Rolex Submariner 5513 'WGS Dial' 40mm 1963

The 1963 Rolex Submariner 5513

Produced in 1963, the Rolex Submariner 5513 belongs to the earliest years of this reference’s long production run and reflects Rolex’s fully developed approach to the professional dive watch by the early 1960s. By this point, the Submariner was no longer a developmental experiment. The Oyster case architecture, rotating timing bezel, depth rating, and automatic movement platform were all established and proven through sustained real-world use. What distinguishes a 1963 example is its position near the beginning of the 5513’s lifespan, combined with the fact that many surviving watches, including this one, bear the imprint of decades of authorised Rolex servicing rather than remaining in untouched factory configuration.

This particular watch combines a 1963 case with a later Rolex tritium service dial featuring white gold surrounds and a feet-first depth rating. While this dial is not original to the year of manufacture, it is historically coherent within Rolex’s service practices from the late twentieth century and reflects the brand’s emphasis on functional longevity over static originality.

The Submariner 5513 in the Early 1960s

The Submariner 5513 was introduced in 1962 as the non-chronometer-rated counterpart to the reference 5512. While the two models shared the same fundamental case design and professional specification, the 5513 was fitted with a simpler, non-certified movement and a cleaner dial layout. This distinction allowed Rolex to offer a professional dive watch at a different point within its catalogue while maintaining identical functional capability.

By 1963, the 5513 had become a stable part of the Submariner line. Production had moved beyond the earliest transitional examples, and the reference was being manufactured in consistent numbers. Later historical analysis identifies the early 1960s as the formative period in which the 5513’s long-term identity was set, prior to the cosmetic and material changes that would appear in subsequent decades (Hodinkee, “A Collector’s Guide to the Vintage Rolex Submariner 5513”).

Case, Bezel, and External Construction

The stainless steel Oyster case of the Submariner 5513 measures approximately 40mm in diameter and incorporates Rolex’s screw-down crown and caseback system. This configuration delivered a depth rating of 200 metres, or 660 feet, a specification already standardised by the early 1960s and retained well into later production. The fact that this technical specification remained unchanged for decades highlights how settled the Submariner’s engineering had become by the time this watch was produced (Bob’s Watches, “Vintage Submariners Reference 5512 and 5513”).

The bezel is a bidirectional rotating timing bezel fitted with an aluminium insert marked for elapsed dive time. Early inserts feature a luminous triangle at twelve o’clock to aid underwater visibility. Rolex historically treated bezel inserts and luminous pearls as consumable components, routinely replacing them during servicing when legibility or integrity was compromised. As a result, bezel originality varies widely among surviving examples and must be understood within the context of routine professional maintenance rather than strict factory preservation.

Original Dial Specification for a 1963 5513

A Submariner 5513 produced in 1963 would originally have been delivered with a glossy gilt dial. These early dials are characterised by gold-coloured text printed directly onto a lacquered black surface, with luminous hour plots applied without metal surrounds. The printing process involved galvanic deposition, giving rise to the term “gilt,” and producing a reflective depth and warmth that distinguishes these dials from later matte examples.

Crucially, original gilt dials from this period display a metres-first depth rating, typically reading “200m = 660ft.” This format reflects Rolex’s European orientation in the early 1960s and is consistent across early 5513 production. Feet-first depth ratings do not appear on factory-original 5513 dials until later in the decade, after the transition to matte dials had begun (Hodinkee, “A Collector’s Guide to the Vintage Rolex Submariner 5513”).

Luminous material at this time was tritium, adopted by Rolex after the discontinuation of radium at the end of the 1950s. Tritium provided adequate low-light visibility while complying with updated safety standards, though it was inherently susceptible to ageing and degradation over extended periods of use.

The Tritium White Gold Surround Service Dial

The dial currently fitted to this watch is a later Rolex service dial, identifiable by its applied white gold surrounds around the hour markers combined with tritium luminous material and a feet-first depth rating. Rolex introduced white gold surrounds during the mid to late 1980s as part of a broader shift toward applied markers that improved the durability and containment of the luminous compound (Bob’s Watches, “Vintage Submariner 5513”).

Tritium remained Rolex’s standard luminous material until the late 1990s, when it was replaced by LumiNova. Documentation of Rolex dial evolution places this transition around 1998, marked by changes in dial text from tritium designations to “Swiss” and later “Swiss Made” (Bob’s Watches, “Evolution of Rolex Luminous Material”).

The combination of tritium lume, white gold surrounds, and a feet-first depth rating places this service dial most plausibly between the late 1980s and the mid to late 1990s. While it differs from the original 1963 dial specification, it aligns precisely with Rolex’s authorised service parts of that era.

Movement and Mechanical Continuity

During its early production years, the Submariner 5513 was fitted with the Rolex calibre 1530, later transitioning to the calibre 1520. Both movements are automatic, non-chronometer-rated calibres designed with an emphasis on robustness, ease of servicing, and long-term reliability rather than decorative finishing.

The longevity of these movements is central to understanding the existence of service dials. A calibre designed to remain mechanically viable for decades naturally leads to the periodic replacement of external components such as dials and hands when legibility, safety, or water resistance standards evolve. In this context, dial replacement was not an aberration but an expected part of the watch’s operational life (Bob’s Watches, “Vintage Submariners Reference 5512 and 5513”).

Authenticity, Service History, and Interpretation

Although the tritium white gold surround dial fitted to this watch is not original to a 1963 Submariner 5513, it is a genuine Rolex component installed in accordance with authorised service practice. Rolex’s historical servicing philosophy prioritised functionality, water resistance, and clarity over the preservation of original cosmetic components. This approach is particularly well documented for professional models such as the Submariner, which were expected to remain operational tools rather than archival objects.

Viewed through this lens, the configuration of this watch is internally consistent. The case dates to the early years of the 5513. The dial reflects a later phase of Rolex production and service support, from a period when tritium was still in use and white gold surrounds had become standard. Together, these elements describe a watch that remained in circulation and was maintained by Rolex as intended.

Final Thoughts

The 1963 Rolex Submariner 5513 represents an early expression of a reference that would go on to define the professional dive watch for more than three decades. By this stage, Rolex had already resolved the essential technical challenges of the Submariner, allowing the design to persist with remarkable consistency. What this example illustrates particularly well is Rolex’s philosophy of continuity through service. The presence of a later tritium service dial does not obscure the watch’s origins but instead documents its working life across multiple decades.

Rather than existing as a fixed artefact anchored to a single moment in time, this Submariner reflects the reality of professional use, maintenance, and adaptation. It demonstrates how a watch produced in the early 1960s could remain functional, legible, and mechanically relevant well into the late twentieth century, without losing its fundamental identity. In that sense, it offers a clear insight into how Rolex expected the Submariner to endure, evolve, and continue doing the job it was built for.

• Case in good vintage condition, scratches visible around the case.
• Usa rivet bracelet in good condition.

• Dial scratched
• Hands oxidised