Although it was by no means the very first Submariner that replica Rolex ever produced, many collectors regard the reference 5512 as the point in the history of replica Rolex’s iconic dive watch where it first started to take on what would ultimately become its present-day form. Produced from 1959 until approximately 1979, the replica Rolex Submariner ref. 5512 brought about several notable changes to the brand’s famous dive watch family. For instance, it grew in size to 40mm from the 38mm case diameter of previous models, and it also introduced crown guards to the collection for the very first time.
Despite being such an important model from the Submariner’s history, replica Rolex is always moving forward and improving upon its designs, and the reference 5512 was produced with a number of different variations during the span of its two-decade production run. Like most vintage replica Rolex watches, the Submariner ref. 5512 evolved over time, and it is this subtle variation that makes it such an exciting model for today’s collectors. Let’s have a look at what these differences are and what influence they have on the value of a vintage Submariner ref. 5512.
Even though it was a leap forward in terms of design, the ref. 5512 still wasn’t quite yet perfected when it was launched. The most obvious key difference between it and its forerunners was the addition of crown guards, protective shoulders around the winding crown to insulate it against shocks and accidental unscrewing – a logical and welcome addition for a tool watch meant to accompany explorers on their underwater adventures.
Depending on the production year, there are three distinct types of crown guards found on the Submariner ref. 5512. The square shape of the guards on the very first wave of the Submariner 5512 blocked the crown so much that it made it difficult to operate. They were quickly changed to a more pointed style; however, it seems that the surplus stock of those original cases were shipped across to its sister company Tudor, who used them on its own Submariner, the ref. 7928. About five years after the introduction of the pointed crown guards, replica Rolex switched the crown guard silhouette yet again, to a more rounded shape, which became the standard shape throughout the remainder of the Submariner ref. 5512’s production run.
As with any vintage replica Rolex watch, the tiniest change on the dial or bezel can lead to incredible premiums being added to their present-day value. Without diving into the bottomless minutiae of every different type of font serif, text alignment, chapter ring, or depth rating marking, there are two main generations of ref. 5512 dials, and even that is confusing enough for most collectors.
While all replica Rolex Submariner ref. 5512 watches came equipped with black dials, there are two main versions. The earlier editions came with glossy black dials with gilt (gold) text up until about 1967. Rolex then replaced this style of dial with matte black dials with white printing. As expected, those Submariner ref. 5512 watches with glossy gilt dials typically command higher prices than those with matte black dials and white printing. Similar to the GMT-Master collection, there are also two versions of the glossy/gilt dials found on the Submariner 5512 – ones with a chapter ring (early examples) and those without a chapter ring that came later before gilt dials were phased out completely and replaced with matte dials.
The very earliest examples of the replica Rolex Submariner ref. 5512 were fitted with the brand’s own Cal. 1530, a sturdy workhorse of a movement, but one that was not (generally speaking) chronometer-certified. To gain the certification, the movement would have to pass the stringent trials of the COSC – better known as the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. Only those capable of being accurate to within +4/-6 seconds a day could bear the label “SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED” on their dials.
With those early models of the ref. 5512 not submitted for testing, the only dial text they had other than ‘Rolex’ and ‘Oyster Perpetual’ was the Submariner name and the depth rating. These ultra-rare pieces are known as 2-line Submariner 5512 watches and they are today among the most collectible examples of the reference 5512.
The Cal. 1530 was very quickly replaced with the chronometer-certified Cal. 1560 and a little later by the Cal. 1570, which enabled replica Rolex to include the extra chronometer-certified wording, creating 4-line Submariner 5512 watches. While all 2-line Submariner 5512 models have glossy gilt dials, depending on the year, 4-line versions can either come with glossy gilt dials or matte dials with white printing. Due to their age and rarity, 2-line Submariner ref. 5512 versions are typically more expensive than their 4-line counterparts.