Maker: |
Rolex |
Model: |
Milsub |
Reference No.: |
5513 |
Date: |
1974 |
Serial No.: |
3764798 - 0552/923/7697 84/74 |
Case: |
Beautifully presented lightly polished 40mm. diameter steel case, with very thick lugs and lovely chamfers, riveted bars, serial and reference numbers correctly featured between the lugs, the case back correctly engraved with the military markings on the outside, the inside of the cover punched with the reference number 5513 and further correctly engraved with the watch serial number in the centre, lovely period bezel insert. |
Dial: |
Beautiful original dial with feet first depthing, tritium T within the circle, wonderful perfect creamy lume plots with matching lume for the (non-military) Mercedes hands |
Movement: |
Automatic caliber 1520 movement with 45-hour power reserve |
Strap: |
Early period NATO strap |
Price: |
£68,000 |
Info: |
This watch comes with a personal letter from the Captain in the Royal Navy who was issued with the watch in 1981 and served in the Navy for 37 years, the watch further comes with a Rolex service guarantee paper dated 11 December 2006 THIS ROLEX MILSUB HISTORY The present Milsub is a particularly lovely example with a fascinating history. The watch would have been issued from the Naval stores in 1974/75 and returned to the stores to be reissued in 1981 to the previous owner a Royal Navy pilot who flew Sea King and Lynx helicopters and also served on a fast patrol boat and six frigates, he commanded a squadron of Sea King helicopters on board the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal and finally commanded a Royal Navy minesweeper. He left the service wearing the present watch and he is currently a volunteer pilot with Royal Navy Wings flying team based in Ilchester, Somerset. He has written an accompanying letter which will be sold with the watch and understandably he has requested that his name remains anonymous until the next buyer receives the watch. THE HANDS & BEZEL INSERT Although the Rolex Milsub is generally understood to have been issued with military sword hands and the military-issue bezel insert, there have been instances where some of the early 1970's Milsubs were issued with standard hands and inserts. The Naval Captain that previously owned and wore this watch on duty for over 20 years only remembers that it was issued with these Mercedes hands and bezel insert. When the owner had it cleaned by Rolex in 2006 the hands and insert were not replaced, if they were they would have been replaced with service hands and service insert. Indeed on close inspection the hands and insert are period to the date of the case with fat font MK 3 insert and hands with considerable patina and lume that perfectly matches the dial's lume plots. |
Box & Papers: |
Rolex service guarantee paper and letter from the original Naval owner |
