Reference:5512 - Revision history

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	<span id="core-facts"></span>		<span id="core-facts"></span>

	[[File:Ref 5512 dial-detail.webp\|thumb\|right\|~~340px~~\|alt=Crown-guard Submariner dial\|Crown-guard Submariner dial]]		[[File:Ref 5512 dial-detail.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Crown-guard Submariner dial\|Crown-guard Submariner dial]]

	== Core facts ==		== Core facts ==

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	<small>[[Reference:submariner\|Submariner]] → '''5512'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:submariner\|Submariner]] -> '''5512'''</small>

	The 5512 is the chronometer no-date Submariner and the watch that locks crown guards into the Submariner line. It runs alongside the 5513 for almost two decades but sits above it in the range, and it ends up the scarcer watch by a wide margin. The Rolex-commissioned Submariner book by Nicholas Foulkes puts total 5512 production at 17,338 units.		The 5512 is the chronometer no-date Submariner and the watch that locks crown guards into the Submariner line. It runs alongside the 5513 for almost two decades but sits above it in the range, and it ends up the scarcer watch by a wide margin. The Rolex-commissioned Submariner book by Nicholas Foulkes puts total 5512 production at 17,338 units.
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	== Where it sits in the line ==		== Where it sits in the line ==

	The 5512 is the premium no-date Submariner: ~~COSC~~-~~certified by~~ the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, sitting above the non-chronometer 5513 in the same no-date slot. That was the commercial split then and remains the collecting split now. At every point in the production overlap, the 5512 is the scarcer, higher-specification watch.		The 5512 is the premium no-date Submariner: chronometer-grade per the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), sitting above the non-chronometer 5513 in the same no-date slot. That was the commercial split then and remains the collecting split now. At every point in the production overlap, the 5512 is the scarcer, higher-specification watch.

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

	Against the 5512's 17,338 units, the non-chronometer 5513 produced 151,449. Roughly one 5512 for every 11.4 5513s. Period retail pricing ~~shows~~ the chronometer premium: in 1966–1968, a 5512 cost $210–$235 versus $160–$175 for the 5513.		Against the 5512's 17,338 units, the non-chronometer 5513 produced 151,449. Roughly one 5512 for every 11.4 5513s. Period retail pricing reflects the chronometer premium: in 1966–1968, a 5512 cost $210–$235 versus $160–$175 for the 5513.

	The 5512 reads as a long run with four distinct generations, each defined by crown guard shape, dial type, and movement caliber. The generations overlap at the edges and were never clean factory transitions, but they are stable enough to navigate by.		The 5512 reads as a long run with four distinct generations, each defined by crown guard shape, dial type, and movement caliber. The generations overlap at the edges and were never clean factory transitions, but they are stable enough to navigate by.
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	=== Early two-line dials ===		=== Early two-line dials ===

	Two-line dials show the 5512 before it settled into its four-line chronometer identity. A two-line gilt 5512 with early crown guards is a different watch from a late four-line matte 5512.		Two-line dials show the 5512 before it settled into its four-line chronometer identity. A two-line gilt 5512 with early crown guards is a fundamentally different watch from a late four-line matte 5512.

	<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>		<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
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	[[File:Ref 5512 chronometer papers 1961.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=Bureaux Suisses chronometer certification, dated 1961\|Bureaux Suisses chronometer certification, dated 1961]]		[[File:Ref 5512 chronometer papers 1961.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=Bureaux Suisses chronometer certification, dated 1961\|Bureaux Suisses chronometer certification, dated 1961]]

	~~Foulkes' Rolex~~-~~commissioned Submariner book puts total 5512 production~~ at 17,~~338 watches~~. ~~That number explains why the reference has always felt scarcer than~~ the ~~5513 in~~ the ~~market and why prices have consistently~~ run ~~higher~~.		Auction results track the generation hierarchy more closely than condition. A 1960 tropical gilt tulip 5512 with stated box and paper traded at $75,000, and a 1965 four-line gilt example at $32,500. At the other end of the run, a 1979 late Maxi 5512 traded at about $18,495.

	~~The early high-end branch sits in~~ a ~~different universe from later commercial examples. A 1960 tropical gilt tulip~~ 5512 with ~~stated box and paper traded at $75,000,~~ and a ~~1965 four-line gilt example at $32,500. At~~ the ~~other end of~~ the ~~run, a 1979 late Maxi 5512 traded at about $18,495~~. The ~~spread tracks the generation hierarchy more than condition~~.		A Sotheby's listing for a 1967 5512 with caliber 1570 movement and inner caseback marked 5513 describes the watch correctly in the lot copy but mislabels it as a date watch in the title despite the no-date dial. The listing is documented but unreliable as a benchmark.

	A Sotheby's lot in the captured set documents a 1967 5512 with caliber 1570 movement and inner caseback marked 5513, but the public listing mislabels it as a date watch despite plainly showing a no-date Submariner. The listing is documented but unreliable as a benchmark.		Crown guard shape drives value as hard as the dial does. Square-crown-guard examples from 1959 trade well above rounded-guard examples from the mid-1960s, even when both carry gilt dials. The crown guard is both a date marker and a rarity indicator.

	Crown guard ~~type~~ drives value as hard as ~~anything else on~~ the ~~watch~~. Square-crown-guard examples from 1959 trade ~~in a distinct tier from~~ rounded~~-crown~~-guard examples from the mid-1960s ~~onward~~, even when both carry gilt dials. The crown guard is a date marker and a rarity indicator ~~at the same time~~.

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

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← Older revision		Revision as of 16:42, 29 April 2026
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	== Production outline ==		== Production outline ==

	Against the 5512's 17,338 units, the non-chronometer 5513 produced 151,449. Roughly one 5512 for every 11.4 5513s. Period retail pricing ~~reflects~~ the chronometer premium: in 1966–1968, a 5512 cost $210–$235 versus $160–$175 for the 5513.		Against the 5512's 17,338 units, the non-chronometer 5513 produced 151,449. Roughly one 5512 for every 11.4 5513s. Period retail pricing shows the chronometer premium: in 1966–1968, a 5512 cost $210–$235 versus $160–$175 for the 5513.

	The 5512 reads as a long run with four distinct generations, each defined by crown guard shape, dial type, and movement caliber. The generations overlap at the edges and were never clean factory transitions, but they are stable enough to navigate by.		The 5512 reads as a long run with four distinct generations, each defined by crown guard shape, dial type, and movement caliber. The generations overlap at the edges and were never clean factory transitions, but they are stable enough to navigate by.
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	=== Early two-line dials ===		=== Early two-line dials ===

	Two-line dials show the 5512 before it settled into its four-line chronometer identity. A two-line gilt 5512 with early crown guards is a ~~fundamentally~~ different watch from a late four-line matte 5512.		Two-line dials show the 5512 before it settled into its four-line chronometer identity. A two-line gilt 5512 with early crown guards is a different watch from a late four-line matte 5512.

	<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>		<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
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	A Sotheby's lot in the captured set documents a 1967 5512 with caliber 1570 movement and inner caseback marked 5513, but the public listing mislabels it as a date watch despite plainly showing a no-date Submariner. The listing is documented but unreliable as a benchmark.		A Sotheby's lot in the captured set documents a 1967 5512 with caliber 1570 movement and inner caseback marked 5513, but the public listing mislabels it as a date watch despite plainly showing a no-date Submariner. The listing is documented but unreliable as a benchmark.

	Crown guard type drives value as hard as anything else on the watch. Square-crown-guard examples from 1959 trade in a ~~completely different~~ tier from rounded-crown-guard examples from the mid-1960s onward, even when both carry gilt dials. The crown guard is a date marker and a rarity indicator at the same time.		Crown guard type drives value as hard as anything else on the watch. Square-crown-guard examples from 1959 trade in a distinct tier from rounded-crown-guard examples from the mid-1960s onward, even when both carry gilt dials. The crown guard is a date marker and a rarity indicator at the same time.

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

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	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex 5512 — BezelBase		\|title=Rolex 5512 Submariner — Production, Dial Variants, Serial Ranges \| BezelBase
	\|description=The 5512 is the chronometer no-date Submariner and the watch that locks crown guards into the Submariner line. It overlaps with the 5513, but it sits…		\|description=The 5512 is the chronometer no-date Submariner and the watch that locks crown guards into the Submariner line. It overlaps with the 5513, but it sits…
	\|keywords=Rolex, 5512, Submariner, specifications, reference guide		\|keywords=Rolex, 5512, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
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	\|published_time=2026-04-14T16:10:47Z		\|published_time=2026-04-14T16:10:47Z
	\|modified_time=2026-04-~~23T13~~:48:~~17Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-04-27T04:40:00Z
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← Older revision		Revision as of 04:40, 27 April 2026
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	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
	* [https://rolexhaven.com/ RolexHaven.com] — serial-level Small Crown Submariner documentation		* [https://rolexhaven.com/ RolexHaven.com] — serial-level Small Crown Submariner documentation
	* The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Morning Tundra		* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
	* [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
	* [https://www.windvintage.com/blog/collectors-guide-rolex-submariner-reference-5512 Collector's Guide: What To Know About The Rolex Submariner Reference 5512] — Charlie Dunne, Wind Vintage		* [https://www.windvintage.com/blog/collectors-guide-rolex-submariner-reference-5512 Collector's Guide: What To Know About The Rolex Submariner Reference 5512] — Charlie Dunne, Wind Vintage

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	\|description=The 5512 is the chronometer no-date Submariner and the watch that locks crown guards into the Submariner line. It overlaps with the 5513, but it sits…		\|description=The 5512 is the chronometer no-date Submariner and the watch that locks crown guards into the Submariner line. It overlaps with the 5513, but it sits…
	\|keywords=Rolex, 5512, Submariner, specifications, reference guide		\|keywords=Rolex, 5512, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
			\|image=Ref 5512 dial-detail.webp
			\|image_alt=Crown-guard Submariner dial
	\|type=article		\|type=article
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← Older revision		Revision as of 13:48, 23 April 2026
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	Generation 1 — Square crown guards, 1959		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:~~ guards are blunt and straight ~~rather than angled or pointed~~, ~~a shape~~ Rolex ~~abandoned quickly after~~ the ~~first production run. Serial numbers for square guards start at 478 0xx (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 ~~(a gold-tone connected minute track that runs around the dial periphery). 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~~.		Generation 1 square-crown-guard watches are the rarest 5512s. Fewer than 15 are usually cited. The guards are blunt and straight, Rolex dropped the shape almost immediately, and surviving examples trade in a different tier from later 5512s. The movement is documented as 1570, the dial is gloss gilt with chapter ring, and Christie's sold one in 2013 for CHF 190,000.

	~~Gilt-gloss dial construction: the~~ gilt ~~text on 5512~~ dials ~~is not painted onto~~ the ~~dial surface. The~~ gold-colored text is ~~the~~ brass ~~dial plate visible through precision cutouts~~, ~~sitting below the surface. Black glossy~~ paint ~~is applied over the brass plate, then a clear lacquer coat goes~~ on top. Silver text (when present, ~~such as SCOC lines) is applied over~~ the ~~final clear~~ lacquer~~. Luminous material goes on last~~. That layered construction ~~explains~~ why gilt dials age differently from later printed ~~matte~~ dials ~~— research documented by Beaumont Miller II on 5513mattedial.com~~.		On gilt dials the gold-colored text is exposed brass under black gloss, not gold paint on top. Silver text, when present, sits above the lacquer. That layered construction helps explain why gilt dials age differently from later matte printed dials.

	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.		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		Generation 2 — Pointed "Cornino" crown guards, ~1960–1963

	~~The transition from square~~ to pointed guards ~~happened sometime in~~ 1960~~, not as a clean break but with transitional examples. "Cornino" is Italian for "little horn" and describes the sharply pointed tip that gives this generation its personality~~. The ~~term "eagle beak"~~ is ~~also used for this guard shape~~, ~~with approximately 200~~ examples ~~estimated for this configuration. Serial 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 2 moves to pointed Cornino guards around 1960. The shift is not perfectly clean, and transitional examples exist. Both two-line and four-line dials appear here, which is why the shorthand "5512 equals four-line chronometer" fails early in the run. Movements are 1530 or 1560 depending on timing.

	Generation 3 — Pointed "Cornino" crown guards, mid-1960s		Generation 3 — Pointed "Cornino" crown guards, mid-1960s