Rolex Submariner Ref. 5513 ‘Non-Serif’

One of our all-time favorite watches, the Rolex Submariner reference 5513.

This no-date Submariner was produced from 1962 all the way up until 1989 when it was replaced by the very different five-digit references. While those look distinctly modern, this 5513 is very much a vintage Sub. Domed acrylic crystal, faded aluminum bezel insert, beautifully light yellow-ish tritium. We love it!

The lume is actually indicative of the period. While “meters-first” dials tend to have lume that colors brown or orange over time, the “feet first” dials tend to get more cream/yellowish, as seen here.

The 5513 has seen many iterations with subtle and less subtle differences. This particular example has a non-serif dial. This dial layout succeeded the earlier “meters first” dials and features a matte black “feet first” configuration. Its name is derived from another variation, the serif dial. This variation features small serif decorations on the stick markers at 3, 6 and 9. Since this example features completely straight markers, it is nicknamed “non-serif”.

The one we have here is a very early example of this configuration, dating back to Q4 of 1968, while the “feet first” Subs are typically dated to 1969 and later.

If it is a vintage Sub you are after, this is your watch!