Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538 - 'Big Crown' 4-Liner 'James Bond'
The Rolex Submariner is a true icon — and the word "icon" does get thrown around an awful lot. If you were to ask ten people at random to draw you their idea of what a watch looks like, there is a significant chance that they would draw or describe something that looks like a Rolex Submariner. It’s the dive watch of reference, and good/bad/indifferent there is no escaping it. Throughout its 70-year production, there have been countless small changes made to the model, particularly in the first decade or so.
The Reference 6538 is one of those short-lived iterations, produced for roughly 3 years in 1956-1959. coveted by collectors, and known to many more for its supporting role on the wrist of one James Bond in 1962s 'Dr. No.'
Like all early Subs, the Ref. 6538 lacks crown guards, but from there, it takes on a few characteristics that allow it to stand out amongst its relatives. The crown is oversized at 8mm in diameter, the timing bezel insert features a red triangle at the 12:00 position, and the seconds hand is a white 'lollipop.' All of these subtle changes lend themselves to a near-perfect mid-century dive watch aesthetic, and when combined with its on-screen provenance, make for a triple threat in collectability. It is almost certainly the most desirable pre-crown guard Submariner.
The example that we have here dates to circa 1958 and features a strong case with even lugs, a patinated '4-line' dial and matching handset, the bezel insert shows wear and light fade from age, with a pink fade to its 'red triangle,' and the Brevet 'big crown' looks as good as ever. It comes fitted to a slightly later 'rivet' Oyster bracelet.
You might then call this piece 'a wearer.' A highly sought after and collectible piece that you can wear without fretting about constantly.
Doesn't sound so bad does it?
Watch + Condition Details
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Shipping, Returns, & Warranty
At Oliver & Clarke, domestic shipping is on us! If you are international and require a quote – please feel free to reach out to us at info@oliverandclarke.com so we can get you squared away.
Returns (accepted within 3 days of initial delivery of your purchase) must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. For payments via Credit Card, a 5% restocking fee will be in place for any returns or cancellations in order to cover our processing fee. Of course, watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.
If you happen to trade a watch with us, which we welcome, trades are final, except of course if the watch is grossly misdescribed or misrepresented.
We back each Oliver & Clarke timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty starting at the date of first delivery. We service or perform necessary maintenance to the extent necessary to all of our watches, unless otherwise noted. All watches are listed and sold running and functioning as intended.
*Please note that due to the vintage or antique nature of many of our watches, these machines may not run as accurately as they did when new, nor will any mechanical timepiece keep time as accurately as a quartz or electronic device.
We do not guarantee water resistance, thus do not warranty against moisture incursion or water damage.
*We also do not recommend deliberate exposure to water or worse - steam!
Our warranty is voided under the following circumstances:
- Internal or external damage caused by an accident, mishandling, abuse, modification, or handling/service performed by a third party individual other than one of our own.
Our warranty is non-transferable.
The Oliver & Clarke Guarantee
Through rigorous vetting of each watch offered, we’re able to guarantee authenticity of our pieces. Ultimately, your satisfaction is our mission, as is helping you get YOUR perfect watch. If you have any questions at all, we will get back to you ASAP.
Each of our timepieces are vetted, evaluated, authenticated, and approved by our experienced team prior to sale. We guarantee the period-correctness of all components unless otherwise disclosed. We guarantee the authenticity of each watch in perpetuity.
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"As collectors themselves, Oliver and Clarke are on a mission to make buying vintage watches as painless as possible."
"The company focuses on good prices for its pieces, elite customer service and full transparency."
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From Rolex & Patek Philippe, to Cartier & Audemars Piguet. As collectors first, we love the small details that separate the Submariner from Daytona and Calatrava from Royal Oak. This is why you'll find our curated assortment spans decades of generations of models and brands. We believe that watches don't just tell time, they tell history - and life is too short to wear a boring watch.
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