Vintage Rolex Submariner 5508: Licensed to Thrill

The Rolex Submariner is the icon of its brand. Among the world’s most recognizable watches, the Submariner is the world’s most recognized watch. And this vintage Rolex Submariner 5508 is as good as it gets: a pristine no-date “James Bond” Rolex Submariner from the golden age of the dive watch, the 1960s.

Agent 007 would approve.

Originally released in late 1957 as a 1958 model, the Rolex Submariner 5508 retains many of the romantic early signatures of the first Rolex Subs. The acrylic crystal is in excellent condition, and its anachronistic “bubble” aesthetic is heart-warming imagery to vintage Rolex buffs. A gorgeous dial with full chapter ring and to-die-for patina commands collector attention; superb condition commands collector respect.

Yet, even a vintage Rolex Submariner remains a formidable icon with instant-recognition chops in any crowd. Over 50 years after this 5508’s manufacture date, any kid in any state in the union could tell you “that’s a Sub!”

Critically, this watch has been polished lightly, if ever, and the abundance of highly-defined case lines and full lugs attests to this. You simply cannot replace metal once it’s gone.

This watch features the Rolex caliber 1530. The 1530 represented an early example of Rolex in-house movement manufacture for the Submariner. As late at the mid-1950s, Rolex continued to employ movements based on customer calibers. With the 18,000 VpH, 25-jewel “Perpetual” auto-winding caliber 1530, Rolex ensured the 5508 would rank among the first Submariners with a full Rolex pedigree.

Moreover, the 25-jewel count, which identifies the number of low-friction synthetic ruby pivots within the caliber 1530, indicates that Rolex designed its watches to a standard and not a price. Many sports watches of the 1950s and 1960s used a 17-jewel (+ metal bushings) standard due to stiff U.S. import tariffs designed to discourage purchase of higher-quality foreign calibers; a 25-jewel Rolex from this period represents a product designed to outlast and out-perform its contemporaries. This Rolex Submariner 5508 has an air of a vintage Mercedes-Benz to it.

Even better, this Rolex Submariner 5508 features a caliber 1530 in outstanding condition with original brass (not Teflon as in later models) reversing wheels and distinctive “butterfly” winding rotor correct to this generation of Rolex movement.

The 1916 Company is proud to offer this Rolex Submariner 5508 in outstanding condition with “just right” dial patina.