THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 6536-1
YEAR: 1956
CASE DIAMETER: 37mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

In vintage Rolex collecting, early no crown-guard Submariners are undoubtedly among the most celebrated and studied. They embody everything we love about vintage Rolex—historically important, beautifully made, and packed with a thousand tiny nuances between variations to obsess over.

The ref. 6536-1 came shortly after the first Submariners (6204, 6205, etc.). Technically, the 6536 began life in 1954 as a transitional reference: the 6536/8. From there, over a slender four-year production period, Rolex produced around eight different variations—packing in a remarkable number of changes. All-original, correct examples are extremely hard to come by, which is one of the reasons the 6536-1 remains among the most collectible Submariners today.

The present example is the second iteration, known as the “Gold Depth.” There are technically two versions of the Gold Depth, with this one being the earlier of the two. The differences are subtle: first, the handset—this version features an all-gilt seconds hand rather than a painted one. Second, the depth rating is written in the earlier 100 / 330 format; later examples transitioned to the m = ft layout.