Reference:5513
Submariner -> 5513
The 5513 is the long-run no-date Submariner, the cheaper non-chronometer partner to the 5512, produced from about 1962 to 1989/1990 across twenty-seven continuous years. Early watches are gloss gilt, most of the run is matte, and the final years return to gloss with white-gold surrounds.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 5513 |
| family | Submariner (no date, non-chronometer) |
| production | approximately 1962 to 1989/1990 |
| total production | 151,449 units |
| movement | caliber 1530 (early), 1520 (long run) |
| case | 40mm, crown guards |
| crystal | acrylic |
| position | non-chronometer counterpart to the 5512 |
Where it sits in the line
The 5513 sits next to the 5512, not above it. The 5512 was the premium no-date chronometer. The 5513 was the cheaper non-chronometer, sold in far greater volume and with the cleaner two-line dial.
Production outline
Early gilt
The first 5513 watches use a glossy black lacquer dial with gilt printing rather than the later matte style. This phase runs from about 1962 to 1966.
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. The branch carries its own typographic diagnostics.
Matte run
Most 5513 watches are matte-dial watches. The matte years run from about 1966 to 1984, starting with meters-first dials (200m before 660ft), moving through serif and non-serif matte variants, and ending with the late Maxi branch and its larger lume plots.
Late gloss
In the final years, the 5513 picks up a gloss dial with white-gold surrounds while keeping the old acrylic no-date case. Late-run examples from 1988 and 1989 show the formula clearly, usually on 93150 bracelets.
Movement notes
Early 5513 watches ran caliber 1530; the long-run production used caliber 1520. The exact handover is not pinned to a clean dated cutover.
Early non-COSC 5512 examples share the 1530, consistent with the 5513's position as the non-chronometer alternative to the 5512. The 5513 never used the 1560 or 1570 chronometer calibers of the 5512 track.
Dial timeline
The dial timeline splits three ways: early gilt, the long matte middle, and late gloss at the end.
Serial bands below are collector approximations based on caseback stamps and surviving examples, not Rolex factory records. Watches near any transition point can blur the expected specification.
| genre | approx. years | quick tell | why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer dial | 1962–1965 | 3-6-9 numerals on an early gilt dial | rare special branch, usually linked to UK-market examples |
| Underline / Double Swiss Underline | 1963–1964 | underline print and early pointed crown-guard context | narrow transitional window around the radium-to-tritium change |
| Open chapter ring gilt | 1964–1966 | gloss gilt dial with open outer minute track | main late-gilt commercial branch |
| Bart Simpson | around 1966 | wide, flat coronet in late gilt production | most recognisable late-gilt subtype |
| Meters-first matte | 1966–1970 | depth rating reads 200m before 660ft | first matte generation |
| Serif / non-serif matte | 1970–1976 | feet-first matte dial with marker and font diagnostics | core middle run of the reference |
| Pre COMEX | 1976–1977 | fat coronet and unusual "=" placement | brief bridge between standard matte and Maxi dials |
| Maxi Mk I–V | 1977–1984 | larger lume plots and mark-specific text alignment | most collected late-matte subgroup |
| Late gloss | 1984–1990 | gloss dial with white-gold surrounds | bridge into the modern Submariner look |
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.
Stephen Pulvirent's Hodinkee Reference Points piece on the Submariner notes that Explorer-dial Submariners "seemed to have been made for the UK market"; the UK concentration has never been conclusively explained. Most surviving examples came from UK distribution channels, and Explorer-dial 5512 examples from the same period share the same UK-market skew. For rarity context: Phillips has sold only 15 Explorer-dial Submariner examples across all references (6200, 6538, 5510, 5512, 5513) combined. Fifteen total.
Underline (approx. 1963–1964)
Certain early gilt 5513 dials carry an underline (a short printed line) 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 marking is a Rolex-wide production phenomenon. 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 documented in collector literature as among the last 5513 examples to feature pointed (Cornino) crown guards, which sets 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. The outer perimeter of the minute track shows either hash marks that float free or hash marks that connect into a closed band. No underline, no exclamation marks. These are the cleanest, most straightforward early gilt 5513 examples.
Bart Simpson (approx. 1966, serials approximately 1.4M–1.5M)
Late gilt production brings what the collector community and auction catalogues call the Bart Simpson dial. The Rolex coronet reads as a Bart Simpson face in silhouette, with wider points, and the deep yellow color from late galvanic gilt metallurgy amplifies the cartoon resemblance. Typical serial range is 1.4M to 1.5M, with examples appearing as early as 1.3M and as late as 1.6M. Bart Simpson 5512 examples also exist but are much rarer by volume.
Beyond the coronet shape, the Bart Simpson dial has several authentication details that distinguish it from the classic coronet gilt dial that immediately preceded it:
- The "L" in ROLEX sits to the left of center, underneath the coronet.
- The "P" in PERPETUAL falls directly under the extended part of the serif on the "L" in ROLEX.
- In the depth rating, the "2" and "0" align directly over the "S" and "U" in SUBMARINER.
- The 6s in the depth rating are open.
- The horizontal bars of the "f" and "t" in "ft" are aligned (co-linear).
The classic coronet gilt dial that immediately precedes the Bart Simpson (typically in the 1.1M to 1.3M serial range, with examples in the very late 1.0M range) differs on several of these points:
- The "P" in PERPETUAL sits farther to the left, positioned underneath the "L" in ROLEX rather than under the serif extension.
- The shape of the letter "S" in SUBMARINER is distinctly different from the Bart Simpson version.
- The horizontal bars of the "f" and "t" in "ft" are not aligned.
- The coronet itself has cleaner, more defined lines compared to the Bart Simpson's wider, flatter points.
Some overlap exists during the transition between the classic coronet and the Bart Simpson dial. The classic coronet dial is also commonly seen with an underline in serial ranges corresponding to 1963.
Matte, Meters First (approx. 1966–1970, serials approximately 1.6M to 2.2M)
The transition from gilt-gloss to meters-first matte dials started around the 1.6M serial range (approximately 1966). By serial 1.7M (1968), the meters-first matte dial was in full production. The depth rating puts metric units first ("200m = 660ft"), which is why collectors call them meters-first. The shift to feet-first depth ratings overlaps in the 2.2M serial range (late 1969 to early 1970), where both meters-first and feet-first dials appear.
Authentication details for the Meters First dial:
- The "L" in "ROLEX" has very little if any serif on top and is centered under the coronet.
- The 6s in the depth rating are semi-open: the top of the 6 appears rotated a couple of degrees clockwise (may require a 10x loupe to confirm).
- The "S" in "SUBMARINER" has a characteristic shape: the top part is straight across, and the middle horizontal portion sits closer to the top than the bottom.
- "SWISS - T < 25" at the bottom of the dial spans five minute hash marks. This is wider than subsequent matte dials, which span only three hash marks. (A short run of 5512 meters-first matte dials had "SWISS - T < 25" across only three hash marks, but no 5513 example with this narrower spacing is known.)
Tritium application varies across the meters-first production run: early examples have a very thin layer of tritium that can appear very white and may be hard to detect without a loupe; mid-production examples show more dome-like tritium plots; late production examples have tritium applied in a flat layer, similar to the style used throughout the 1970s.
Non-serif, first run (late 1969–1970, serials approximately early 2.0M)
The first non-serif dials appear in the very early 2.0M serial range (late 1969 to early 1970), immediately following the meters-first dials. The depth rating switches to feet first ("660ft = 200m"). The "=" sign sits above and slightly to the right of the "A" in "SUBMARINER." "SUBMARINER" is printed below the depth rating. The 6s in the depth rating are open.
The non-serif dial is identified by the corners of the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock hour markers, which form perfect 90-degree angles with no extensions or flair. The middle horizontal stroke of the "E" in "ROLEX" has an abundance of serif at its end. The "P" in "PERPETUAL" is shifted to the left relative to the "L" in "ROLEX" above it.
Serif (1970–1973, serials approximately early/mid 2.0M to late 3.0M/early 4.0M)
Serif dials introduce small extensions (sharp points or "flair") at the corners of the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock hour markers. This is the distinguishing feature from the non-serif dial. The middle horizontal stroke of the "E" in "ROLEX" has no serif at its end, the opposite of the non-serif dial. The depth rating remains feet first, with the "=" sign above and slightly to the right of the "A" in "SUBMARINER." "SUBMARINER" is printed below the depth rating.
Tritium was hand-applied and can cover the serif extensions on hour markers, making a Serif dial look like a Non-serif. When the hour markers are ambiguous, the "E" in "ROLEX" resolves it: abundance of serif on the middle stroke means non-serif dial; no serif on the middle stroke means serif dial.
The Serif dial is the most common early-to-mid matte genre and the one most collectors picture when they think of a matte 5513.
Non-serif, second run (1973–1976, serials approximately late 3.0M to early/mid 5.0M)
The dial printing returns to non-serif text in the mid-1970s. The transition back from serif to non-serif began in the late 3.0M serial range. This second non-serif phase runs until the Pre COMEX dial appears in the early-to-mid 5.0M range. The same hour-marker and "E" in "ROLEX" diagnostics apply as in the first non-serif run.
Pre COMEX (approx. 1976–1977, serials approximately 5.0M)
The term "Pre COMEX" was coined by Ed Delgado on the Vintage Rolex Forum on October 24, 2008, to describe dials with characteristics very similar to some COMEX 5514 dials. This dial sits between the second non-serif run and the Maxi I.
Authentication details:
- The coronet is somewhat smudgy and noticeably fat at the bottom, wider than the Maxi I coronet that follows.
- The top of the "L" in "ROLEX" has a tremendous amount of serif and sits to the left of center under the coronet.
- The 6s in the depth rating are open.
- The "=" sign in the depth rating sits above and to the left of center of the "A" in "SUBMARINER," a key differentiator from other matte dials where it sits to the right or directly above.
- "SUBMARINER" is printed below the depth rating.
- The "S" in "SUBMARINER" has a normal appearance (not the zig-zag shape seen on Maxi I and IV).
Quick identification: a smudge-like coronet with an "L" with abundant serif underneath, depth rating above "SUBMARINER," and the "=" sign above and slightly to the left of the "A." That combination identifies a Pre COMEX dial.
Maxi MK I through MK V (1977–1984)
The Maxi era introduces noticeably larger lume plots and bolder printing. The name "Maxi" was carried over from the 16610LV introduced in 2003 and applied retroactively to these earlier large-plot dials. Collectors break the Maxi phase into five marks, MK I through MK V, based on lume plot size, text position, and specific typographic details. All Maxi dials have coronets that are narrower at the bottom than the Serif and Pre COMEX dials. All Maxi dials have open 6s in the depth rating. All Maxi dials except the Maxi I have "SUBMARINER" printed above the depth rating.
Two identifiers recur across Maxi dials and serve as quick sorting tools:
The "=" sign position relative to the "A" in SUBMARINER sorts Maxi I through V quickly: Maxi I has it directly above the "A"; Maxi II directly below and in the middle of the "A"; Maxi III uses the "200m" alignment instead, with the two 0s in "200m" lining up under the "N" and "E" of "SUBMARINER"; Maxi IV directly below the "A" but shifted slightly to the right; Maxi V directly below and in the middle of the "A."
The "S" shape in "SUBMARINER" is the second quick sort. A zig-zag S (resembling a backwards capital Z) appears on Maxi I and Maxi IV. A normal S appears on Maxi II, Maxi III, and Maxi V.
MK I (1977–1978, serials early/mid 5.0M to early 6.0M): The last matte dial with "SUBMARINER" printed below the depth rating. Tritium hour plots are very large but do not touch the minute marks. The coronet is tapered and slender at the bottom, a key distinction from the preceding Pre COMEX's fat coronet. Carries the zig-zag S in "SUBMARINER." The "=" sign sits directly above the "A" in "SUBMARINER."
MK II (1978, serials 5.0M to early 6.0M): The first matte dial with "SUBMARINER" printed above the depth rating. "SUBMARINER" is shorter in length than the depth rating below it. The "f" in the depth rating lacks serif. Normal "S" in "SUBMARINER." The "=" sign sits directly below and in the middle of the "A."
MK III (approximately 1978, serials 5.0M to 6.0M): Large tritium hour plots that often appear to touch the five-minute hash marks (nicknamed "lollipop"), though under magnification they do not always make contact. "SUBMARINER" above the depth rating and shorter in length. Large open 6s. The "f" in the depth rating has a distinctive serif. The two 0s in "200m" line up directly underneath the "N" and "E" in "SUBMARINER."
MK IV (approximately 1981, serials late 6.0M to late 7.0M): "SUBMARINER" above the depth rating and shorter in length. Shares the zig-zag S with Maxi I. The "=" sign sits directly below the "A" but shifted slightly to the right, distinguishing it from Maxi II where it is centered.
MK V (serials 7.0M to 8.0M, through approximately 1984): "SUBMARINER" printed above the depth rating, but unlike Maxi II–IV, the "SUBMARINER" text is longer than the depth rating below it — a unique characteristic among Maxi dials. Open 6s. The "f" in the depth rating lacks serif. The "=" sign sits directly below and in the middle of the "A." Production continued until approximately 1984 when the black gloss dial with white-gold surrounds was introduced.
Gloss (1984–1990)
The final 5513 dials return to a glossy finish, but with white-gold surrounds around the hour markers rather than the gilt printing of the early era. This is the late gloss phase that bridges the acrylic-crystal 5513 and the later modern Submariner world. Gloss 5513 dials are visually distinct from everything that came before and sit in their own collecting lane.
Dial map
Collectors usually split the 5513 into four families: early gilt, late-gilt Bart Simpson, the long matte middle, and late gloss. Named sub-variants live inside those families.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
The 5513 case form stays stable across the run: a 40mm crown-guard case, acrylic crystal, and rotating dive bezel. The case changes less than the dial. Most of the hard originality work sits in inserts, crowns, and later service parts.
Crown guard transition
The first 5513s start with pointed Cornino crown guards inherited from the 5512. Rounded guards take over by the mid-1960s and stay there through the rest of the run. The shift covers a transition zone of overlapping production rather than a single dated cutover.
Dial originality and service dials
The dial is the biggest originality trap on the 5513. Long production and hard service life mean correct dials, later service dials, and outright bad dials all circulate on honest-looking cases.
Matte 5513 dials from the 1970s and 1980s are frequent service-replacement territory. Font weight, text sizing, and depth-rating format should all match the case period. A dial that looks too fresh for the case deserves scrutiny.
Maxi dials attract premiums, so they attract replacement and misidentified parts too. The mark has to match the serial-era logic, lume plot size, and text arrangement.
The lower dial text is one of the easier cross-checks. A case and dial from different eras often give themselves away here.
Early gilt 5513 dials carry the same premium and the same risk as early 5512 dials. Coronet shape, chapter-ring style, and print character all have to match the period.
The dial deserves its own pass against the case. Bracelet drift is common on long-run references; dial drift carries more weight on the 5513 because the matte and Maxi premiums sit on the dial itself.
Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes
| bracelet | end links | note |
|---|---|---|
| 7206 | 80 | early rivet-era fitment |
| 9315 | 280 or 380 | documented by the early 1970s |
| 93150 | 580 | late-run fitment and common later replacement |
The table is a fitment map. A clasp code dates the bracelet rather than the watch head, and bracelet swaps across the long run are common.
USA-market C+I (Credit et Industrie) bracelets used hollow rivets while Swiss-market bracelets used solid pins. The distinction matters for authentication and feel, but not every surviving watch still carries its original bracelet.
Surviving 5513s frequently turn up with later 93150 bracelets, much later clasp stamps, and other mixed service parts. Packaging tracks the sale period and market rather than the reference number itself.
Special branches
Explorer dial
The Explorer-dial branch sits inside the early gilt run as a distinct collecting line. The dial-timeline section above covers the 3-6-9 layout and the UK-market skew; the provenance below anchors both.
Sotheby's 2020 Lot 377 carried a family-owned 1964 watch with caliber 1530, UK Garrard guarantee dated 1965, and later service papers. The Garrard provenance supports both the UK-market thesis and the date range.
MilSub
British military 5513 work belongs in its own branch. Collectors shorten "military Submariner" to MilSub. Documented examples include both a South African Army-associated 5513 and a sold 1974 military 5513, which shows both non-British military use and the messy service life of issued watches. The British military designation for the 5513 MilSub was W10, the NATO stock classification for military-issue wristwatches.
Rolex Forum research has documented additional military and institutional procurement branches. Chilean Navy examples are marked "Propriedad Armada de Chile" (Property of the Chilean Navy) on the caseback, confirming South American naval procurement beyond the better-known Argentine Navy 5514 COMEX connection. The New Zealand Fisheries Research Division purchased 14 Submariners for research divers, a small institutional order that places the 5513 in a scientific-research context alongside its military and commercial diving roles.
One distinction Rolex Forum collectors emphasize: US Navy SEALs were issued Tudor Submariners, not Rolex Submariners. The SEAL-Rolex association is a common misconception. The Tudor connection is well documented in military procurement records, while Rolex Submariners went to the British Royal Navy (as the 5517) and various other naval forces through standard procurement channels.
Historical market and auction record
The market spread is wide because the 5513 spans common commercial watches, rare dial branches, and military provenance. Standard late-matte and gloss examples remain readily available; the branch watches do not. Late-1960s US retail pricing ran around $160–$175.
Auction results sort the reference into clear lanes. Explorer-dial, military, and strong early-gilt watches sit well above ordinary late commercial examples. Standard commercial 5513s are plentiful; Bart Simpson, early gilt, and cleaner full-set examples pull into a higher lane quickly.
Mixed-parts watches are common. Documented spider-dial and bracelet-focused 5513 examples show replacement dials, inserts, crowns, later bracelets, and much later clasp stamps sitting together on one otherwise honest watch. Spider dial refers to a glossy dial with lacquer crazing; the effect turns up across a broad late-vintage band rather than a single year.
Sources
- The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
- History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
- The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
- Rolex 5513 Submariner Review & Ultimate Buying Guide — Bob's Watches
- Explaining The Bart Simpson Rolex Submariner: Eric's Favorite Coronet — Eric Wind, Hodinkee
- Reference Points: Understanding The Rolex Submariner — Stephen Pulvirent, Hodinkee
- In depth-review Rolex 5512 Submariner — Edmond Saran, Le Monde Edmond
- Collector's Guide: What To Know About The Rolex Submariner Reference 5512 — Charlie Dunne, Wind Vintage
- Vintage Rolex Box reference guide list 1950 to mid 2000's — WatchProSite community, WatchProSite
- Rolex Submariner "South African Army", Ref 5513, Military Stainless Steel Wristwatch With Bracelet, Circa 1970 — Sotheby's, Sotheby's
- Rolex Submariner "Explorer Dial", Ref 5513, Stainless Steel Wristwatch With Rare Dial And Bracelet, Circa 1964 — Sotheby's, Sotheby's
- Rolex Submariner 5513 'Meters First' — Amsterdam Vintage Watches, Amsterdam Vintage Watches
- 1966 Rolex 5513 "Bart Simpson" Tropical Patina Submariner — Grey and Patina, Grey and Patina
- 1965 Rolex 5513 Gloss Gilt Submariner W/Box & Paper — Grey and Patina, Grey and Patina
- Vintage Rolex Submariner Ref 5513 Black Spider Dial — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
- Vintage Rolex Submariner Ref 5513 Stainless Steel Bracelet — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
- Vintage 1989 Rolex Submariner 5513 — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
- Vintage Rolex Submariner 5513 Stainless Steel Oyster — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
- Rolex Military Submariner Ref 5513 (1974) — Watches of Distinction, Watches of Distinction
- 5513 Matte Dial and Gilt-Gloss 5512 Submariner — Comprehensive Reviews — Beaumont Miller II, 5513mattedial.com
Named contributors: Research by Beaumont Miller II (5513mattedial.com), with acknowledged contributions from Marcello Pisani, Jedly, and Tomvox. The Maxi dial taxonomy draws on Tomvox's 2008 research. The "Pre COMEX" dial designation was coined by Ed Delgado on the Vintage Rolex Forum (October 24, 2008).
Related references
The 5513 sits inside the 5xxx Submariner family alongside the chronometer 5512 and the institutional 5514 and 5517. Two military and commercial branches use the 5513 case as their host: the COMEX program (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises) issued 5513s to French saturation divers from the early 1970s, and the British military MilSub configuration ran on 5513 cases for the first two batches before the dedicated 5517 took over in the third.