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195

Rolex

Ref. 5513

Submariner "Explorer Dial"

An extremely elusive and very attractive stainless steel automatic diver's wristwatch with center seconds, "Explorer" dial, bracelet and Guarantee

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Introduced around 1962, the Rolex reference 5513, alongside its counterpart the reference 5512, marked the inception of Submariner models equipped with crown guards. Prior iterations, such as the reference 6538 and 5508, featured no crown guards, a design Rolex soon deemed too delicate for the robust nature of a tool watch.

The present example, however, transcends being merely a striking reference 5513 as it boasts an exclusive feature that skyrockets its collectability: an incredibly well-preserved Explorer dial.

Primarily associated with the Explorer I, hence its moniker, this dial type – defined be the 3, 6 and 9 Arabic numerals, rather than the usually seen dots - also appears on "Big Crown" Submariners like references 6200, 6538, and 5510, as well as references 5512 and 5513 featuring crown guards. Produced only during the first half of the 1960s, references 5512 and 5513 with “Explorer” dials are exceedingly scarce and highly sought after by collectors.

The present watch’s dial’s lacquered surface is preserved in stupendous condition, with just hints of the passage of time. The luminous numerals as well are in wonderful condition without losses. As the watch dates to 1964, one year after the switch to tritium from radium on part of Rolex (1963), the luminous material is indeed tritium, making this one of the earliest tritium Rolex dials ever made.

Rolex

Swiss | 1905

Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.

One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.

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