Reference:5508: Difference between revisions

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Import reference 5508 article
 
Fix A260 caliber framing: A260 is full-rotor uni-directional (not bumper); 1530 is the bidirectional successor refined from the 1030 generation. Rolex never produced bumper calibers
 
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[[File:Ref_5508_hero.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Photo: [https://wannabuyawatch.com/product/rolex-submariner-ref-5508-small-crown-tropical-dial-circa-1959/ Wanna Buy A Watch?]]]
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex 5508 Submariner — Production, Dial Variants, Serial Ranges | BezelBase
|description=The 5508 is the last small-crown 100m Submariner without crown guards. 1958–62 production, caliber 1530 (jewel progression 17→25→26), four-line SCOC and exclamation dial branches, period-correct 6636 / 7206 / 6251H bracelets.
|keywords=Rolex, 5508, Submariner, specifications, small crown, exclamation dial, James Bond
|image=Ref 5508 hero 3.webp
|image_alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508
|type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-14T16:12:52Z
|modified_time=2026-04-29T04:25:00Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}


The 5508 is the last mainstream small-crown Submariner made without crown guards. That matters because it closes the earliest case chapter just before the 5512 changes the line for good. Everything after the 5508 on the small-crown side gets crown guards.
<small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] -> '''5508'''</small>


==Core facts==
The 5508 is the last small-crown 100m Submariner without crown guards. Production runs 1958 to 1962 across the auction-house consensus (Sotheby's, Phillips, Bonhams). It is the small-crown counterpart to the big-crown 5510 (200m / 8mm crown), the cleanest mature expression of the 6204-era small-crown shape, and the reference where caliber 1530 grows through three jewel-count revisions (17 → 25 → 26 jewels) over the run. Sean Connery's on-screen Bond watch in Dr. No (1962) is the big-crown 6538, not the 5508 — Rolex Passion Report corrects the long-standing collector misattribution. The "James Bond Submariner" nickname attaches to the 5508 by collector convention rather than direct on-screen evidence.
 
[[File:Ref 5508 hero 3.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508|Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508]]
 
<span id="core-facts"></span>
== Core facts ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 17: Line 33:
|-
|-
| production
| production
| approximately 1957 to 1961
| 1958 to 1962 (Sotheby's, Phillips, Bonhams consensus); launch in 1957
|-
|-
| movement
| serial cluster
| caliber 1530
| 361,650 (1958) → 489,831 (1959) → 762,896 (1962, II.62 caseback) → 764,524 (1962); rough envelope 360k–410k for 1958–59 jumping to 760k+ for 1962
|-
|-
| case
| case
| 37mm, transitioning to 38mm in later production
| 37mm small-crown, no crown guards (later examples thicker through the case middle but still 37mm-class)
|-
|-
| crown
| crown
| small, no crown guards
| 6mm Brevet — small crown, distinct from the 8mm big-crown 6538/5510 and the later 7mm guarded 5512/5513
|-
| crown guards
| none
|-
| movement
| caliber 1530, automatic; jewel progression 17 → 25 → 26 across the run ; not chronometer-rated at launch
|-
| depth rating
| 100m / 660ft, two-line layout (some 1959 onward four-line "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" variants documented)
|-
|-
| crystal
| crystal
| acrylic
| acrylic
|-
| water resistance
| 100m
|-
|-
| lume
| lume
| radium, transitioning to tritium in late examples
| radium → exclamation transition in 1962 (the underline transition is a 5512/5513 feature in 1963, not a 5508 feature)
|}
|}


==Where it sits in the line==
<span id="where-it-sits-in-the-line"></span>
== Where it sits in the line ==
 
The 5508 sits at the end of the small-crown 100m branch. It runs alongside the big-crown 200m 5510 (1958–59) and exits in 1962 just before the 5512 takes over with crown guards, a 7mm crown, and the chronometer-rated caliber 1560. From the 6204 / 6205 the 5508 inherits the small-crown identity but upgrades to the chronometer-grade caliber 1530, replacing the A260 of the earlier line. The A260 is itself a full-rotor uni-directional Perpetual — Rolex never produced a bumper caliber — but its thicker autowind module sits behind the bubble-back-era cases; the 1530 is the slimmer, bidirectional architecture refined out of the 1030 generation. The 5508 is the bridge between the early small-crown Submariners and the mature crown-guard family that defines the modern Submariner silhouette.
 
The 6mm Brevet small crown is the visual signature, distinct from the later 7mm standard introduced with crown guards on the 5512. The 6538's 8mm Brevet big crown carries the same Brevet stamp — the stamp distinguishes era, not size. The 5508 is the last mainstream Submariner where the case reads slim and proportional through the right-hand side without crown-guard volume.
 
<span id="production-outline"></span>
== Production outline ==
 
Production runs 1958 to 1962. Sotheby's and Bonhams catalogues both put the launch in 1958 as the replacement for the 6536/1; Phillips dates the latest production year at 1962 (lot CH080122/160, case 764,524). Le Monde Edmond gives a slightly earlier 1957 launch — capture as the minority view; auction houses converge on 1958.
 
Use case-back date codes alongside serials when assigning a build year — Rolex date-coded casebacks separately from serials. Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 lot 213 (case 361,650, "circa 1958") and Bonhams Feb 2018 lot 24627/98 (1959, 6251H rivet bracelet) anchor the launch period; Sotheby's Watches Online 2020 lot 37 (case 489,831, circa 1959) and Antiquorum Geneva 2020 lot 333-422 (case 490,575, circa 1958) populate the early-band cluster. The late cluster sits in the 762k–764k band: Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 2019 lot 881 (case 762,896, II.62 caseback), Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 2021 (case 764,122, 1962), Antiquorum Monaco 2024 (case 764,196, 1962), Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (case 764,524, 1962). Bob's general Rolex serial chart (1958 ~224k–328k, 1962 ~643k) under-shoots the 5508-observed serials because the head-stamping ran later than the catalog-year for this specific reference.
 
The 5508 belongs entirely to the gilt era — glossy black lacquer with gilt-coloured printing — through to the 1962 exclamation-dial transition that closes out production.
 
<span id="movement-notes"></span>
== Movement notes ==


The 5508 is the clean endpoint of the early no-crown-guard small-crown branch. It sits alongside the big-crown 6538 and the transitional 5510, and it is the last small-crown Submariner before the 5512 introduces crown guards and the 40mm case that becomes standard.
The 5508 introduces caliber 1530 to the small-crown line. Bonhams and Sotheby's catalogue copy is consistent: cal. 1530, automatic, 25 jewels is the standard count cited on most 5508 lots (Bonhams Dec 2023 lot 38, Bonhams Feb 2018, Sotheby's 2020 lot 37). Phillips lots run 26 jewels (CH080119/213 in 1958 and HK080219/881 in 1962), suggesting a jewel-count revision during the run. The cleanest published reading runs three steps — initial production at 17 jewels, then 25, then 26 — and that 17 → 25 → 26 progression is the figure to cite on this reference.


From the 6204 and 6205, the 5508 inherits the small-crown identity but upgrades the movement to caliber 1530 — a significant step forward from the earlier bumper automatics. A subtle case-size increase, from 37mm early in the run to 38mm later, foreshadows the 40mm jump that comes with the 5512.
The 1530 is not chronometer-rated at launch. The chronometer-rated four-line "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" dial is therefore a later 5508 spec, not the day-one configuration. Le Monde Edmond confirms 1530 is "more modern and reliable" than the 6536/1's 1030. The chronometer-rated upgrade to caliber 1560 follows on the 5512.


==Production outline==
Caliber 1530 shares the diameter of the earlier 1030 but was reduced to 5.75mm in height — a slimming that preserved case compatibility while sitting flatter inside the 5508's slim no-crown-guard case.


Production runs from approximately 1957 to 1961, making the 5508 a mid-length reference by early Submariner standards. It belongs entirely to the glossy gilt dial era and keeps the no-crown-guard case throughout its run.
<span id="dial-map"></span>
== Dial map ==


As a transition point, the 5508 is the last small-crown Submariner to use the slim no-crown-guard case, and the last to carry the 100m depth rating without the higher specifications that come with the crown-guard era. It closes a chapter.
[[File:Ref 5508 gilt-dial-red-triangle.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert|Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert]]


==Movement notes==
Three named dial families on a 5508: two-line standard (depth + Submariner only), four-line "SCOC" (Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified, above 6 o'clock), and exclamation (the lume dot below 6 o'clock, marking the 1962 radium-to-tritium transition). The "six-line" dial that surfaces in some chrono24 chatter is not a 5508 spec; the four-line / two-line dichotomy is the correct framing. Underline dials are a 5512 / 5513 feature from 1963 — the 5508 was discontinued in 1962, before the underline convention started.


The movement picture is well grounded. The strongest examples, including the Wanna Buy A Watch archive and the Loupe This lot, both name caliber 1530. This is a significant upgrade over the bumper A260 found in the 6204 and 6205, and the same caliber that appears in early 5512 and 5513 production. The 1530 is a full-rotor automatic with a more conventional winding system than the earlier bumper movements. Per forum research, caliber 1530 shares the same diameter as the earlier caliber 1030 but is reduced to 5.75mm in height — a dimensional refinement that maintained case compatibility while delivering a slimmer movement profile.
<span id="standard-two-line-gilt"></span>
=== Standard two-line gilt ===


==Dial map==
Glossy black lacquer dial with gilt-coloured printing, Mercedes hour and minute hands, lollipop seconds, two-line "Submariner / 100m=660ft" layout. Some examples carry a Singer manufacturer marking on the reverse, visible only with the dial removed; Singer was one of the principal Swiss dial suppliers to Rolex during this period, and the back-stamp is a useful provenance indicator on loose dials.


===Glossy gilt===
<span id="four-line-scoc-gilt"></span>
=== Four-line "SCOC" gilt ===


The 5508 sits squarely in the glossy gilt world. All production-era dials are glossy black lacquer with gilt-colored printing, markers, and chapter ring. The layout is the established Submariner format with Mercedes hands, depth rating, and Submariner text. Rolex Forum collectors have documented that some 5508 dials carry a Singer manufacturer marking on the reverse — Singer being one of the principal Swiss dial manufacturers supplying Rolex during this period. The marking is only visible with the dial removed and is a useful provenance indicator for specialists examining loose dials.
A subset of 5508 dials carry the "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" line above 6 o'clock — the four-line layout. Antiquorum's 2008 Revolution sale lot 204 explicitly catalogues a "Gilt Four Line" 5508; RolexHaven's 5508 SCOC sub-page documents the variant. The four-line dial coexists with the two-line dial during overlapping years rather than replacing it cleanly. The four-line spec accompanies the chronometer-grade running gear that arrived later in the 1530's life — consistent with the 17 → 25 → 26 jewel progression over the run.


===Four-line gilt variant===
<span id="exclamation-dial"></span>
=== Exclamation dial (1962) ===


Forum documentation notes the existence of a four-line gilt dial variant on the 5508. This is unexpected: the 5508 is a non-chronometer reference, and four-line dials — typically associated with COSC chronometer certification text — should not appear on a watch without chronometer status. The four-line 5508 gilt dial is treated as a rare sub-variant in collector circles.
Late-run 5508s carry an exclamation dot beneath the depth rating at 6 o'clock — a small luminous dot placed under the bottom of the bottom line. The dot is Rolex's first signal of the radium-to-tritium luminous transition, used briefly in 1962 before the underline convention took over on the 5512 / 5513 in 1963. The exclamation dial is the cleanest dial-side indicator that places a 5508 firmly at the tail of the run. Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 2019 lot 881 (case 762,896, II.62 caseback), Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (case 764,524), and Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 2021 lot 340-173 (chapter ring exclamation) anchor the 1962 cluster.


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


Tropical examples, where the black lacquer has aged to brown or chocolate tones, are known and actively sought by collectors. Wanna Buy A Watch's archived 1959 example with serial 489,xxx is a strong tropical anchor.
Tropical 5508 dials — black gilt that has aged to brown or chocolate tones — carry their own collector premium. Sotheby's Fine Watches 2023 lot 40 (case 400,505, circa 1958 tropical) and a documented 1959 example with serial 489,xxx are anchors. Tropical examples often pair with faded bezel inserts and original-fitment riveted bracelets.


===Exclamation dot===
<span id="service-dials"></span>
=== Service dials ===


Late 5508 examples from around 1962 can carry an exclamation dot — a small lume dot placed under the six-o'clock marker. This feature is usually treated as part of the late-radium transition story, when Rolex was moving from radium to tritium luminous material. Vintage Gold Watches listed a 1962 exclamation-dot example with original presentation box.
Rolex factory service replacement dials surface frequently on surviving 5508s. They tend to read cleaner than original dials of the same age — even lume, sharper printing, and modern radium / tritium specifications. A specialist service-dial example is documented. Service dials should be distinguished from third-party refinishes; the former carry consistent factory printing fidelity, the latter typically show even glow under UV without the radium speckle of period-correct lume.


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


Service replacement dials appear on surviving 5508 examples and need to be distinguished from original production dials. Loupe This's 1958 example explicitly shows a service dial, later insert, repaired rivet bracelet, and later Jubilee clasp — useful because it demonstrates how compromised but honest survivors can look.
[[File:Ref 5508 case-profile.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Small crown case profile — no crown guards|Small crown case profile — no crown guards]]


==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes==
The 5508 case is small-crown and unguarded throughout. The 6mm Brevet crown is the diagnostic — distinct from the 6538/5510's 8mm big crown and the 5512/5513's 7mm guarded crown. The crown markings show the Rolex coronet alongside the Brevet cross, the same stamp Rolex used across the small-crown line through this period.


The 5508 is a no-crown-guard, small-crown case. Starting at 37mm and growing to 38mm in later production, it keeps the early rotating dive bezel and acrylic crystal throughout. The 100m depth rating reflects the small-crown specification that runs through the entire small-crown lineage from the 6204 forward.
The acrylic crystal and rotating dive bezel carry over from the earlier 6204 lineage. The 100m depth rating shows the small-crown specification that runs from the 6204 forward — and is the last time that figure appears on a small-crown Submariner before the crown-guard generation lifts it to 200m on the 5512. The bezel insert reads gilt minute graduations on a black ground, with a luminous triangle at 12; a small subset of 5508 examples surface with the red-triangle insert (the 12 marker filled with red enamel or lacquer), but the standard production fitment is the all-black insert.


The absence of crown guards is the key visual identifier. Compared to the 5512 that follows, the 5508 has a cleaner, slimmer profile around the crown position.
The caseback wears smooth without an external date stamp; the interior carries the reference and case number alongside the Roman-quarter date code (II.62 = Q2 1962, etc.). The interior date code is the cleanest single dating anchor for a 5508 — the serial alone runs later than the catalog-year for this specific reference.


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


Known bracelet fitments for the 5508:
Period-correct delivery bracelets on the 5508 split across three references depending on year and option. The earliest examples ship with the 6251H riveted Oyster (Bonhams Feb 2018, 1959 example with clasp 2/68 marking a service event but original-style fitment). The 7206 fixed-link riveted Oyster is the period-correct mainstream fitment — Bonhams Dec 2023 lot 38 documents a 1958 example with clasp 4/69, and Phillips Hong Kong 2019 lot 881 documents the 1962 fitment with end-link 64. The 6636 expandable riveted Oyster is the third documented original-delivery option — Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (1962, clasp 4/64) and Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 (riveted Oyster with deployant clasp 1/58) anchor the 6636 fitment.


* 7206/58: rivet bracelet
The 9315 folded-link Oyster is a post-1968 service replacement only — not period-correct for any 5508. Any 9315 on a 5508 marks a service swap. RolexHaven's bracelets page anchors the 1961 introduction of reference-stamping ("In 1961, the Swiss Rivet bracelets started to bear reference number stamps on the largest link at 12:00") — bracelets without the reference stamp predate that change. Clasp date codes are the cleanest single-component dating tool: a clasp dating later than the case head implies a swap or service-era replacement.
* 6636/58: stretch rivet bracelet


The bracelet picture is still not final, but it is no longer just one thin note. Bob's shows a rivet bracelet with 80 end links. Wanna Buy A Watch shows a rivet stretch bracelet with 64 end pieces and clasp dated 3/60. Vintage Gold Watches adds a period-correct rivet bracelet and an original presentation box on its 1962 example.
A 1962 example documented at Vintage Gold Watches with original presentation box is the only 5508 in the public record with surviving period packaging.


That is enough to make the fitment and presentation story more real, even if it still does not settle original delivery for every variant.
<span id="bond-association"></span>
== Bond association ==


==Special branches==
The 5508 carries the "James Bond Submariner" nickname through collector convention. The on-screen Submariner in Dr. No (1962) is the 6538 big-crown — Rolex Passion Report states it directly: "a two liner Ref 6538 with non-dash insert bezel… Legendary movie shots have been made while Sean Connery was wearing his Ref 6538." Sotheby's and Bonhams still label 5508 listings as "Small Crown James Bond Submariner" because by collector usage, any no-crown-guard Submariner from the late-1950s / early-1960s is grouped under the Bond label. The original on-screen watch was the 6538.


The 5508 is itself the special branch when read against the later 5xxx family. It is the last watch in the old no-crown-guard world, and that transitional identity is its whole point.
[[File:Ref 5508 historical-example.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=No-crown-guard 5508 example|No-crown-guard 5508 example]]


===Exclamation dot late examples===
== Special branches ==


The late exclamation-dot examples from 1962 form a distinct sub-branch that bridges the 5508 into the radium-to-tritium transition era.
The 1962 exclamation cluster is the principal time-bound sub-branch — it ties the 5508 into the radium-to-tritium transition era and overlaps with early crown-guarded production on neighbouring references. The four-line SCOC variant is a chronometer-grade sub-branch within the 5508 that runs alongside the standard two-line dial. Tropical 5508s are a finish-state sub-branch rather than a separate variant.


==Historical market and auction record==
<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
[[File:Ref_5508_historical-example.jpg|thumb|right|250px|historical example — [https://loupethis.com/auctions/rolex-submariner-5508-service-dial Loupe This]]]
== Historical market and auction record ==


Wanna Buy A Watch archived a sold tropical 1959 watch with serial 489,xxx, caliber 1530, faded original bezel, and rivet bracelet with 64 end pieces. Loupe This listed a 1958 5508 with service dial, later insert, repaired rivet bracelet, and later Jubilee clasp — useful because it shows how compromised but honest survivors can look. Vintage Gold Watches also listed a 1962 exclamation-dot example with presentation box.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Sale !! Lot !! Year !! Serial !! Variant !! Hammer
|-
| Phillips Geneva NINE || 213 || 2019 || 361,650 || 1958 black gilt, red triangle insert || CHF 500,000
|-
| Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS || 881 || 2019 || 762,896 || 1962 exclamation gilt, II.62 caseback, 7206/64 bracelet || HK$ 2,687,500
|-
| Phillips Geneva XV || 160 || 2022 || 764,524 || 1962 exclamation, 6636 clasp 4/64 || CHF 132,300
|-
| Antiquorum Geneva || 333-422 || 2020 || 490,575 || 1958 ghost bezel, rivet bracelet '63 || CHF 56,250
|-
| Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi || 340-173 || 2021 || — || 1962 chapter-ring exclamation gilt || EUR 33,750
|-
| Antiquorum Monaco || 370-227 || 2024 || 764,196 || 1962 signature dial || est. EUR 20,000–40,000
|-
| Bonhams || 24627/98 || 2018 || — || 1959 black, 6251H rivet || GBP 9,375 incl. premium
|-
| Bonhams || 28036/38 || 2023 || — || 1958 gilt, 7206 clasp 4/69 || est. GBP 15,000–20,000
|-
| Sotheby's Watches Online 2 || — || 2020 || — || small-crown James Bond catalogue copy ||
|-
| Sotheby's Fine Watches 5 || 40 || 2023 || 400,505 || 1958 tropical with 1960 papers ||
|-
| Sotheby's Cologne || — || 2023 || — || 1962 small-crown James Bond || est. EUR
|}


The 5508 occupies a specific market position. It is less famous than the 6538 and less structurally significant than the 5512, but it is the cleanest expression of the small-crown no-crown-guard Submariner in its most mature form. Collectors who value the slim early case shape over the later crown-guard profile pay close attention to this reference.
The Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 result — CHF 500,000 hammer for a 1958 black gilt with red-triangle insert — is the headline figure for the reference. Phillips Hong Kong's 2019 exclamation gilt 1962 example at HK$ 2.687M is the second pillar. Tropical and SCOC variants sit at the upper-middle of the market; service-dial and refit examples settle at the lower end. The 5508 holds a specific market position — less famous than the 6538, less structurally important than the 5512, but the cleanest expression of the small-crown no-crown-guard Submariner in its most mature form.


==Sources==
== Sources ==


* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-2-the-55xx-1680references/ Tom Mulraney, "History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date", Monochrome, 2020-08-19]
* [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.bobswatches.com/vintage-rolex-submariner-reference-5508.html unknown, "Vintage Rolex Submariner Reference 5508", Bob's Watches]
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/grail-material-1959-rolex-submariner-ref-5508/ Grail Material: 1959 Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508] (Fratello)
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/inside-mike-woods-for-exhibition-only-a-private-rolex-collection-on-limited-display Tim Vaux, "Inside Mike Wood's 'For Exhibition Only': A Private Rolex Collection On Limited Display", Hodinkee, 2025-10-20]
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/watch-review/the-details-are-not-the-details-they-make-the-design-inside-the-rolex-submariner-reference-5508.html Inside the Rolex Submariner Reference 5508]
* [https://wannabuyawatch.com/product/rolex-submariner-ref-5508-small-crown-tropical-dial-circa-1959/ unknown, "Rolex Submariner Ref 5508 Small Crown Tropical Dial Circa 1959", Wanna Buy A Watch?, 2024]
* [https://bulangandsons.com/blogs/watch-talks/the-rolex-submariner-reference-5508 The Rolex Submariner Reference 5508] (& Sons)
* [https://loupethis.com/auctions/rolex-submariner-5508-service-dial unknown, "Rolex Submariner 5508 Service Dial", Loupe This, 2025-09-15]
* [https://le-monde-edmond.com/rolex-submariner-65361-vs-5508/ Rolex Submariner 6536/1 vs 5508] (Le Monde Edmond)
* [https://www.vintagegoldwatches.com/product/rolex-submariner-ref-5508-1957-exclamation-dot-dial/ unknown, "Rolex Submariner Ref.5508 1962 Exclamation Dot Dial", Vintage Gold Watches]
* [https://rolexpassionreport.com/2932/the-history-of-the-rolex-small-and-big-crown-james-bond-submariner/ The History of the Rolex Small and Big Crown James Bond Submariner] (Rolex Passion Report)
* Morning Tundra, "The Vintage Rolex Field Manual, Chevalier Edition", unknown
* [https://rolexpassionreport.com/316/ The Rolex Exclamation Mark] (Rolex Passion Report)
* Morning Tundra, "The Vintage Rolex Field Manual, Chevalier Edition", unknown
* [https://rolexpassionreport.com/15606/the-evolution-of-rolex-luminous/ The Evolution of Rolex Luminous] (Rolex Passion Report)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080119/213 Rolex Submariner 5508 — Geneva Watch Auction NINE lot 213] (Phillips, 2019)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/HK080219/881 Rolex Submariner 5508 — Hong Kong SPORTS lot 881] (Phillips, 2019)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080122/160 Rolex Submariner 5508 — Geneva XV lot 160] (Phillips, 2022)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5508-submariner-lot-333-422 Rolex Ref. 5508 ghost bezel — Antiquorum Geneva lot 333-422] (Antiquorum, 2020)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5508-submariner-lot-340-173 Rolex Ref. 5508 chapter-ring exclamation — Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi lot 340-173] (Antiquorum, 2021)
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5508-submariner-lot-370-227 Rolex Ref. 5508 — Antiquorum Monaco lot 370-227] (Antiquorum, 2024)
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/24627/lot/98/ Rolex Submariner 5508 — Bonhams lot 24627/98] (Bonhams, 2018)
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28036/lot/38/ Rolex Submariner 5508 — Bonhams lot 28036/38] (Bonhams, 2023)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/watches-online-2/rolex-small-crown-james-bond-submariner-ref-5508 Rolex Small-Crown James Bond Submariner Ref. 5508 — Watches Online 2] (Sotheby's, 2020)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/fine-watches-5/reference-5508-submariner-james-bond-small-crown-a Reference 5508 Submariner James Bond Small Crown — Fine Watches 5 lot 40] (Sotheby's, 2023)
* [https://wannabuyawatch.com/product/rolex-submariner-ref-5508-small-crown-tropical-dial-circa-1959/ Rolex Submariner Ref 5508 Small-Crown Tropical Dial Circa 1959] (Wanna Buy A Watch?)
* [https://loupethis.com/auctions/rolex-submariner-5508-service-dial Rolex Submariner 5508 Service Dial] (Loupe This)
* [https://www.vintagegoldwatches.com/product/rolex-submariner-ref-5508-1957-exclamation-dot-dial/ Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508 1962 Exclamation Dot Dial] (Vintage Gold Watches)
* [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-red-triangle--58.html 5508 Red Triangle 1958] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-silver-depth--58.html 5508 Silver Depth 1958] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-tropical--58.html 5508 Tropical 1958] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-scoc--59.html 5508 SCOC 1959] / [https://rolexhaven.com/5508-final-batch--62.html 5508 Final Batch 1962] (RolexHaven)
* [https://rolexhaven.com/bracelets.html RolexHaven Bracelets reference]
* [https://rolexhaven.com/luminous-material.html RolexHaven Luminous Material reference]
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra


[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:working-draft]]
[[Category:Working Draft]]
[[Category:References]]

Latest revision as of 23:33, 29 April 2026


Submariner -> 5508

The 5508 is the last small-crown 100m Submariner without crown guards. Production runs 1958 to 1962 across the auction-house consensus (Sotheby's, Phillips, Bonhams). It is the small-crown counterpart to the big-crown 5510 (200m / 8mm crown), the cleanest mature expression of the 6204-era small-crown shape, and the reference where caliber 1530 grows through three jewel-count revisions (17 → 25 → 26 jewels) over the run. Sean Connery's on-screen Bond watch in Dr. No (1962) is the big-crown 6538, not the 5508 — Rolex Passion Report corrects the long-standing collector misattribution. The "James Bond Submariner" nickname attaches to the 5508 by collector convention rather than direct on-screen evidence.

Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508
Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508

Core facts

detail value
reference 5508
family Submariner (no date)
production 1958 to 1962 (Sotheby's, Phillips, Bonhams consensus); launch in 1957
serial cluster 361,650 (1958) → 489,831 (1959) → 762,896 (1962, II.62 caseback) → 764,524 (1962); rough envelope 360k–410k for 1958–59 jumping to 760k+ for 1962
case 37mm small-crown, no crown guards (later examples thicker through the case middle but still 37mm-class)
crown 6mm Brevet — small crown, distinct from the 8mm big-crown 6538/5510 and the later 7mm guarded 5512/5513
crown guards none
movement caliber 1530, automatic; jewel progression 17 → 25 → 26 across the run ; not chronometer-rated at launch
depth rating 100m / 660ft, two-line layout (some 1959 onward four-line "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" variants documented)
crystal acrylic
lume radium → exclamation transition in 1962 (the underline transition is a 5512/5513 feature in 1963, not a 5508 feature)

Where it sits in the line

The 5508 sits at the end of the small-crown 100m branch. It runs alongside the big-crown 200m 5510 (1958–59) and exits in 1962 just before the 5512 takes over with crown guards, a 7mm crown, and the chronometer-rated caliber 1560. From the 6204 / 6205 the 5508 inherits the small-crown identity but upgrades to the chronometer-grade caliber 1530, replacing the A260 of the earlier line. The A260 is itself a full-rotor uni-directional Perpetual — Rolex never produced a bumper caliber — but its thicker autowind module sits behind the bubble-back-era cases; the 1530 is the slimmer, bidirectional architecture refined out of the 1030 generation. The 5508 is the bridge between the early small-crown Submariners and the mature crown-guard family that defines the modern Submariner silhouette.

The 6mm Brevet small crown is the visual signature, distinct from the later 7mm standard introduced with crown guards on the 5512. The 6538's 8mm Brevet big crown carries the same Brevet stamp — the stamp distinguishes era, not size. The 5508 is the last mainstream Submariner where the case reads slim and proportional through the right-hand side without crown-guard volume.

Production outline

Production runs 1958 to 1962. Sotheby's and Bonhams catalogues both put the launch in 1958 as the replacement for the 6536/1; Phillips dates the latest production year at 1962 (lot CH080122/160, case 764,524). Le Monde Edmond gives a slightly earlier 1957 launch — capture as the minority view; auction houses converge on 1958.

Use case-back date codes alongside serials when assigning a build year — Rolex date-coded casebacks separately from serials. Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 lot 213 (case 361,650, "circa 1958") and Bonhams Feb 2018 lot 24627/98 (1959, 6251H rivet bracelet) anchor the launch period; Sotheby's Watches Online 2020 lot 37 (case 489,831, circa 1959) and Antiquorum Geneva 2020 lot 333-422 (case 490,575, circa 1958) populate the early-band cluster. The late cluster sits in the 762k–764k band: Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 2019 lot 881 (case 762,896, II.62 caseback), Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 2021 (case 764,122, 1962), Antiquorum Monaco 2024 (case 764,196, 1962), Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (case 764,524, 1962). Bob's general Rolex serial chart (1958 ~224k–328k, 1962 ~643k) under-shoots the 5508-observed serials because the head-stamping ran later than the catalog-year for this specific reference.

The 5508 belongs entirely to the gilt era — glossy black lacquer with gilt-coloured printing — through to the 1962 exclamation-dial transition that closes out production.

Movement notes

The 5508 introduces caliber 1530 to the small-crown line. Bonhams and Sotheby's catalogue copy is consistent: cal. 1530, automatic, 25 jewels is the standard count cited on most 5508 lots (Bonhams Dec 2023 lot 38, Bonhams Feb 2018, Sotheby's 2020 lot 37). Phillips lots run 26 jewels (CH080119/213 in 1958 and HK080219/881 in 1962), suggesting a jewel-count revision during the run. The cleanest published reading runs three steps — initial production at 17 jewels, then 25, then 26 — and that 17 → 25 → 26 progression is the figure to cite on this reference.

The 1530 is not chronometer-rated at launch. The chronometer-rated four-line "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" dial is therefore a later 5508 spec, not the day-one configuration. Le Monde Edmond confirms 1530 is "more modern and reliable" than the 6536/1's 1030. The chronometer-rated upgrade to caliber 1560 follows on the 5512.

Caliber 1530 shares the diameter of the earlier 1030 but was reduced to 5.75mm in height — a slimming that preserved case compatibility while sitting flatter inside the 5508's slim no-crown-guard case.

Dial map

Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert
Gilt dial with red triangle bezel insert

Three named dial families on a 5508: two-line standard (depth + Submariner only), four-line "SCOC" (Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified, above 6 o'clock), and exclamation (the lume dot below 6 o'clock, marking the 1962 radium-to-tritium transition). The "six-line" dial that surfaces in some chrono24 chatter is not a 5508 spec; the four-line / two-line dichotomy is the correct framing. Underline dials are a 5512 / 5513 feature from 1963 — the 5508 was discontinued in 1962, before the underline convention started.

Standard two-line gilt

Glossy black lacquer dial with gilt-coloured printing, Mercedes hour and minute hands, lollipop seconds, two-line "Submariner / 100m=660ft" layout. Some examples carry a Singer manufacturer marking on the reverse, visible only with the dial removed; Singer was one of the principal Swiss dial suppliers to Rolex during this period, and the back-stamp is a useful provenance indicator on loose dials.

Four-line "SCOC" gilt

A subset of 5508 dials carry the "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" line above 6 o'clock — the four-line layout. Antiquorum's 2008 Revolution sale lot 204 explicitly catalogues a "Gilt Four Line" 5508; RolexHaven's 5508 SCOC sub-page documents the variant. The four-line dial coexists with the two-line dial during overlapping years rather than replacing it cleanly. The four-line spec accompanies the chronometer-grade running gear that arrived later in the 1530's life — consistent with the 17 → 25 → 26 jewel progression over the run.

Exclamation dial (1962)

Late-run 5508s carry an exclamation dot beneath the depth rating at 6 o'clock — a small luminous dot placed under the bottom of the bottom line. The dot is Rolex's first signal of the radium-to-tritium luminous transition, used briefly in 1962 before the underline convention took over on the 5512 / 5513 in 1963. The exclamation dial is the cleanest dial-side indicator that places a 5508 firmly at the tail of the run. Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 2019 lot 881 (case 762,896, II.62 caseback), Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (case 764,524), and Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 2021 lot 340-173 (chapter ring exclamation) anchor the 1962 cluster.

Tropical gilt

Tropical 5508 dials — black gilt that has aged to brown or chocolate tones — carry their own collector premium. Sotheby's Fine Watches 2023 lot 40 (case 400,505, circa 1958 tropical) and a documented 1959 example with serial 489,xxx are anchors. Tropical examples often pair with faded bezel inserts and original-fitment riveted bracelets.

Service dials

Rolex factory service replacement dials surface frequently on surviving 5508s. They tend to read cleaner than original dials of the same age — even lume, sharper printing, and modern radium / tritium specifications. A specialist service-dial example is documented. Service dials should be distinguished from third-party refinishes; the former carry consistent factory printing fidelity, the latter typically show even glow under UV without the radium speckle of period-correct lume.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

Small crown case profile — no crown guards
Small crown case profile — no crown guards

The 5508 case is small-crown and unguarded throughout. The 6mm Brevet crown is the diagnostic — distinct from the 6538/5510's 8mm big crown and the 5512/5513's 7mm guarded crown. The crown markings show the Rolex coronet alongside the Brevet cross, the same stamp Rolex used across the small-crown line through this period.

The acrylic crystal and rotating dive bezel carry over from the earlier 6204 lineage. The 100m depth rating shows the small-crown specification that runs from the 6204 forward — and is the last time that figure appears on a small-crown Submariner before the crown-guard generation lifts it to 200m on the 5512. The bezel insert reads gilt minute graduations on a black ground, with a luminous triangle at 12; a small subset of 5508 examples surface with the red-triangle insert (the 12 marker filled with red enamel or lacquer), but the standard production fitment is the all-black insert.

The caseback wears smooth without an external date stamp; the interior carries the reference and case number alongside the Roman-quarter date code (II.62 = Q2 1962, etc.). The interior date code is the cleanest single dating anchor for a 5508 — the serial alone runs later than the catalog-year for this specific reference.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Period-correct delivery bracelets on the 5508 split across three references depending on year and option. The earliest examples ship with the 6251H riveted Oyster (Bonhams Feb 2018, 1959 example with clasp 2/68 marking a service event but original-style fitment). The 7206 fixed-link riveted Oyster is the period-correct mainstream fitment — Bonhams Dec 2023 lot 38 documents a 1958 example with clasp 4/69, and Phillips Hong Kong 2019 lot 881 documents the 1962 fitment with end-link 64. The 6636 expandable riveted Oyster is the third documented original-delivery option — Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (1962, clasp 4/64) and Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 (riveted Oyster with deployant clasp 1/58) anchor the 6636 fitment.

The 9315 folded-link Oyster is a post-1968 service replacement only — not period-correct for any 5508. Any 9315 on a 5508 marks a service swap. RolexHaven's bracelets page anchors the 1961 introduction of reference-stamping ("In 1961, the Swiss Rivet bracelets started to bear reference number stamps on the largest link at 12:00") — bracelets without the reference stamp predate that change. Clasp date codes are the cleanest single-component dating tool: a clasp dating later than the case head implies a swap or service-era replacement.

A 1962 example documented at Vintage Gold Watches with original presentation box is the only 5508 in the public record with surviving period packaging.

Bond association

The 5508 carries the "James Bond Submariner" nickname through collector convention. The on-screen Submariner in Dr. No (1962) is the 6538 big-crown — Rolex Passion Report states it directly: "a two liner Ref 6538 with non-dash insert bezel… Legendary movie shots have been made while Sean Connery was wearing his Ref 6538." Sotheby's and Bonhams still label 5508 listings as "Small Crown James Bond Submariner" because by collector usage, any no-crown-guard Submariner from the late-1950s / early-1960s is grouped under the Bond label. The original on-screen watch was the 6538.

No-crown-guard 5508 example
No-crown-guard 5508 example

Special branches

The 1962 exclamation cluster is the principal time-bound sub-branch — it ties the 5508 into the radium-to-tritium transition era and overlaps with early crown-guarded production on neighbouring references. The four-line SCOC variant is a chronometer-grade sub-branch within the 5508 that runs alongside the standard two-line dial. Tropical 5508s are a finish-state sub-branch rather than a separate variant.

Historical market and auction record

Sale Lot Year Serial Variant Hammer
Phillips Geneva NINE 213 2019 361,650 1958 black gilt, red triangle insert CHF 500,000
Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 881 2019 762,896 1962 exclamation gilt, II.62 caseback, 7206/64 bracelet HK$ 2,687,500
Phillips Geneva XV 160 2022 764,524 1962 exclamation, 6636 clasp 4/64 CHF 132,300
Antiquorum Geneva 333-422 2020 490,575 1958 ghost bezel, rivet bracelet '63 CHF 56,250
Antiquorum Forte Dei Marmi 340-173 2021 — 1962 chapter-ring exclamation gilt EUR 33,750
Antiquorum Monaco 370-227 2024 764,196 1962 signature dial est. EUR 20,000–40,000
Bonhams 24627/98 2018 — 1959 black, 6251H rivet GBP 9,375 incl. premium
Bonhams 28036/38 2023 — 1958 gilt, 7206 clasp 4/69 est. GBP 15,000–20,000
Sotheby's Watches Online 2 — 2020 — small-crown James Bond catalogue copy
Sotheby's Fine Watches 5 40 2023 400,505 1958 tropical with 1960 papers
Sotheby's Cologne — 2023 — 1962 small-crown James Bond est. EUR

The Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 result — CHF 500,000 hammer for a 1958 black gilt with red-triangle insert — is the headline figure for the reference. Phillips Hong Kong's 2019 exclamation gilt 1962 example at HK$ 2.687M is the second pillar. Tropical and SCOC variants sit at the upper-middle of the market; service-dial and refit examples settle at the lower end. The 5508 holds a specific market position — less famous than the 6538, less structurally important than the 5512, but the cleanest expression of the small-crown no-crown-guard Submariner in its most mature form.

Sources

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