100th Auction
2019/11/15
Lot 94
Rolex "Oyster Perpetual 200m=660ft Submariner", Case No. 989880, Ref. 5513, Cal. 1520, 39 mm, circa 1963
A very rare vintage automatic diver’s watch with pointed crown guards and SWISS only Underline Dial, which is a extremely unusual dial variation created in 1963 for watches with a serial number around 1 million
Case: steel, screw back, screwed "Rolex" winding crown, riveted steel "Oyster" bracelet with endlinks stamped 80, clasp dated 2/64, bracelet length 150 mm, total length 190 mm. Dial: black, luminous Mercedes hands.
The dial is inscribed with "SWISS" only in white! at 6 o’clock, with a tiny line underneath the writing in the bottom part of the dial – hence the designation "underline". This type of dial is extremely rare and was only produced in 1963 for watches with a serial number around 1 million. The crown is identical to that used in a DoubleSwiss and also highly uncommon. The experts assume that these dials mark the passage from the black "glossy dials" to the black, "matte dials". The black dials such as this one have a lacquered background in which the letters have been etched in with a special process and shine through in a "gilt" colour, which gives the watches their designation "gilt dials".
The marvelous patina and the immaculate luminous dots of the dial are in perfect harmony with the luminous Mercedes hands and the inlaid pearl. The slightly faded ring in the original bezel matches the overall appearance of this timepiece and makes it a highly coveted collector’s object the likes of which hardly ever appear on the market.
The Rolex "point guards" edition is very rare. Keen to develop and test features intended to improve and perfect the Rolex diver’s watches, the company only produced a small number of models to test the engineering and rise to the challenge of improved crown guards. Today this watch is one of the most highly desired models among the collectors of fine Rolex time pieces.
Reference 5513 was introduced at the end of 1961 and produced until 1989, which means it had the longest production run of all Submariner models. This enormous success results from a number of attractive details: The watch is waterproof to a depth of 200 m, the large and sturdy crown with protection device is suitable for scuba-diving and the black bezel with the silver triangle has a minute division from 1 to fifteen minutes.
Reference 5513 set benchmarks in the world of sports watches and this timepiece is an impressive example of that. It is a worthy addition to any superior collection of rare sports watches.
A very rare vintage automatic diver’s watch with pointed crown guards and SWISS only Underline Dial, which is a extremely unusual dial variation created in 1963 for watches with a serial number around 1 million
Case: steel, screw back, screwed "Rolex" winding crown, riveted steel "Oyster" bracelet with endlinks stamped 80, clasp dated 2/64, bracelet length 150 mm, total length 190 mm. Dial: black, luminous Mercedes hands.
The dial is inscribed with "SWISS" only in white! at 6 o’clock, with a tiny line underneath the writing in the bottom part of the dial – hence the designation "underline". This type of dial is extremely rare and was only produced in 1963 for watches with a serial number around 1 million. The crown is identical to that used in a DoubleSwiss and also highly uncommon. The experts assume that these dials mark the passage from the black "glossy dials" to the black, "matte dials". The black dials such as this one have a lacquered background in which the letters have been etched in with a special process and shine through in a "gilt" colour, which gives the watches their designation "gilt dials".
The marvelous patina and the immaculate luminous dots of the dial are in perfect harmony with the luminous Mercedes hands and the inlaid pearl. The slightly faded ring in the original bezel matches the overall appearance of this timepiece and makes it a highly coveted collector’s object the likes of which hardly ever appear on the market.
The Rolex "point guards" edition is very rare. Keen to develop and test features intended to improve and perfect the Rolex diver’s watches, the company only produced a small number of models to test the engineering and rise to the challenge of improved crown guards. Today this watch is one of the most highly desired models among the collectors of fine Rolex time pieces.
Reference 5513 was introduced at the end of 1961 and produced until 1989, which means it had the longest production run of all Submariner models. This enormous success results from a number of attractive details: The watch is waterproof to a depth of 200 m, the large and sturdy crown with protection device is suitable for scuba-diving and the black bezel with the silver triangle has a minute division from 1 to fifteen minutes.
Reference 5513 set benchmarks in the world of sports watches and this timepiece is an impressive example of that. It is a worthy addition to any superior collection of rare sports watches.
estimated
40.000—50.000 €
Price realized
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