Rolex Submariner 5513 (1966) with Zinc Sulphide Dial: Slim-Lug Clarity and Mid-Sixties Detail

Introduction

The Rolex Submariner 5513 in this mid-sixties configuration distils the dive-watch brief into a clean, highly legible package. You get a 40 mm no-date case with tapered lugs, a tall acrylic crystal that adds depth to the readout, an aluminium timing bezel you can grip easily, and a two-line dial that prioritises information over ornament. What sets this specific moment apart is the zinc sulphide (ZnS) tritium-powered luminous system—an important material signature that shapes the watch’s look today while tying it to a narrow, transitional chapter in the Submariner story.

Submariner History: How We Got Here

Rolex introduced the Submariner in the early 1950s as an instrument for underwater timing that read quickly and survived hard use. Early small-crown references defined the essentials—Oyster case, luminous high-contrast dial, and a rotating bezel with a minutes scale—while late-1950s big-crown variants pushed depth capability and improved handling. Crown guards arrived with reference 5512, locking in the modern silhouette. The 5513 followed as the time-only sibling: same water-ready case structure, pared-back two-line text, and a brief to keep the display uncluttered. Through the decade, evolution was practical rather than dramatic. Crown-guard geometry was refined, bracelets gained strength, typography was tightened, and dial production moved from glossy galvanic “gilt” to low-glare matte. In parallel, luminous chemistry shifted from earlier radium systems to safer tritium energising zinc sulphide. This is the landscape that frames a mid-sixties 5513—familiar in form, but distinguished by dial finish, print style and lume recipe.

Case and Proportions

The 5513 case measures approximately 40 mm across, with a lug-to-lug span close to 48 mm and a thickness moderated by the curvature of the caseback and the profile of the acrylic crystal. On the wrist it wears flatter than the numbers suggest, because the mass sits low and the lugs are slim rather than blocky. Brushing on the flanks is straight and even; transitions at the lugs are clean without forcing polish where it isn’t needed.

Crown Guards and Mid-Case

Rounded crown guards protect the Triplock crown without turning the profile into slabs. They offer finger clearance for winding and setting while keeping the silhouette free of sharp corners. The mid-case is compact, with drilled lug holes that make strap or bracelet changes straightforward and keep the tool-watch character front and centre.

Bezel and Crystal

A coin-edge bezel provides sure purchase with wet hands and advances in firm, even clicks. The aluminium insert carries a functional 60-minute scale and a luminous triangle at zero. Aluminium’s softer sheen avoids mirror glare and reads like equipment rather than jewellery. Up top sits the high-domed acrylic crystal—often a Tropic-style profile—which adds optical depth and a subtle edge distortion that makes the minute track vivid at angles. Acrylic can pick up marks in daily use, but it polishes back quickly and keeps reflections controlled under indoor lighting.

Dimensions and On-Wrist Balance

The tapered lugs and modest mid-case mass keep the head centred and stable. Combined with a light bracelet, the watch avoids top-heaviness and slides easily under sleeves. It is the opposite of bulky: a purposeful shell sized for function and comfort.

Dial Design and Layout

Dial production in this period spans late gilt/gloss with galvanic gold-tone legends and a chapter ring, and early matte with white pad-printed text. Both formats retain the two-line Submariner script that leaves the display open and uncrowded. Indices are large and cleanly bounded, the minute/seconds track is easy to index, and the handset—Mercedes hour, pencil minute, lollipop central seconds—lands precisely where the eye expects.

Movement and Operation

During this period the 5513 runs the calibre 1520, a time-only automatic chosen for stability and straightforward service architecture. There is no date to adjust, so the crown interface is simple: wind, set, wear. The beat rate is steady, the train is robust, and the overall behaviour supports the watch’s role as a daily-use timing tool rather than a showcase for complications.

Daily Interaction

Crown threads are positive without grind, hand-setting is precise, and the bezel’s clicks are deliberate enough to avoid accidental shifts while remaining easy to index. The watch feels like what it is—equipment built to be used often, without fuss.

Bracelet, Clasp and Fit

The service 93150 Oyster keeps the head light and the profile trim. Links articulate freely, the taper controls visual weight, and the simple clasp spreads pressure comfortably across the underside of the wrist. End links seat tightly between the lugs, reinforcing the sense that the head and bracelet form one balanced unit on the arm.

Zinc Sulphide Luminous System 

Zinc sulphide is the luminous powder mixed into the paint on the hour markers and hands; in this era, tritium provided the gentle energy source that made it glow. When new, the system delivered a clean, practical night read. Decades on, tritium has weakened and zinc sulphide has aged, so the afterglow today is brief, but the plots often settle into an even, warm tone—pale vanilla through light straw—with a fine “eggshell” texture. That look is part of the identity of a mid-sixties Submariner and a quick visual cue to the period.Why it matters: zinc sulphide places the 5513 in a tight window between the stronger, less safe radium era and the bright, non-radioactive pigments that arrived later. It’s the bridge material that let Rolex maintain underwater legibility while shifting to a safer spec. 

Why it’s scarce: zinc sulphide itself wasn’t exotic; scarcity comes from the exact mix of materials, dial formats and timing being short-lived, plus attrition over time. Moisture ingress, routine service swaps and re-luming thinned the pool of untouched dials. Surviving examples with the right tone, texture and quick-fade behaviour are therefore less frequently encountered. That scarcity is part of why this specification stands out within the long 5513 run.

Submariner Timeline: Where This Reference Sits

Seen against the broader arc, this 5513 represents the settled Submariner grammar—tapered lugs, protective guards, rotating minutes bezel—paired to a dial and lume system unique to a narrow slice of the decade. Before it came the small-crown and big-crown eras that set capability and presence; alongside it, the 5512 offered similar hardware with chronometer text; after it, the line leaned further into matte printing and later luminous technologies. The 5513 in this configuration is the clear, practical midpoint: a design that looks and behaves like an instrument without unnecessary punctuation.

Final Thoughts

This mid-sixties Submariner 5513 delivers the essentials with restraint: a balanced case that wears light and low, a bezel that invites use, a dial that prioritises minutes and seconds, and a luminous system that speaks clearly to its time. The zinc sulphide/tritium pairing is a significant part of the identity—visually distinctive, short-lived and closely tied to the transition from gilt to matte—but the appeal of the watch is broader than any single element. Case, dial, bezel, crystal, movement and bracelet work together to create a confident, legible instrument that still feels absolutely right on the wrist today.

• Case in excellent condition, very sharp lugs, factory brushing still visible, factory chamfers still visible.
• Bracelet 93150 Service.

• Dial in excellent condition, very clean and pumpkin patina forming. 
• Hands lightly oxidised with even patina forming.