Rolex – Submariner No Date Vintage Spider Dial – 5513

This vintage Rolex Submariner no date in stainless steel, Ref 5513 is on a stainless steel Oyster bracelet with a flip-lock deployant clasp. Stainless steel bezel with a black aluminium insert. Acrylic crystal. The case diameter is 40 mm with automatic movement.

The coveted “Spider Dial” is an excellent example and well spaced crackle.

This watch comes with replacement T.W.E box and authentication card.

Spider dial

Rolex went through a transitional period during the mid to late 1980s, during which the brand rolled out a number of key updates that were intended to provide its timepieces with superior performance and a more luxurious overall feel. It was during this era that Rolex doubled down on refining its movement designs. One such update that occurred to many of Rolex’s sports models during this time was the switch from matte dials to gloss dials with applied white gold hour markers. This style of dial offers a noticeably more elevated appearance, and it would go on to set the standard for future Rolex sports watches, with similar versions still used by the brand today. With that in mind, Rolex’s first attempt at creating these new glossy dials was not entirely perfect. The very earliest examples had a slight issue with the lacquer used to create their surfaces, which ultimately resulted in the variation known as “spider dials” by today’s collectors.

Over time, some examples began to develop faint cracks in their gloss black finish, which is a phenomenon commonly referred to as crazing within the collecting community. The faint cracks are only present on the black background layer of the dials, meaning that the white text printed on top remains entirely undisturbed. The small cracks can often only be seen when viewing the watch at an angle in bright light, and their appearance is slightly reminiscent of a spider’s web (hence the “spider dial” nickname).  At the time, these dials were seen as faulty or undesirable, so, many were replaced giving the spider dials that were not replaced, a collector’s status.