Originally Posted by
John Gornall
My parents gave me a Rolex Submariner at college grad as I was working as a diver. I've worn it for 49 years. Had it serviced every 5 years or so. Bought a new Rolex band a few years ago which cost more than the watch. They tell me it's worth a lot now but I'll keep wearing it. Keeps good time, needs no battery, don't have to wind it as it's self winding by my wrist movements.
If it was new stock in 1969 it is either a 5512, 5513 or 1680. If it has a date then it is a 1680 and oddly less desirable than the 5512/13 no date Subs. In '69 the 5512 will have 4 lines of text below the hands (a "4 liner") the last 4 lines will be "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified". That means it has a movement (Either a 1560 or 1570, I think the latter in '69) that was sent to the COSC for certification that it met the accuracy standards of the COSC at the time. The 5513 would have had a non-certified movement. All three are certainly collectible but everything depends on condition and how original they are. For example, watches are often polished when they are serviced the more a vintage watch has been polished the less it is worth. Also dials, hands, bezels and stems are often replaced each drops the value. Box, papers and anchor add a lot to the value. A good original 5513 will start around $6-7K over $10K for a similar 5512. Some of this era Rolex had some interesting patina patterns such as ghosting of the bezel, spider cracking/star dusting of the dial and the dial turning brown (called a tropical) most of the watches with these issues had the offending parts replaced but the originals can bring big money, kinda like error stamps and coins.
Wear the watch and enjoy it, just don't allow it to be polished and if you MUST replace any original externally visible parts get the originals from the watchmaker and keep them. The 5512/13 are poised for a long appreciation arc and if I were still in the game I would be buying every original, unpolished, box and papers example I could find.
Rolex used to have the worst bracelets of any mid-tier brand but for the last 10 or so years they have the best, but just the Glidelock clasp for a new Sub is well over $1K.
The only "famous" woodworker/maker that I know what watch they wear is Jimmy DiResta who wears a 114060 no date Sub circa 2010. I say famous since he was indeed on a prime time network TV show.
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.