Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 08, 2014

LOT 964

ROLEX REF 5512 SQUARE CROWN GUARD, SPIDER DIAL Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual, 200 m/660 ft, Submariner", case No. 478083, Ref. 5512. Made in 1959. Fine and very rare, early, center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch.

CHF 70,000 - 90,000

HKD 610,000 - 782,000 / USD 73,000 - 94,000

Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and crown, graduated bi-directional revolving black bezel for the decompression times, winding-crown protected by the crown guard. Black with luminous round, triangular and baton indexes, outer minute track. Luminous steel skeleton hands. Cal. 1530, rhodium-plated, 26 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, selfcompensating Breguet balance spring, index regulator.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3-8

Good

Slightly scratched
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-7-9-01

Good

Oxidized

Scratched

HANDS Original

Notes

Dial, case and movement signed. DIAM. 40 mm. THICKNESS 14 mm. ROLEX introduced reference 5512 in 1959 to substitute for Ref. 5510 and 6538, starting with a 478.xxx serial number. The most important features of the new reference were a new wide graduated revolving bezel for the decompression times, a smaller winding crown (from 8 to 7 mm.) and a protected winding crown called the "crown guard". The earliest models featured square type guards; approximately 100 examples of Ref. 5512 were tested by professional divers. It came out that this type of crown guard was not easy to use while wearing professional diver's gloves and Rolex stopped production. To the best of our knowledge, a few hundred Ref. 5512 with square guards were made, starting with serial number 478.xxx, and only in 1959. The present lot is the 83rd Rolex Ref. 5512 ever made. It features the original dial with the DEPTH range written in silver and "Submariner" in gilt. Only a few examples appeared on the market. Due to its rarity this model is much sought-after by Rolex collectors.