The charm of a '60s Submariner

[garis]

Then there's the ncg JB, big crown, Bart gilt, pcg, pre-comex, maxi loliilop dials......nicknames coined by dealers to lend a sort of exotic rarity kind of name to jack the prices up. That's another story.

[Gunbucker]

MF dial that's period correct to the case serial would definitely command more than a FF that's period correct, but not much more, if it's a matte dial. I would rather pay premium for a period correct FF 5513 with a pristine dial and mature patina lume plots than a tired looking MF 5513. That said, some earlier MF lume plots, especially the first batch around 66-67, comes with a mixture of tritium lume compound that still glows green for a short while if exposed to a strong source of light. Many has mistaken this as a sign of the markers being relumed but it's not. Then, the lume in earlier batch of 5513 MF dials are applied thickly in such a way that it's 'fat and raised', like a small mound. Many has since disintegrated and powdered away leaving the dial looking pocked marked. It is only the last batch of MF dials from 68-70 and then FF that Rolex started to lessen the lume compound and stabilized the plots. That's why most of the FF 5513 plots still stays intact till this very day.

Thanks, this explains a lot. There was a MF (getting used to the lingo now!) 5513 that I passed up, because like you said, the hour markers looked like expired medicine pills that have shrunked, chipped off, and hollowed unevenly. The reason I got this one was to have something with a nice patina, simple layout, and have a different character from the modern designs. I intend to keep this one for good, so I guess the value of the watch is going to be a bit of a moot point. And yes, this one has no luminosity left, that somehow forces one to take out a gas lighter when one is about to have a cigarette (cliched shameless movie reference warning!). Appreciate this.

[flakkampf]

Wow! A great sharing and learning session......

[Alexlow]

That's what I like about this community. A vast library of Rolex's encyclopedias shared by many sifus here.

Wow! A great sharing and learning session......

[taxico]

Thanks, this explains a lot. There was a MF (getting used to the lingo now!) 5513 that I passed up, because like you said, the hour markers looked like expired medicine pills that have shrunked, chipped off, and hollowed unevenly. The reason I got this one was to have something with a nice patina...

be aware of the "tritium creep" - it does happen with time.

[Felix]

Yeah,... Old subbies never die, mate
My M-first 2mill 5513

[Alexlow]

1.59 mil series older brother.

Yeah,... Old subbies never die, mate
My M-first 2mill 5513

[Alexlow]

Try again..

[xela]

Try again..

Snow-white brother..lol

My long sold 5513 mf...

[Alexlow]

Haha.. Photo looks whiter than it really is. It's actually very light egg shell color, just the way I like it. XD

[garis]

My relatives of the 5513:

[limyw]

looking for 1962 8xxxxx series 5513...

[Gunbucker]

My relatives of the 5513:

Bro, you have my dream watch! Lovely patina on the 1665 *drool*

[Felix]

Subbies never die, bro..

[Alexlow]

Drool to the max! The photography is not bad either.

Subbies never die, bro..