Reference:5513

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Submariner → 5513

The 5513 is the long-run no-date Submariner and one of the broadest vintage Rolex references to cover under one number. It starts in the early crown-guard gilt era, moves through the long matte-dial years, and finishes with late gloss dials that still sit in an acrylic case. Twenty-seven continuous years of production. No other Submariner reference comes close.

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.

  • 5512: premium no-date chronometer path
  • 5513: cheaper no-date non-chronometer path

That split explains the cleaner dial layout and much of the reference’s identity.

Production outline

The easiest way to read the 5513 is by era.

Early gilt

The first 5513 watches live in the glossy gilt world. “Gilt” here means a glossy black dial with gilt-colored printing rather than the later matte style. This phase runs from about 1962 to 1966, and the package includes a sold 1965 gloss-gilt archive example to keep that branch grounded.

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.

Matte run

Most 5513 watches are matte-dial watches. The matte years run from about 1966 to 1984, with meters-first dials first (200m before 660ft), then later matte variants, and finally the late Maxi branch with larger lume plots.

Late gloss

In the final years, the 5513 picks up a gloss dial with white-gold surrounds while keeping the older acrylic no-date case. The package now has cleaner late-run archive examples from 1988 and 1989, both on 93150 bracelets.

Movement notes

The broad movement picture is stable even if the handover date is not.

  • early 5513: caliber 1530
  • long-run 5513: caliber 1520

The split is solid. The exact handover is still fuzzier than the clean summary makes it sound.

The 1530 was also used in non-COSC 5512 examples — the two references share this movement in their non-chronometer configurations. Hodinkee Reference Points notes the 5513’s 1530 is “the same caliber that you’d find in the non-chronometer 5512s.” Rolex introduced the 5513 in 1962 specifically as the non-COSC alternative to the 5512; the shared 1530 is a direct consequence of that positioning. The 5513 never used the 1560 or 1570 — those higher-spec movements went to the COSC-certified 5512 track only.

5513 Dial Genre Timeline

The 5513 dial story is complex enough to deserve a dedicated timeline. The Field Manual and collector literature break the full run into named genres covering the gilt era first, then the long matte era. The following timeline is the best current synthesis across all sources.

Note on serial band ranges: Serial band ranges are collector approximations based on caseback production stamps and known examples, not Rolex factory records. Rolex does not confirm vintage production dates. Individual watches near any transition point may not conform to expected specifications.

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.

Hodinkee’s Reference Points piece notes that Explorer-dial Submariners “seemed to have been made for the UK market” — a genuine mystery in 5513 collecting that has not 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. Not 15 per reference. Fifteen total.

Underline (approx. 1963–1964)

Certain early gilt 5513 dials carry an underline printed 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 underline is a Rolex-wide production phenomenon, not something unique to the 5513. 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 described in collector literature as among the last 5513 examples to feature pointed (Cornino) crown guards, which places 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: look at the outer perimeter of the minute track and check whether the hash marks float or connect into a closed band. No underline, no exclamation marks. These are the cleanest, most straightforward early gilt 5513 examples.

Bart Simpson (approx. 1966)

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: the points are wider, and the deep yellow color from the galvanic gilt process amplifies the cartoon resemblance. The color is not a quality defect; it is a result of how the gilt metallurgy works late in the gilt era. Bart Simpson 5512 examples also exist but are much rarer by volume. A bright yellow coronet on a late gilt 5513 is a Bart Simpson.

Matte, Meters First (approx. 1967–1969, serials approximately 1.5M to 1.7M)

The transition to matte dials with white printing begins here. The depth rating still puts metric units first — 200m before 660ft, which is why collectors call them meters-first. These dials are parallel to the 5512’s own matte transition in the same serial range and are the earliest matte 5513 examples. Scarcer than later matte variants and sitting at the gilt-to-matte boundary, they stay in demand.

Non-serif (1969–1970, serials approximately 2M)

The next generation uses non-serif text for the dial printing. The change from the meters-first layout to the non-serif style is subtle but tracked by specialists. These dials are part of the long middle matte era.

Serif (1970–1973, serials approximately 2M to 4M)

Serif dials introduce a serif typeface for the dial printing. This is the most common early-to-mid matte genre and the one most collectors encounter when they think of a matte 5513.

Non-serif again (1973–1976)

The dial printing returns to non-serif text in the mid-1970s. This second non-serif phase runs until the Maxi era begins and represents the tail end of standard matte production.

Maxi MK I through MK V (1976–1984)

The Maxi era introduces noticeably larger lume plots and bolder printing. Collectors break the Maxi phase into five marks, MK I through MK V, based on progressively larger lume plots and subtle text changes. The Maxi era is the most actively collected matte phase because the visual differences between marks are large enough to create distinct sub-branches.

  • MK I (1976–1977): First enlarged lume plots
  • MK II (1977–1979): Slightly larger plots than MK I
  • MK III (1979–1981): Further enlargement. Forum research places Maxi III examples in the 5M–6M serial range.
  • MK IV (1981–1983): Near-maximum plot size
  • MK V (1983–1984): Final and largest matte lume plots

Gloss (1984–1990)

The final 5513 dials return to a glossy finish but with white-gold surrounds 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

The dial is where the 5513 breaks into real sub-families.

Its dial taxonomy uses named types (Underline, Bart Simpson, Maxi Mark I–V) rather than the generation-based system used for the 5512. Both systems are standard in collector literature.

Gilt

Early examples are glossy gilt dials and form the first branch.

Bart Simpson

Bart Simpson dials are late gilt 5513 dials, usually clustered around 1966.

Matte

Matte 5513 dials cover most of the run and include early meters-first examples, later matte variants, and the Maxi branch late in the matte era. See the 5513 Dial Genre Timeline section above for the full breakdown.

Late gloss / white-gold surrounds

Late gloss dials with white-gold surrounds sit at the end of the run and bridge the old acrylic Submariner world and the later modern look.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes

At a high level, the 5513 keeps a stable core form: 40mm crown-guard case, acrylic crystal, and rotating dive bezel. The harder work starts when moving beyond that into insert families, service replacements, and late swap parts.

Crown guard transition

Rolex introduced the 5513 with the same pointed Cornino crown guards that the 5512 had adopted by 1960. The 5512 established crown guards as the Submariner standard in 1959; the 5513 inherited that design two years later. The first 5513 watches (from 1962 introduction) carry those same pointed Cornino guards, consistent with that inherited starting point. The transition from Cornino to rounded crown guards happened in the same mid-1960s period on both references. The Double Swiss Underline 5513 — documentable to approximately 1963 — is specifically noted in collector literature as among the last 5513 examples to carry pointed crown guards, which sets the approximate end of the Cornino era for the 5513 at 1963 or very shortly after. Rounded crown guards are standard on all later 5513 production.

Dial authentication and service dial warning

The 5513 dial is a significant fraud and replacement vector across the entire production run, not just the early gilt years. The long production span and high volume of surviving watches means replacement dials exist in quantity — sourced from scrapped watches, service stock, and the secondary parts market — and they turn up on otherwise honest examples.

Matte dials, 1970s–1980s: White-print matte 5513 dials from the long middle run are frequent service-replacement targets. Signs of a replacement dial include font weight that does not match the serial range, text sizing that is slightly off for the era, and a depth rating format inconsistent with the watch’s production period. Aged genuine dials will also show light and patina consistent with decades of wear; a dial that looks fresh on a 1970s case deserves scrutiny.

Maxi dial era (MK I through MK V): The Maxi variants are particularly at risk because they are actively collected and command premiums over standard matte dials. Replacement Maxi dials exist, and the marks are specific enough that a mismatched mark on the wrong serial band is a red flag. The lume plot size and text configuration should be consistent with the production period implied by the case serial.

“Swiss Made” text configuration: The text at the bottom of the 5513 dial changed configuration across the decades. A dial from the wrong era — whether too early or too late for the case serial — will show the wrong “Swiss Made” format. This is one of the easier cross-checks for those who know what configuration belongs in what period.

Gilt dials: Early gilt 5513 chapter ring dials carry the same premium and the same risk as their 5512 counterparts. Refinished dials exist. A genuine gilt 5513 dial should have the correct coronet shape for its era, correct chapter ring style (open vs. closed as appropriate for the production date), and print characteristics consistent with the serial band.

The honest summary: on any 5513 where value is a serious consideration, verify the dial independently from the case. Bracelet and clasp drift are widely understood; dial drift is just as common and more consequential for value.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Current book-backed fitment notes:

  • 7206 with end link 80
  • 9315 with end links 280 or 380 (forum research places the 9315 bracelet as starting from approximately 1972)
  • 93150 with end link 580

That is a fitment map, not a final delivery chart.

Rolex Forum collectors note an important regional bracelet distinction: USA-market C+I (Credit et Industrie) bracelets used hollow rivets, while Swiss-market bracelets used solid pins. The difference was driven by US import tax regulations — hollow rivets reduced the declared metal weight and therefore the duty. This distinction matters for authentication and for understanding why otherwise-identical bracelets from different markets can feel different in hand.

The archive work makes the warning sharper. One archived example shows a 93150/580 bracelet with H clasp from 1983 on a watch also described as carrying later replacement dial, hands, and service insert. Another archived example shows a CP 12 clasp described as a post-2011 replacement on a 5513. Bracelet and clasp dates can drift a long way from the watch head.

The cleaner 1988 and 1989 late-gloss examples are useful because they show the end of the run without the same level of mixed-parts confusion.

Packaging needs the same caution. The current source set supports period-based packaging logic, not a neat one-box-per-reference rule.

Special branches

Explorer dial

Explorer-dial 5513 examples deserve separate treatment from the standard dial run. “Explorer dial” here means the 3-6-9 numeral layout at those hour positions — borrowed directly from the Explorer line — combined with slim luminous batons at the remaining hours and reduced dial text to give the numerals room. These were produced approximately 1962–1965 and appear to have been made primarily for the UK market, though no factory explanation for the UK concentration has been confirmed.

The strongest auction example in the current source set is Sotheby’s 2020 Lot 377, a family-owned 1964 watch with 1530 movement, UK Garrard guarantee dated 1965, and later service papers. The Garrard provenance anchors both the UK-market thesis and the date range.

For rarity context: Phillips has sold only 15 Explorer-dial Submariner examples across all references combined — 6200, 6538, 5510, 5512, and 5513. That is not 15 per reference. That is 15 total.

MilSub

British military 5513 work belongs in its own branch. Collectors shorten “military Submariner” to “MilSub.” The archive set includes both a South African Army-associated 5513 and a sold 1974 military 5513, which helps show both non-British military use and the messy service life of military-issued watches. The British military designation for the 5513 MilSub was W10 — the NATO stock classification for military-issue wristwatches.

Forum research has documented additional military and institutional procurement branches:

  • Chilean Navy: examples 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.
  • 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.

An important 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 (5517) and various other naval forces through standard procurement channels.

Historical market and auction record

The lot and archive set is concrete enough to say something useful.

Total 5513 production reached 151,449 pieces, per the Rolex-commissioned Submariner book by Nicholas Foulkes. Late-1960s US retail pricing ran around $160–$175.

The observed market examples show how far the reference spreads once provenance and branch type enter the picture. Sotheby’s 2020 Lot 377 treated a family-owned 1964 Explorer-dial 5513 as a 60,000–90,000 GBP watch with Garrard guarantee and service papers. In the same sale, Sotheby’s Lot 376 carried a lower 24,000–36,000 GBP estimate for a South African Army-associated 5513, but leaned heavily on the watch’s military provenance, engraved caseback serial, late meters-first dial, and 7206/80 bracelet. A separate archived sold 1974 military 5513 explicitly notes same-batch but non-matching case and inside-caseback numbers, blamed on MOD servicing mix-ups.

Dealer archives fill in the commercial and late-gilt side. A sold 1968 meters-first commercial 5513 is documented, along with a sold 1966 Bart Simpson example with a tropical dial (the black dial has aged brown), a closed chapter ring (the minute track forms a complete ring near the dial edge), a Mk2 Long 5 insert, and Oyster rivet bracelet. “Long 5” is collector shorthand for an insert whose 5 has a long tail. A sold 1965 gloss-gilt example with stated box and papers, listed at $24,800, is useful as an early-branch market example even if it does not prove a packaging standard.

The mixed-parts side matters too. Archived spider dial and bracelet-focused 5513 examples show how replacement dial, replacement insert, replacement crown, later bracelets, and much later clasp stamps can all sit on one honest vintage watch. “Spider dial” means a glossy dial that has crazed into a web-like pattern. Forum research documents the spider dial aging phenomenon as occurring on dials produced between approximately 1964 and 1988 — a wide window that reflects the lacquer chemistry used during those years. Not all dials from this period develop the spider pattern; it depends on storage conditions, humidity exposure, and the specific batch of lacquer used.

Sources

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