The 5513 to be my first

[brandrea]

Congratulations on your 5513 . Mine is also from 1967 my birthyear. 7206 Swiss rivet braclet is what they came with originally is my understanding?

[gileto]

yes, 7206.

[Mr.H]

Thanks Gileto, your bezel still seems to be in excellent condition.

[gileto]

Yes, near perfect condition for a 1967 insert :)

[Wing Zero]

Originally Posted by figsgrandpa

As far as the price of C&I bracelets, when I bought mine new in 1977 to replace the broken original one, I think I paid $25, which I considered highway robbery. At that time, a nice non-Rolex band could be bought for $5 to $10. If I had only known how much they'd be worth today, I would have broken open my piggy bank and bought a dozen.

For $25 I would have bought a bazillion...
Great watch btw. First thing I would do is start hunting for a mk2 or mk3 insert.
Good Luck

[Mr.H]

Thanks, being rather new myself, any advice as to where to look look for the insert? VRF seems like one option, but are there reliable alternatives? appreciated!

[gileto]

Vrm, timezone, watchuseek, chrono24, eBay...

[JohnBaker3]

Originally Posted by Mr.H

This is about the best I could make right now on my ipad. A point to be aware of is no dots beneath the Rolex crown logo. I have learnt that with the replacement crowns in the 70's and later, there are three dots beneath. Anyone know more on this?

There were multiple crowns used on the Submariner based on date on manufacture.

The "no dot" 7mm stainless steel was used until late 1972 or so. It is called the 24-700 twin-lock.

In 1972 they upgraded to the 24-702 trip-lock; it has 3 dots almost touching the coronet on the crown.

Sometime later, they upgraded to the 24-703 trip-lock.....the 3 dots are further away from the coronet...

The "no dot" twin lock is correct for your watch; difficult and pricey to locate; in many cases the crown tube is even more difficult to source unless you go after-market...



Pics from the internet.....

[Mr.H]

That is truly useful information, thanks. Particularily the references.

[Mr.H]

Originally Posted by gileto

Vrm, timezone, watchuseek, chrono24, eBay...

OK, thanks. Any knowledge on leather straps?

[Mr.H]

Originally Posted by figsgrandpa

The C&I bracelets have no markings on them except for "C&I USA ##" on the clasp (## is the last two digits of the year of manufacture). I don't believe they still sell them new, but, like the watches, they are available used through various sources. While not as expensive as a 7206, they can still cost hundreds of dollars.

With constant wear, the rivet bracelets can stretch over the years, so before you buy a used one, check it out. There's a man in Hong Kong named Michael Young, who, for a couple of hundred dollars, can refurbish rivet bracelets, and some of the members on this forum have used his services.

Have you looked at NATO straps? NATO straps are nylon bands that were originally developed for the British Ministry of Defense for Rolex watches that had been converted for military use. "Mil Spec" Rolexes have a solid bar of stainless steel permanently attached between the lugs so they can't use bracelets or any other strap that is attached with spring bars. NATO straps thread through the bars and have a retainer that keeps the watch from sliding around on the strap. Many Rolex owners put a set of spring bars on their watches, and then thread a NATO strap through them. They're comfortable, secure and the watch looks good on them. They come in a variety of colors and are not at all expensive.

Thanks for this thorough explanation Figsgrandpa, the Natostrap is on my wish list. Certainly, I would prefer to buy a bracelet only after inspecting it physically, but they tend to be a very long way from home, so I seem left with putting trust in pictures. Perhaps there is no way around to go for one, and then if needed give it an overhaul i Hong Kong like you say. There is one 7206 for sale here at the forum, so I may approach that opportunity.

[gileto]

if you're after a good nato : http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=425959

[Mr.H]

Originally Posted by gileto

if you're after a good nato : http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=425959

Thanks Gileto!