than the watch. Useful for understanding survival patterns, not for claiming what left the retailer on a specific day.
 Packaging needs the same caution. One early high-end example is stated as box and paper, but that is still one example, not a policy.
@@ Line 251: / Line 251: @@
 == Historical market and auction record ==
-Wind reports that the Rolex-commissioned Submariner book by Nicholas Foulkes puts total 5512 production at 17,338 watches. That number helps explain why the reference feels scarcer than the 5513 in the market and why prices have consistently run higher.
+The Rolex-commissioned Submariner book by Nicholas Foulkes puts total 5512 production at 17,338 watches. That number helps explain why the reference feels scarcer than the 5513 in the market and why prices have consistently run higher.
-The early high-end branch is in a different universe from later commercial examples. Grey and Patina archived a sold 1960 tropical gilt tulip 5512 with stated box and paper at $75,000, and a sold 1965 four-line gilt example at $32,500. At the other end, Bob’s archived a sold 1979 late-run maxi 5512 at about $18,495. The spread tells the story.
+The early high-end branch is in a different universe from later commercial examples. A sold 1960 tropical gilt tulip 5512 with stated box and paper traded at $75,000, and a sold 1965 four-line gilt example at $32,500. At the other end, a sold 1979 late-run maxi 5512 traded at about $18,495. The spread tells the story.
 One Sotheby’s lot in the package documents a 1967 5512 with 1570 movement and inner caseback marked 5513, but the public page is sloppy enough to call it a watch with date while plainly showing a no-date Submariner. Treat it as documented but not clean enough for a benchmark.