There’s vintage. And then there are vintage icons. The Rolex Submariner reference 5512 belongs in the latter category and there are plenty of good reasons for that. Aside from the watch’s good looks and historical importance within Rolex’s archives, this particular Submariner was worn by a legendary actor too.
But besides the films, McQueen also left his mark on the watch world – often sporting his favorites on the silver screen. Today, his sense of style and famous accessories (like the iconic Persols) are still the topic of conversation. Even a watch was named after him – the Rolex Steve McQueen watch, which is an Explorer II watch. Although, it’s still unclear if he ever even wore one.
Steve McQueen, a.k.a. the King of Cool, wore a Rolex Submariner 5512. While it’s pretty hard to compete with the man who starred in The Great Escape (1963), Bullitt (1968), and Le Mans (1971), the vintage Submariner 5512 boasts its own swagger too. Introduced in 1959, the 5512 was not only the first Submariner to include guards around the winding crown but it was the biggest version to date with a 40mm case. Rolex produced the Submariner 5512 for two decades, and over that time, the watch underwent a couple of notable updates. Join us as we discuss those updates, uncover which particular Submariner 5512 Steve McQueen wore, and also dispel the myth of the Explorer II 1655 “Steve McQueen.”
McQueen’s First, and His Personal Favorite
While many know McQueen for sporting luxury timepieces, many don’t realize that his love for watches most likely started years before he was famous. As a child, McQueen had a notoriously rough upbringing but was given a gold pocket watch by his uncle before he left to be reunited with his mother.
Much later on in his career, McQueen was famously known for adoring his Rolex Submariner ref. 5512. This watch did make it to the movies like The Towering Inferno and The Hunter, but, it most often was noted for appearing in more private shots of the movie star.
esides the fact that the Rolex Submariner ref. 5512 sat on a legends wrist, this timepiece is a stunner on its own. A late 1950’s model, it was renowned for its precision and accuracy as tested by the Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. It was also much more rare and sought after than the ref. 5513, which wasn’t COSC approved. Of course, the watch is also water resistant, featuring a jet-black face, and stunning white hour markers and hands for easy reading. At an auction in 2009, McQueen’s Submariner 5512 was sold for more than $230,000 – a record for the reference number.
McQueen’s Most Famous Film Watch
Before product placement was even a thing, Steve McQueen was captivating millions by wearing some incredible timepieces in his films. McQueen was so well known for integrating his watches into the movies, that you can’t talk about his films without bringing up which model he wore.
He’s known for the Rolex Speedking in The Great Escape, as well as the Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox and a Cartier Tank Americaine in The Thomas Crown Affair. But, the watch that we’re all still talking about is that 1970’s blue Heuer Monaco 1133.
The watch: Heuer Monaco 1133
The movie: Le Mans, 1971
The Heuer Monaco 1133 is without a doubt the most famous watch McQueen ever sported in a movie. As the story goes, McQueen wanted to sport an authentic wardrobe for his role and Jack Heuer, who was already working with Formula One drivers and Jo Siffert to promote the timepieces, suggested his. The day production went to pick out the watch, the Heuer Monaco 1133 was the only one Heuer brought several examples of. Needing a few to make it through filming, the Monaco was chosen, and a star was born.
By just looking at this timepiece you know it’s special. The square frame and blue face are not only stunning, but it’s also the first ever square and waterproof automatic chronograph. McQueen’s very own Monaco 1133 sold at auction for nearly $800,000 back in 2012.
About the Vintage Rolex Submariner 5512
Submariner 5512 Quick Specs
- Reference Number: 5512
- Production Years: 1959 – 1980 (Approx.)
- Case Size: 40mm
- Materials: Stainless Steel
- Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds, Rotating Timing Bezel
- Dial: Black w/ Luminous Hour Markers (Gilt or Matte Style)
- Luminous Material: Radium or Tritium
- Bezel: Bidirectional, Black Aluminum Insert w/ 60-Minute Scale
- Crystal: Acrylic (Domed)
- Movement: Cal. 1530 (very early models); Cal.1560 or Cal. 1570
- Water Resistance: 200 Meters / 660 Feet
- Strap/Bracelet: Oyster Bracelet Stainless Steel
Click here for our Ultimate Buying Guide on the Rolex Submariner.
Evolution of the Rolex Submariner 5512
Production of Rolex Submariner models for the reference 5512 began in 1959 and carried on until about 1980. With nearly two decades of production dedicated to the Submariner 5512 model, there are a few specific qualities that define different periods during its time. It is what differentiates a modern Submariner from a vintage timepiece that carries a legacy.
For example, the Submariner 5512 was produced with both two lines and four lines of text on the dial. One of the first things an enthusiast might notice is the number of lines on the face of the watch, directly above the 6 ‘clock position.
The watch’s depth rating, as well as the model name (200m = 660ft and Submariner), are listed on two lines. Submariner 5512 watches with these two-line dials are not chronometer-rated. On the other hand, other Submariner 5512 models crafted during the second half of the model’s run show four lines of type on the face to include the “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” inscription. Naturally, these Submariner 5512 models are chronometers.
Another significant detail to note is the placement of meters and feet on the depth rating. Early models had the meters units first: “200m = 660ft.” Rolex later switched it up to have the feet units first: “660ft = 200m.”
If you look at the sides of Submariner 5512, you’ll see that there are crown guards. The 5512 was the first Submariner to include protective shields around the crown, and the shape of these crown guards evolved over the years.
The very first iterations were square crown guards but these didn’t last long as this shape made it difficult for divers to use the crown while wearing gloves. Next came pointed crown guards, often known as PCG in collecting circles. To achieve this effect, Rolex craftsman would allegedly grind the squares into a point, making them thinner and shorter than what you might see today. The third and final iteration was the rounded crown guards, similar to what we see on modern Rolex watches.
Steve McQueen’s Submariner
According to Jake Ehrlich of Jake’s Rolex World, Steve McQueen wore at least two different Submariner references – 5512 and 5513 – during his lifetime. Fun fact, the actor wore his watches on his right arm rather than the left.
Steve McQueen had been photographed many times wearing his Submariner 5512 over the years including at the 12 hours of Sebring Race in 1970, on the set of Le Mans (although in the movie he famously wears a Heuer Monaco watch), and in the 1980 movie, Hunter – his final role before he died in November of that year at the age of 50.
Steve McQueen wore a 1967 Submariner 5512, with four lines of text on the dial, meaning it was a chronometer-certified model. Inside the case was Caliber 1570 and the crown guards were the rounded variety.
Steve McQueen had given his Submariner 5512 to his friend good friend Jimmy Brucker in 1980. The watch was auctioned in 2009 and sold for $234,000.
What About the Rolex “Steve McQueen” Watch?
Someone confusingly, there is another famous vintage Rolex watch that is nicknamed the “Steve McQueen,” which is not a Submariner at all but in fact, the Explorer II 1655. However, Steve McQueen never wore an Explorer II 1655!
So how did the Explorer II 1655 become known as the “Rolex Steve McQueen.” It was due to an unfortunate instance of misinformation. An Italian magazine had reported that the actor wore one sometime in the mid-1970s and the erroneous information stuck. So even though it was later uncovered that McQueen never wore an Explorer II, the ref. 1655 will forever be known as the “Steve McQueen” in watch collecting circles.
