Rolex Submariner 5513 "Meter First"

SN 1,553,295
Circa ~ 1966

Good case with strong lugs and chamfers. The interlug space shows the regular rubbing from bracelet. Serial number is very distinct and perfectly visible under magnification. Some scratches as expected from a 50 year old watch.

Rolex completed an overhaul at some point, replacing the crown, the hands and the insert. Those three elements are Rolex made but service type.

The important parts, such as the caseback and the meter first dial are original from the watch (1966).

This Submariner’s 1520 movement is clean upon inspection and keeps time within 15 secs / day. As we did not revise it and test it thoroughly, we can’t guarantee it for accuracy.

Dial is in excellent condition, untouched, unaltered, non relumed. Hour tritium plots have aged to a warm and pleasing cream / yellow huey. Tritium does not react to UV light (as expected). Hands have been relumed with tritium for color matching.

Caseback stamped IV.66

This is a 1st owner watch which we sell in the condition we got it. As such, the caseback is engraved with the name of the 1st owner. Please note a small ding on the crown (please see macro picture).

Please do check carefully the pictures, that are an integral part of this Submariner’s description.

History of the 5513 Meter First
When the Submariner ref. 5512 became the chronometer-certified Submariner option, Rolex introduced the non-certified Submariner ref. 5513 shortly after in the early 1960s to be sold alongside it. Naturally, because it’s not COSC-certified, Submariner ref. 5513 models are two-liner Submariner watches.

The earliest Submariner ref. 5513 examples were equipped with glossy dials with gilt text. These examples are Meters First Submariners. Around 1966, Rolex made the switch to matte black dials for the Submariner ref. 5513. There is where it gets tricky though because, during this period, there are examples of matte dial Meters First Submariners ref. 5513 and gilt dials 5513 between Serial
Numbers 1.55 Mio to 1.69 Mio. Before a definitive shift to Matte Meter First dial around 1.7 Mio of production and 1967.

Since the Submariner 5513 was in production until the late 1980s, it’s much more difficult to find a Meters First Submariner 5513 today than its feet first counterpart. Those rare birds were only produced from 1966 to 1969.This watch is for sale on Catawiki. To have more information or to place a bid click on the "BID NOW" button.