Submariner model

Rolex Submariner

Catalog example attributed to Rolex 5513 Crown guards / Gilt two-line
Catalog example attributed to Rolex 5513 Crown guards / Gilt two-line, photo 1 Catalog example attributed to Rolex 5513 Crown guards / Gilt two-line, photo 2 Catalog example attributed to Rolex 5513 Crown guards / Gilt two-line, photo 3
Catalog example: Rolex 5513 Crown guards / Gilt two-line. Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. Photo source: amsterdamvintagewatches.com

24 variants across 16 references

6204620562006536 / 6536-1653855085510551255135513 MilSub

Rolex Submariner: 24 catalog configurations across 16 references. Compare specifications, identification notes and the evidence attached to each entry.

References
16 references
Variants
24 variants
Range span
$11,000 to $650,000
Photo set
12 images
Recorded range 6200 / Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Explorer 3-6-9 gilt $350,000 to $650,000 Recorded range 6538 / Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Four-line gilt $200,000 to $450,000 Recorded range 5517 / Fixed bars, crown guards / T-circle, sword hands $180,000 to $400,000

A closer look

Notable examples

Explore the dial, bezel and case details through distinct examples, each linked to its original source.

Submariner references at a glance

16 references and 24 recorded configurations are summarized below. Production dates come from the catalog notes. Market ranges combine recorded dealer, auction and estimate fields for orientation only; open a guide before comparing condition or originality.

References at a glance
ReferenceProductionRecorded configurationsCatalog market rangeGuide
62041 configuration1953–1955Small crown, no guards / Pencil hands, radium$21,000–$85,000Open guide →
62051 configuration1954–1955Small crown, no guards / Mercedes hands, radium$19,000–$95,000Open guide →
62001 configuration1954–1955Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Explorer 3-6-9 gilt$290,000–$650,000Open guide →
6536 / 6536-11 configuration1955–1959Small crown, no guards / Gilt, red triangle$12,000–$90,000Open guide →
65382 configurations1955–1959Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Four-line gilt
Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Two-line gilt		$88,000–$450,000Open guide →
55081 configuration1958–1962Small crown, no guards / Gilt, chapter ring$20,000–$75,000Open guide →
55101 configuration1958–1959Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Gilt two-line$65,000–$220,000Open guide →
55123 configurations1959–1978Square crown guards / Gilt four-line
Pointed crown guards / Gilt four-line
Crown guards / Matte four-line		$12,000–$205,000Open guide →
55134 configurations1962–1989Crown guards / Gilt two-line
Crown guards / Matte, feet first
Crown guards / Matte, meters first+1 more		$7,000–$55,000Open guide →
5513 MilSub1 configurationSee guideFixed bars, crown guards / T-circle, sword hands$95,000–$250,000Open guide →
5513/55171 configurationSee guideFixed bars, crown guards / Dual-marked$180,000–$350,000Open guide →
16802 configurations1969–1979Crown guards, date / Red Submariner, Mk I-VI
Crown guards, date / White text matte		$8,000–$60,000Open guide →
1680/82 configurations1969–197918k gold, date / Blue nipple
18k gold, date / Black nipple		$20,000–$55,000Open guide →
55141 configuration1971–1979COMEX$34,000–$196,000Open guide →
55171 configurationSee guideFixed bars, crown guards / T-circle, sword hands$125,000–$400,000Open guide →
16800 / 1680001 configurationSee guideSpider dial$9,000–$20,000Open guide →

How to narrow the comparison

  1. Start with the reference, then use the recorded configurations to identify the bezel, dial and case that match the watch.
  2. Open the guide for its catalog notes, photographs and any attached source links. Treat ranges as context, not a valuation.
  3. For a specific offered watch, request reference markings, service records and replacement-part disclosures. A shared reference number alone does not establish matching condition or originality.

Reference sources and price evidence

0 distinct reference sources are attached to these 24 catalog entries. 24 entries have no attached reference source; treat their specifications and historical notes as catalog claims awaiting verification.

0 of 24 entries have attached price-source links. Dealer ranges, auction ranges and catalog estimates are separate data categories, not live offers or verified transaction results. Check each linked page for asking versus sold price, sale date, currency, fees and the actual configuration; a source link alone does not establish those details.

Photographs illustrate sourced examples. Image-source links identify their origin; they are not reference research, proof of authenticity or a statement of image rights. No physical inspection is represented here. Read the editorial and evidence method.

Collector Read

Use the reference and configuration together to identify a watch in this family.

The mistake is treating the family like one market. A 6200 Explorer dial, a 6538 four-line, a 5513 giltGold-colored dial printing, usually on early glossy Rolex sport dials. It is one of the first details collectors use to date a watch., and a later 1680/8 all say Submariner, but they ask completely different questions. Case, crown, insert, dial printing, lumeThe luminous material on hands and hour markers. Radium, tritium, Luminova, and Super-LumiNova age and value differently., and paper trail set the table before romance gets a vote.

Use the grid as a filter. Early no-guard references are about architecture and survival. Crown-guard watches are about dial generation and condition. Military pieces are about provenance first. Gold watches are about originality and taste. The name gets you in the room. The configuration decides whether the number is real.

That is why this page matters. It makes the family visible in one pass, then lets you drop into the exact reference when a watch starts to look interesting. The shortcut is not a louder opinion. It is a better map.

Model Summary

Model
Submariner
Variants
24 variants
References
16 references
Range span
$11,000 to $650,000

Known Variants

Ref. 6204

Small crown, no guards

One of the original Submariner references, with a compact case, rotating dive bezel and no crown guards. It establishes the basic layout of the early dive watch.

Rolex 6204 Small crown, no guards / Pencil hands, radium 1953 Small crown, no guards / Pencil hands, radium Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $35,000 to $85,000

Ref. 6205

Small crown, no guards

An early Submariner without crown guards, associated with the arrival of Mercedes-style hands and variations in dial text.

Rolex 6205 Small crown, no guards / Mercedes hands, radium 1954 Small crown, no guards / Mercedes hands, radium Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $45,000 to $95,000

Ref. 6200

Big Crown 8mm, no guards

An early Big Crown Submariner with a substantial crown-guard-free case. Explorer-style 3-6-9 dials are a defining feature of this reference.

Rolex 6200 Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Explorer 3-6-9 gilt 1954 Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Explorer 3-6-9 gilt Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $350,000 to $650,000

Ref. 6536 / 6536-1

Small crown, no guards

Small Crown Submariners from the calibre 1030 era. The 6536 and 6536-1 sit alongside the larger-crown 6538 in the early dive-watch family.

Rolex 6536 / 6536-1 Small crown, no guards / Gilt, red triangle 1955 Small crown, no guards / Gilt, red triangle Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $38,000 to $90,000

Ref. 6538

Big Crown 8mm, no guards

The Big Crown Submariner associated with the early James Bond films. Its large winding crown, absence of crown guards and gilt dial define the reference.

Rolex 6538 Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Four-line gilt 1955 Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Four-line gilt Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $200,000 to $450,000

Collector Variants

Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Two-line gilt

Two lines of dial text instead of four.

View Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Two-line gilt ↗

Ref. 5508

Small crown, no guards

A late Small Crown Submariner without crown guards, powered by calibre 1530. Its slimmer crown distinguishes it from the Big Crown references.

Rolex 5508 Small crown, no guards / Gilt, chapter ring 1958 Small crown, no guards / Gilt, chapter ring Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $38,000 to $75,000

Ref. 5510

Big Crown 8mm, no guards

A short-lived Big Crown Submariner using calibre 1530. It retains the unguarded crown before the arrival of the crown-guard case.

Rolex 5510 Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Gilt two-line 1958 Big Crown 8mm, no guards / Gilt two-line Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $65,000 to $150,000

Ref. 5512

Square crown guards

The Submariner generation that introduced crown guards. The chronometer-rated 5512 later ran alongside the simpler, non-chronometer 5513.

Rolex 5512 Square crown guards / Gilt four-line 1959 Square crown guards / Gilt four-line Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $85,000 to $200,000 Rolex 5512 Pointed crown guards / Gilt four-line 1960 Pointed crown guards / Gilt four-line Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $35,000 to $70,000 Rolex 5512 Crown guards / Matte four-line 1966 Crown guards / Matte four-line Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $17,000 to $32,000

Ref. 5513

Crown guards

The long-running no-date, non-chronometer Submariner with an acrylic crystal and crown guards. Production spans gilt, matte and glossy dial generations.

Rolex 5513 Crown guards / Gilt two-line 1962 Crown guards / Gilt two-line Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $25,000 to $55,000 Rolex 5513 Crown guards / Matte, meters first 1967 Crown guards / Matte, meters first Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $16,000 to $28,000 Rolex 5513 Crown guards / Glossy maxi, Mk I-V 1984 Crown guards / Glossy maxi, Mk I-V Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $12,000 to $22,000

Collector Variants

Crown guards / Matte, feet first

The depth rating lists feet before meters.

View Crown guards / Matte, feet first ↗

Ref. 5513 MilSub

Fixed bars, crown guards

A military-issued version of the 5513, distinguished by service specifications such as fixed strap bars and a fully graduated dive bezel.

Rolex 5513 MilSub Fixed bars, crown guards / T-circle, sword hands 1962 Fixed bars, crown guards / T-circle, sword hands Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $130,000 to $250,000

Ref. 5513/5517

Fixed bars, crown guards

Dual-reference military Submariners carry both 5513 and 5517 markings. Their issue engravings and military fittings are central to identifying the configuration.

Rolex 5513/5517 Fixed bars, crown guards / Dual-marked 1962 Fixed bars, crown guards / Dual-marked Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $200,000 to $350,000

Ref. 1680

Crown guards, date

The Submariner gains a date window and Cyclops magnifier. Early red model lettering and later white-text dials belong to the same acrylic-crystal reference.

Rolex 1680 Crown guards, date / Red Submariner, Mk I-VI 1969 Crown guards, date / Red Submariner, Mk I-VI Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $22,000 to $50,000 Rolex 1680 Crown guards, date / White text matte 1975 Crown guards, date / White text matte Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $11,000 to $20,000

Ref. 1680/8

18k gold, date

The yellow-gold Submariner Date brings a precious-metal case to the 1680 generation, with an acrylic crystal and distinctive gold-era dial configurations.

Rolex 1680/8 18k gold, date / Blue nipple 1969 18k gold, date / Blue nipple Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $28,000 to $55,000 Rolex 1680/8 18k gold, date / Black nipple 1969 18k gold, date / Black nipple Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $25,000 to $45,000

Ref. 5514

A Submariner made for COMEX use with a helium escape valve. Its professional issue history separates it from the standard retail 5513.

Rolex 5514 COMEX 1971 COMEX Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $69,000 to $196,000

Ref. 5517

Fixed bars, crown guards

A dedicated military Submariner reference associated with Royal Navy issue. Fixed bars, sword hands and a fully graduated bezel distinguish its service specification.

Rolex 5517 Fixed bars, crown guards / T-circle, sword hands 1977 Fixed bars, crown guards / T-circle, sword hands Sourced example; exact configuration not independently verified. $180,000 to $400,000

Ref. 16800 / 168000

Sapphire-era Submariners associated here with spider dials: fine cracking in the dial lacquer, rather than a separate factory model.

Collector Variants

Spider dial

Fine cracking in the dial lacquer.

View Spider dial ↗