Vintage Rolex Submariner 5513 Maxi Mark III "Lollipop"

This Submariner is in great, honest vintage condition with wear consistent with age. The case is in great condition with scratches and nicks; the bevels are still visible. The inner caseback is stamped: "5513". The serial and reference numbers are crisp between the lugs. The bezel ring has remained sharp and the insert is in overall great condition with normal wear; it has faded throughout to a super attractive, even grey color with hints of blue depending on the lighting. The pip is a later replacement. The matte black dial is in overall great condition with light patina. The lume on the hour markers have developed patina and aged to lovely off white, creamy color. The hands have developed patina and the lume in the hands has aged darker than the lume on the dial which is not uncommon. This has a stainless steel 93150 Oyster bracelet with 11 links, 580 end links and divers extension link. The bracelet is stamped "F" indicating that it is from 1981. The bracelet is in great condition with normal signs of wear and light stretch between the links.

Pre-Owned Rolex Submariner ref 5513 (circa 1981) was one of the longest continually produced references from the brand. Rolex introduced ref. 5513 around 1962 and it was in production until 1989. Rolex initially used glossy dials in this model and swapped to matte dials around 1966. When Rolex went to the matte dial they also put the depth rating as "200m = 660ft" and these are known as "meters first" in the collecting community. Eventually Rolex would swap the depth rating to feet first around the early 1970s and have continued this trend to the modern offerings. The watch we have here has a "feet first" depth rating. One theory on this change is that Rolex wanted to boost sales in the United States, but to our knowledge Rolex has not made any definitive statements on this shift. 

This lovely Mark III Maxi "Lolipop" Submariner gets it whimsical nickname from the large hour markers on the dial being so close to the minute hashmarks next to them, thus reminding us of a lollipop. In addition to this example having a Maxi dial, it comes with a full kit of box and papers with all the accessories it would have come with when it was sold new in the 1980s. Unfortunately the guarantee was never filled in, which is something we have seen many times before. A couple neat things about this set is that the hangtag bears the case number on it and the box has the original "5513/0/B" sticker on the side indicating this was the box for the model. It even comes with the anchor which is something we love to see. Besides having a nice kit of goodies, the watch itself is just beautiful, from the nicely aged lume to the perfectly faded bezel - this checks all the boxes!