Rolex

Rolex

Comex

5513

1971

353XXXX

40mm. diameter steel case with gas escape valve in the side band, original bezel and original screw-down winder, case back originally with COMEX engraved but now polished off, the inside of the cover is engraved 1.72 (first quarter 1972) 5513 (ref) and 763 (last three digits of the case serial number)

Beautiful original matt black tritium dial with original creamy-coloured lume plots.

Automatic calibre 1520 movement with 48-hour power reserve

Rolex 9315 folded link steel bracelet with deployant clasp numbered 349 and 501B end links

£25,000

This rare prototype Rolex submariner is one of the earliest examples of a reference 5513 made with the HEV or Helium Escape Valve – a full explanation of the HEV is given below here under THE COMEX LEGEND. This example was produced in 1972, just a few months after the HEV was ‘invented' by Rolex in collaboration with the French COMEX diving company. These prototype HEV Comex watches do not command the same price as their ‘later' examples with the COMEX logo on the dial, yet perversely the prototypes are so much rarer. This particular example originally had the word COMEX engraved on the back cover, in fact on close examination it is still possible to detect the ripple in the steel where the vestiges of the word was polished out. It seems likely that the owner diver wanted to hang on to his Rolex when he left Comex, but he didn't want the tell-tale engraving to remain Whatever the reason it is beyond doubt that this example is indeed an early Comex prototype with HEV and with the last three digits of the case serial number engraved on the inside cover. It comes with its original bezel and original dial both of which are in beautiful condition. Furthermore, it has just returned from a full service (movement only) by Rolex UK and it is accompanied by a supporting letter from the acclaimed Rolex expert Mike Wood giving a full digest on this watch. THE COMEX LEGEND COMEX or “Compagnie maritime d'expertises” is a French diving company - the NASA of the deep sea. It began to work with Rolex to develop the ultimate dive watch between 1970 to 1997. Over this period of time, Rolex produced nine COMEX variations, from the Submariner or Sea-Dweller ranges. While the Submariner was launched in ‘53, it was in fact the Rolex Sea-Dweller, launched in 1967, that paved the way to improve the capabilities of the Submariner which only had a 200m depth rating. One defining feature of these timepieces during the COMEX era was that of the helium escape valve – HEV (also called the gas escape valve- essential for dive professionals, such as COMEX's commercial divers). The first watch created by Rolex for COMEX, in 1970, was the Rolex Submariner ref. 5513, that featured the HEV. They also later produced the ref. 5514 with the HEV, a reference made exclusively for COMEX. Reportedly, only 154 of these watches were produced making them impossibly difficult to find on the vintage watch market. One of the next watches was the 1680, produced without a valve for one year between 1978 and 1979. The following COMEX Submariners were produced without a valve and spanned references 16800 (matte or gloss dial It is important to note that Rolex didn't commercially release any of the COMEX models. Instead, they were commissioned and offered only to COMEX and their commercial divers.