THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 5513
YEAR: 1983
BOX/PAPERS: YES/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC
The 5513 is, without a doubt, the quintessential vintage Rolex—and over its 25-year production run it also produced the widest range of variations within the Submariner family. From early gilt dials and pointed crown guard cases, to matte dials and, later, glossy dials, each era of the 5513 carries its own distinct character.
The example offered here is one of the very last matte-dial 5513s produced. It features a “Maxi MkV” dial—distinguished by its oversized hour markers and by the longer depth rating, printed above the Submariner text. Produced only between roughly 1983 and 1984, the Maxi MkV is, for many collectors, one of the watches that marks the end of the “vintage Rolex” era. By this time, the Sea-Dweller 16660, the Explorer II 16550, and the GMT-Master II 16760 were already in production, ushering in the neo-vintage age with sapphire crystals, thicker case construction, and glossy dials—elements that would go on to define the modern Rolex era.
Now 42 years old, this watch remains in fantastic condition. The dial is spotless, with all tritium lume intact and aged to an even, creamy hue. The case has been polished in the past but sympathetically, with lugs and crown guards still strong and full. Its flat-four bezel insert with tritium pip is correct for the period and retains all of its colour. The watch also retains its original full-link 93150 bracelet with H-stamped clasp, showing only minimal stretch. Notably, the caseback is stamped 5512—a common occurrence after the 5512 was discontinued, when Rolex used the remaining identical casebacks for 5513 production.
The movement came to us in excellent health, running at +3 seconds per day with 282 amplitude and a 0.2 ms beat error. The watch comes with its inner and outer boxes, wallet, booklets, anchor, calendar and translation booklet.
A superb late example of an iconic reference.