1965 Submariner auctioned for £230k + premium

[sutats]

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/rare-role...mate-1-5234409

Pretty impressive result for the original owner. Who would've thought at the time that a mass produced mechanical wrist watch would end up being so treasured.

What ref is it and any idea how many were produced?

[Dr.Smellody]

Wow! Amazing.

[springer]

It would really be amazing if a radium watch really looked like that after 60 plus years.

[offrdmania]

Im assuming that beautiful 3 6 9 dial is what got people fighting over it

[harry in montreal]

Bezel doesn't look too orig to me. Dial looks mint which always makes me a grumpy skeptic

[lee fowler]

Yes and only £63 in 1964!

[xeal]

Originally Posted by springer

It would really be amazing if a radium watch really looked like that after 60 plus years.

Isnt this particular example tritium though?

[Andad]

I see the experts lining up to comment on this one....

[lupus66]

perfect 3-6-9 dial. trit. 5513.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by directioneng

I see the experts lining up to comment on this one....

If it's not all original, I want my money back

[Phil t 32]

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere but I think the auctioneer would be more than happy, anyone on the board know any more details?

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/467352...r-rolex-watch/


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[fmc000]

Originally Posted by xeal

Isnt this particular example tritium though?

SWISS-only dial without underline or exclamation point, if I'm not mistaken. That should make it definitely radium.

[Vincent65]

Just wow...

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/467352...r-rolex-watch/

[Vincent65]

Photos, courtesy of The Sun:

[Vincent65]

Sorry - didn't see other thread, please delete.

[brandrea]

No worries, we're already discussing it's short comings

[Old Expat Beast]

No further details, but it's good that the unsuspecting owner got a decent price.

[fmc000]

<deleted>

[fmc000]

Originally Posted by fmc000

SWISS-only dial without underline or exclamation point, if I'm not mistaken. That should make it definitely radium.

Scratch that, now I see the underline, so it's tritium.

[springer]

Originally Posted by xeal

Isnt this particular example tritium though?

Yes it is. I didn't look at it close enough.

[GeoffIsringhausenJr.]

It is 100% correct and the condition is really incredible, a friend of mine bought it.

[jedly1]

i haven't handled it in person , but subject to my usual caveat that NO ONE should make a definitive comment on a watch they havent handled in real life.....i'd say it looked all good and all original.

the watch was fought over and won by someone in the room who had the benefit of handling it in person, and i hear in person it was even nicer than on the pics.

the 369 dials divide into two camps...those with good gloss coats and those with lumpy ones

the good gloss coat examples ( the swiss<25t, the double print , the dot dot ....mostly survive looking stunning...but are prone to edge chips ...so one without chips is highly coveted...the white swiss in particular is very hard to find without edge damage....

the other group, usually earlier, like the so called kissing L, tend to have gloss coats that have 'pimpled' ...nothing to do with lume , this i think is just the application /material at the point of manufacture....in person you'll see they just aren't quite as sharp or attractive and command about 50% the price of the others....likewise the glossy ones WITH edge damage will only make 50% of the big hitters.

these 369 glossy dial in the lockdales condition are expensive and few and far between..( this one wasn't the most expensive ever sold btw)


on lume its bizarre ....it seems lately that there is a serious misunderstanding come back in .....like the last 10 years of learning has been forgotten .....in 1959 the level of radium used in the luminous material drops off the edge of the cliff, less radium ( the battery of the glow) ..usually more phosphorous material ( the light build of the glow).....gilt dial from 59-62 wont be deteriorating because of radium effects primarily, like in earlier periods,l so it is perfectly normal for some dials from this period to survive in good condition ...if they aren't in great condition it much more likely attributable to the usual ravages of time...like poor seals and moisture ingress, poor servicing and oil bleed, crappy manufacture standards etc.

[Xelorpepsi]

Originally Posted by lee fowler

Yes and only £63 in 1964!

FYI - According to the Bank of England's inflation calculator, this price back in 1964 would be equivalent to c.£1,200 of today's money.

It's a nice watch but I really struggle to understand how a mass production model can reach such an absurd price. We are not talking about a prototype or a watch with a revolutionary and complex mechanism. Don't get me wrong, I love Rolex and own a few, but in this case I can see speculation rather passion.

[Shaky]

So linking this watch and what it actually fetched, and the amount of interest what on earth is the Paul Newman Daytona going to fetch in a couple of weeks ??

I know there is a thread already on that watch but this has got to be a red flare that it is going to get crazy in that auction room

[actionkwj]

Originally Posted by Xelorpepsi

FYI - According to the Bank of England's inflation calculator, this price back in 1964 would be equivalent to c.£1,200 of today's money.



It's a nice watch but I really struggle to understand how a mass production model can reach such an absurd price. We are not talking about a prototype or a watch with a revolutionary and complex mechanism. Don't get me wrong, I love Rolex and own a few, but in this case I can see speculation rather passion.

There's too much inflated money out there pure and simple There's no logic it's purely economic IMHO


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[watchlovr]

Originally Posted by actionkwj

There's too much inflated money out there pure and simple There's no logic it's purely economic IMHO


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Which is what is always said at the time.
In 5 years time when it sells at Phillps for double the price it will then be a bargain.

[Swiss Mad!]

So at the time of manufacture did Rolex simply put an Explorer dial in a Submariner case?

Or am I over simplifying things?

What was the purpose of it and what was it marketed as - a special edition Submariner or a special edition Explorer, or was it a separate, independent reference in its own rite?

Whatever it was, I think they should re release it, its completely amazing!

Thanks in advance..

[roh123]

Dream piece. Wow!

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Swiss Mad!

So at the time of manufacture did Rolex simply put an Explorer dial in a Submariner case?

Or am I over simplifying things?

What was the purpose of it and what was it marketed as - a special edition Submariner or a special edition Explorer, or was it a separate, independent reference in its own rite?

Whatever it was, I think they should re release it, its completely amazing!

Thanks in advance..

As far as I know the 3-6-9 was an optional dial for the 5513 in the early to mid 1960s. I think it was also the first Submariner dial not to have a chapter ring.

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

As far as I know the 3-6-9 was an optional dial for the 5513 in the early to mid 1960s. I think it was also the first Submariner dial not to have a chapter ring.

Interesting stuff thanks for the info

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