Is this Genuine 5513? Please Help

[Thor]

Hi gang!

I have bought this 5513 from a well known antique watchstore around my area.

Well, I've known the guy who owns the shop and he offered me to buy this vintage sub from him, so I bought it.

However, after I came home, I have noticed couple of things that bother me.. Crown guard and the bracelets... thay look like replica to me so I started to think it may have some after market parts.

Then again, I am no expert in these watches and was wondering if you guys could help me out to verify this watch.

I would really appreciate it if you could tell me if there is any replica parts on this watch.

I have paid about $2800 for this watch, and the guy who sold this watch told me to come back if I find anything that is not genuine.

Please help!

sorry for the bad pics..

back

Go to a local jeweller, have them open the caseback, and you'll know for sure.

For $2800 I would not accept anyting less than opening the caseback, and if it's a fake, leave the caseback loose, and get your $$$ back...

There is no other test that is 100% accurate...

RG

thanks for your reply Ziggy,

I have check the movements inside, and the movement was genuine..

but I was wondering if there are any after market replacement parts such as case, dial bracelet, etc..

couple of descriptions..

Bracelet have no rivets or screws.. it looks like the steel is folded, can't take out any of the links, and it is very light. I have never seen this type of bracelets before...

Crystal seems like superdome type.

Thanks

DK

It all looks very very nice. The only thing that's worrisome is the pearl looks to be off-center in its triangle... but that can be simply the angle of the photo. And the pearl does look to be in an acrylic ring, which makes me think genuine (and my bad eyes).

The insert is nicely matte, the folded links are nice, the springbars, the chamfered pin holes, the caseback, the smoothed (old) bezel, the case edges, the even patina on indices and hands, the Triplock crown that doesn't *quite* seat against the case... and the (can it be true???) SUPERDOME crystal. It all adds up.

Get his offer of refund in writing (simple wording like "100% genuine") and buy it with pride. Then have it cleaned and regulated. Anything that shows up there will be grounds for a refund, and a watch of that vintage could well be in need of a cleaning anyway.

Congratulations!

What is on the back of the bracelet? Is it stamped '9315'? What are the end links stamped? 580?

Everything aesthetically looks pretty good. As you are probably aware, there are many different shapes of CG's for vintage. These look like the square CG's.

And, as Ziggy mentioned, have the watch checked out thoroughly- Inside and out. Have the serial checked, etc. That will confirm it's authenticity.

Yes... If that is the genuine T19 Superdome, then that's quite the find.

Hmmmmm... On second thought, that watch looks like a terrible fake. Better take it back to the jewelers. What did you say the name of that shop was again?

:happy:

I appreciate your help Ziggy, Nanuq, Ubi!

@Ubi

The back of the bracelet is stamped 7838 and the end links are stamped 380...

hope that is correct...

This bracelet feels too light and I don;t really like the feel/look of it, so I was thinking of changing the bracelet.. do you think it is a bad idea? breaking up the original combo?

Thanks

DK

"Hmmmmm... On second thought, that watch looks like a terrible fake. Better take it back to the jewelers. What did you say the name of that shop was again? "

Johnjohn, whatever Ubi offers you for that watch, I'll give you $100 more!

Seriously, it's an utter piece of junk. Take it back. DO NOT BUY IT. And where, exactly is this shop???

If it's a 7838, then it came off of a 1655 Explorer II, as did the 380 end links.

It's a folded link Oyster- i.e. folded tabs for the bracelet links. It would indeed be very light in weight (i.e. flimsy) and will also require the help of a jeweler to correctly size as these bracelets are quite difficult to work with.

If you can find a 93150 with 580 end links, that would be the ticket.

I'll do $150 over what Nanuq counters with!!

:lolcina:

:worshippy:

I'll take Ubi's offer and I'll throw in a lovely set of Alaskan motif dish towels! And some smoked salmon and real reindeer sausage.

TOP THAT!!! :coolio:

Just for knowledge sake, if/when you go out looking for a replacement bracelet, be sure it has a '0' at the end of the bracelet number. The '0' indicates a solid oyster (i.e. the outer links are machined, not folded or rivetted) while the ref number truncated without the '0' will indicate a folded link bracelet.

Looks ok from here. The bracelet is incorrect for sure... So that means that you'd be buying only the watchead. I'd pay no more than $1800 for the head alone. You need a correct bracelet, add another $300-$350. I'd return the bracelet. If he does not want to do the return, then return the entire watch. You can get a complete and correct 5513 for $2-$2.5k Of course, prices are going up, so you'd better get one as soon as you can.

PS. 5513 is thee quintessential toolwatch - the very basis for all toolwatches these days! One of my all-time faves!

after help and info from you guys (ziggy, nanuq, ubi, eunomian)

I've decided to take it back and got a different watch instead..

Thanks for all your help, I am glad I did't overpay for a watch that does not have correct bracelet.

You guys are great!

Cheers

What did you end up picking up? Hopefully you did get a 5513 (but for a great price) as it really is the perfect watch. Certainly no collection is complete without one :happy:

For me, the 5512 is even more interesting if you can find it.

5512 is rare and an excellent investment as the prices have upppped a lot recently. 5513, too. Certainly the 5512 is the best of the lot. Add very very minimun of 1.5k to the price versus a 5513.

I still have a fondness though for the archaetypal toowatch: the venerable 5513. The 5512's dial is busy and not serene+zenlike like its counterpart. 5512's caliber 1530 might be COSC, but the 1520 in a 5513 is just as accurate. Also... For the record, some 5513s were fitted with caliber 1530 for quite a lenghty period of manufatcure times. How Rolex-like.

Two serious recommendations:

1 - Try to get a 5513 with caliber 1520 in the 26j configuration as opposed to the USA-market 17j set-up. The reason is simple: the extra jewels in the 26j euro market 1520 are for the autorotor. This will be a lot less maintenance in the fufure with more jewels.

2 - Find one with an original Tropic 19 Superdome. Hard to find, yes, but they are out there. The reason here is that the watch is 100% entirely different without the big superdome. Without it, it is another kinda Sub (nice, but it ain't a bonafide 5513). The differences here are starlting and very obvious.

No matter how I choose to wear it (be it on an Oyster bracelet, nylon 1-piece or Nato G-10 strap) it looks, feels & functions flawlessly!

*sigh*

That is one gorgeous watch!

That is good info. I have a gen 5512 and bought a rep of it. Actually, very close. indistinguishable except for age.

I wear the rep out and the original at home!!!

@eunomian

I've ended up picking up reverso sun moon instead,

I wanted a vintage rolex sport watch, but the watches he had other than 5513 was:

explorer II with orange hand- excellent quality with original box & paper - but for 9k :comp2:

A Bubbble back rolex(rose gold) - don't know the exact model # of it.. - it was from 1940-1950

but was amzingly almost new...

It was a tough decision between those three watches, but I've ended up picking up reverso because

I am not an expert on vintage rolexes, and did not want get something I was not sure of its originality.

Plus, I've always wanted a retangular watch, and I've always thought that reverso sun moon was one of the best looking retangular wacth...

I wll be in NYC, in ten days.. if you can recommend me a place where I can get a good vintage rolex

please recommend me one. Even a web site, I Would really appreciate it.

Thanks

Good choice with the Reverso! It's always been a favorite of mine. It's also quite the conversation piece!

:happy:

Pn the subject of a gen 5513. I've got one I bought from the original owner that has seen alot of use. It needs a bezel. Right now it has a very scratched crystal but no bezel.

This thread is interesting regarding the band. It has a #7836 with 280 ends and an extra 285 end. I suspect it's not the original band since he was a diver and probably totaled the original.

Does anyone have an idea what the band is original to on a Rolex?

Also, any leads on a bezel with ring under $200 would be appreciated.

Jim

Depending on the circa of your piece, the original may be one of the following:

Bracelet:

7206 or 7336 (rivit)

9315 (folded link)

93150 (machined link)

End links:

382

580

Ubi said it in a nutshell - those are the correct bracelet serials.

The Rivet would be a 60s model Sub, then the folded during the very tail end of the 60s onto the 70s and the solid would appear in the late 70s 'til the 5513's demise in the mid 80s.

Finding an OEM bezel assembly is not easy. It took me 2 years to get an OEM one for my 1675 after I lost the bezel assembly one inebriated evening. Mind you, I chose not to go through Rolex Beverly Hills as they refused to sell me the part without a full-service. My watchmaker does a better job on vintage Rolex than B.H. for waaaay less $$$, and yes, 'tis a bold thing to say but yet it's very true :smile:

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On another note, nice choice on the Reverso!

______________

Best regards gentlemen!