Got carried away and bought this, any help appreciated

[foil_guy]

any help appreciated.

Hi got a bit carried away today, and bid and won a Rolex Submariner mid 80's i'm guessing. Yep as an idiot i didn't check between the lugs as saw this late in the day, and it was in the short listed weekly sale, i basically happened to pop in during the auction. Looking through a Lupe, and turning dial to the light, the gloss dial has fine spidering.

So question is. Is the bezel insert fake? and how about the strap? I know the box is off an entirely different model. But people do add boxes to bump up prices. All in it has cost me £6000. I've yet to pay. The listing in the Auction catalogue only saying 'A Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner wristwatch, boxed'.

So I don't know how i would stand legally if anything on it were not legitimate. Do they have an obligation to state fake parts?

[Dsmith1974]

Looks okay apart from the missing pearl? Some people pay more for cracked spidering on the dial.


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[AJMarcus]

Mmmm repost this in the vintage Rolex section of TRF and you’ll get plenty of expert information. Good luck

[Seibei]

Wow, you sank 6000 quid into something you know little about. Brave man. I suppose you could send it to Rolex for a full service. They could probably get it looking great for another 3000 quid or so.

[Mrpupsi]

Looks to be a late 5513 to me, box possibly correct.
For 6k I think you’ve done well there.
I think someone more knowledgable will disagree shortly though haha

[foil_guy]

yes i know....

[spare]

Pretty sure that's a 5513, but unfortunately not the one with the mat maxi dial.
At first glance, I don't see any replacement pieces right away, but I'm sure there are other people with more experience/expertise who could confirm that.
Imho (and assuming it's not B&P), £6k is on the higher end for this piece.

[stevedssd]

Dial, hands and insert all look good to me but I don't profess to be an expert on these. You are correct about the box being wrong, do you have photo's of the clasp code and is the serial number only numeric or an R or L serial. If all that checks out, £6K is a good price IMO.

[NigeG]

If bought at auction you have no recourse to refund if later found to be hooky. You’ll find the auction house T&C’s will say that it’s up to you to make sure you know what you’re bidding on and to satisfy yourself it is what it says it is.

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by Seibei

Wow, you sank 6000 quid into something you know little about. Brave man. I suppose you could send it to Rolex for a full service. They could probably get it looking great for another 3000 quid or so.

The first thing i think of when I read threads like this is does it really even matter?

If 6000 quid is such an insignificant amount of money that it can be spend FIRST on a questionable impulse buy at some auction, then the authenticity questions come...it just isn't that big of a deal is it?

I would just wear it and enjoy it or throw it in a drawer and forget about it.

[exador]

Hey Paul, maybe you should stick to Mil Watches

But seriously, you have a nice spider dial 5513 there - looks like it’s never been polished. And 6000 quid is a deal

[Dan S]

Do you have the serial? I think the price is ok if it's a legit 80s 5513, but it could be an earlier piece with service parts. Hard to know without seeing between the lugs.

[BigBlue1]

Looks good to me

[dhknola]

I am not an expert but researched 5513s a fair amount before purchasing mine. I think you have a big winner as long as serial number coincides to dial style and yes the later ones had white gold surrounds and while not as “hot” as maxi dials, still sought after.
The case looks incredible.


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[foil_guy]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

The first thing i think of when I read threads like this is does it really even matter?

If 6000 quid is such an insignificant amount of money that it can be spend FIRST on a questionable impulse buy at some auction, then the authenticity questions come...it just isn't that big of a deal is it?

I would just wear it and enjoy it or throw it in a drawer and forget about it.

Yes you have a very good point sir. I must admit I was a tad impulsive,; that maybe an understatement. I've been lucky over the years and amassed a lot of watches. Many which have skyrocketed in value. Rolex and i have always had a tempestuous relationship. I bought a 6536/1 all gilt 11.56 6 years ago for £6000, with 60's service bezel insert, crown and 6636 bracelet. years later I choose not to buy a '65 gilt 5513 for £6000. kicking myself now. 3 months ago i was the guy behind a guy that bought a 60's PCG rolex sub for £4500 at a watch fair, missing out by 30 seconds. So I agree £6000 is not a frivolous amount. It's just that i'd Ebay list 2 or 3 watches I don't wear to cover the cost. However I know i took a big risk. With the 6536/1 it paid off, but I did forgot how careful I should be.

[foil_guy]

Originally Posted by exador

Hey Paul, maybe you should stick to Mil Watches

But seriously, you have a nice spider dial 5513 there - looks like it’s never been polished. And 6000 quid is a deal

Yes i agree about the mil watch thing. I forgot how dicey these waters are. Dumb really, as, as a mil watch collector i can set you straight on practically anything military. I however wasn't paying enough respect to this rolex collecting gig.

[STEELINOX]

Following from a distance, but only briefly - just because I just popped a bowl of kernels - have at it Boyz !

[foil_guy]

OK, so this fool, got lucky, watch is all OK. Auction house let me fully check it, and even stick the serial number through the watch register. As always the strap is too small for my 8 inch wrist, but at least unlike the 6636 strap on my 6536/1 has an extension clasp i can use until i source the extra link. Here are some pics.

watch dates to 85 on the serial, strap to 86. Case appears unpolished, and for what it's worth the dial has the crazing that can only be seen at obtuse angles under a loupe.

[linesiders]

You have some equity in the watch. You did OK but not a home run.

[foil_guy]

That's fine. Happy to pay near the going rate, and i like the fact this one seems honest. It's getting paid for by others watches i no longer need, the profit's in their sales really.

Thanks for the response though. I'm just glad it's not some bodged together affair, which in all fairness is what i deserve.

[Dan S]

Good news ... enjoy!

[rusty427]

Beautiful original 5513 by the looks.
Below market value, so I reckon you did okay.
Here is mine in similar unpolished condition.
and enjoy.

[kwcsports]

I really like it, I had a similar one in the 80's, wish I still had it.

[oysterquartz17000]

I like it too and really when you think about it, this could have turned out so much worse for you. Its a home run from my point of view.

[Lgear080]

Watch is quite nice... did you get the putter cardboard along w the box?

[Razorsedge1]

Glad it worked out!

[foil_guy]

Thanks, couple of stressful days before I picked up the watch. Came with a rolex creation geneve 11.00.01 box which I figured didn't below to the watch, that's a GMT box I think?

[catmanmorgs]

Nice work.. enjoy..
I’m liking these the more i see them


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[Lgear080]

Very difficult to ascertain what box went w what watch. There was a lot more leeway for jewelers to mix and match these things back when. The box is quite nice and desirable, doubt that it’s not been paired w the watch for some time. Was interested to see if a cardboard outer came w the package.

[foil_guy]

No the box just came with a folded rolex guarantee paper under the slotted felt card to hold the watch.