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Rolex Submariner Ref. 5513 - Bart Simpson Dial

SOLD

Straight Facts

The Rolex Submariner is a true icon - and the word icon does get thrown around a lot. If you were to ask 10 people to draw you their idea of a watch looks like - chances are they would draw or describe something that looks like a Rolex Submariner. It’s the dive watch of reference good/bad/indifferent there is no escaping it. Over its 70 year run there have been numerous changes made to the model, but this - the reference 5513 - is widely considered to be the reference to own.

The 5513 spanned almost 30 years of production (1962-1989) and underwent a series of changes that saw the earliest models born with gilt dials, and the last ones born with high-gloss dials with white gold surrounds. The present example hails from the early years of the 5513 production run where gilt printed dials were still in use by the brand. Gilt dials are when the lettering and fonts are punched out of the dial so that the brass ‘gilt’ color shows through creating a golden text appearance. These are not very easy to produce and were ultimately discontinued by Rolex in the later half of the 1960s as they couldn’t be produced in the same quantity as a matte dial - but nothing shines and glows like a Rolex gilt dial.

This particular 5513 is known as the ‘Bart Simpson’ for its unusual coronet signature at 12 that bears resemblance to the iconic cartoon character form the TV show! Made for a short period of time, and likely due to a bleeding defect in the dial making process, this is exactly the type of small detail that we love and what separates a “normal” gilt 5513 from a truly special one.

The coronet aside, this 5513 exhibits some slight matting to the dial, which is very common as gilt dials tend to age and lose their high-gloss. The lume matches beautifully across the dial and handset and is in excellent condition, and the case still shows off it’s factory finished bevels. This is a special one, and with the 70th Anniversary of the Submariner in 2023, what better way to celebrate.

*Some marks or spots on the dial are reflections or dust on the crystal and are due to high intensity strobe lighting used while photographing. They are not actually on the watch or visible in natural lighting.

Stainless Steel 1966 Automatic Sport

"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."

"The appointment-only space is inviting, with comfortable seating areas and exposed brick walls."

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.

Oliver & Clarke

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