There’s vintage. And then there are vintage icons. The Rolex Submariner reference 5512 belongs in the latter category, and there are plenty of good reasons for that. Aside from the watch’s good looks and historical importance within Rolex’s archives, this particular Submariner was worn by a legendary actor too.
Steve McQueen, aka “The King of Cool,” wore the Rolex Submariner 5512, and while it’s hard to compete with the man who starred in The Great Escape (1963), Bullitt (1968), and Le Mans (1971), the vintage Submariner 5512 holds its own majesty. 5512 was introduced in 1959. Not only was it the first Submariner to have a guard around the winding crown, but it was also the largest version to date, with a 40 mm case. Rolex produced the Submariner 5512 for 20 years, during which time the buy replica watches underwent several notable updates. Join us as we discuss these updates, unveil the specific Submariner 5512 worn by Steve McQueen, and dispel the myth of the Explorer II 1655 “Steve McQueen.”
Production of the Rolex Submariner 5512 model began in 1959 and continued until about 1980. The Submariner 5512 model had almost two decades of production experience, during which there were specific qualities that defined the different periods. This is what separates the modern Submariner from the vintage timepieces that carry the tradition.
For example, the Submariner 5512 was produced with two and four lines of text on the dial. And the first thing enthusiasts might notice is the number of lines on the face of the watch, directly above the 6 o’clock position.
The depth rating of the watch, as well as the model name (200 meters = 660 feet and Submariner), is listed on both lines. The Submariner 5512 watch with this two-line dial does not have a chronometer rating. On the other hand, other Submariner 5512 models made in the latter half of this exemplary display four lines of lettering on the face, including the inscription “Super Chronometer Officially Certified.” Naturally, these Submariner 5512 models are chronometers.
Another important detail to note is the placement of the meters and feet on the depth scale. Earlier models placed the unit of meters first: “200 meters = 660 feet”. Rolex later changed it to be in feet: “660 feet = 200 meters”.
If you look at the side of the Submariner 5512, you’ll notice the crown protector. 5512 was the first Submariner to include a protective cover around the crown, and the shape of these crown protectors has evolved over the years.
The earliest iteration was the square crown protector, but that didn’t last long because the shape made it difficult for divers to use the crown while wearing gloves. The next iteration was the pointed crown protector, often called the PCG in collector circles. To achieve this effect, Rolex artisans are said to have ground the square to a sharp point, making it thinner and shorter than what you see today. The third and final iteration was the round crown guard, similar to what we see on modern Rolex replica watches.
Confusingly, there is also a famous vintage Rolex watch jokingly referred to as the “Steve McQueen” that is not a Submariner at all, but is actually the Explorer II 1655. However, Steve McQueen never wore the Explorer II 1655!
So how did the Explorer II 1655 come to be known as the “Rolex Steve McQueen”? This was due to an unfortunate misinformation. Apparently, an Italian magazine reported that the actor had worn the watch sometime in the mid-1970s, and the misinformation persisted. As a result, the Ref. 1655 will forever be known in watch collecting circles as the “Steve McQueen”, despite the fact that it was later discovered that McQueen never wore the Explorer II.
