$119,600
Ref. 5513, Comex Submariner Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, "Submariner, 660 ft./200 m”, Ref. 5513. Made for Comex in 1970. Very fine, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with first generation helium escape valve and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster Fliplock bracelet. Accompanied by recent Rolex UK service invoice. Three-body, polished and brushed, screw-down case back with COMEX inscription and case number stamped inside, screwdown crown with Crown Guard, graduated bi-directional revolving black bezel for the decompression times, helium escape valve. Black with luminous round, triangular and baton indexes, Comex logo at six. Luminous skeleton hands. Cal. 1520, rhodium-plated, 26 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 14 mm. Notes During the late 1960s, in collaboration with COMEX, Rolex developed its ‘Submariner’ model to meet the most stringent technical and professional demands. COMEX divers not only needed solutions for water resistance at extreme depth, they also faced the danger of explosive decompression caused by helium penetrating the interior of the watch while they breathed the mixture of oxygen and helium within their hyperbaric chamber. To maintain a pressure identical to that underwater, the mixture in the hyperbaric chambers remained the same during the different phases of work and rest periods.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2008-04-17
