THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 5513
YEAR: 1968
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

For us at Falco, one of the most rewarding aspects of vintage watch collecting is studying the small details that can truly make or break a watch. This week, we welcomed several vintage Submariners into our fleet, including this ref. 5513 dating to 1968, featuring a “meters first” dial.

For 5513s in particular, it’s fascinating to see how watches made within just a couple of years of one another can develop entirely different characters, depending on how much wear, sunlight, or water exposure they’ve experienced. The last few meters first 5513s we had in recent weeks all lived relatively sedate lives, with dark tritium plots and black inserts that retained most of their original colour.

This example, however, has lived a great life in the sun. The dial is flawless, with the tritium plots aged to a very light creamy hue, matched by the heavily faded “ghost” insert. The 2 o’clock marker has some lume loss. The case has been polished, but not for a long time. It remains honest, with especially good lugs showing plenty of sleeve wear. The later 93150/580 bracelet has minimal stretch, with a VC clasp (1978).

The movement arrived in excellent health and is running at +1 s/day, with an amplitude of 275° and a beat error of 0.1 ms. 

A meters first 5513 bearing an uncanny resemblance to this was one of the first vintage watches I (Tommy) ever owned. This is so beautiful on the wrist and will undoubtedly make the next owner very happy.