The Rolex Submariner 5513 is one of the most heavily copied vintage references on the market. A genuine 5513 has a 40 mm case, an acrylic crystal, drilled lugs, no date window, and a non-hacking movement. Replicas fail on those points. Check the crystal material, the movement behavior, and the dial printing first. Those three checks remove most fakes before you ever open the case.

What Defines a Real 5513

  • Produced from 1962 to 1989, no date, no cyclops, no quick-set
  • Caliber 1520 (earlier examples use the 1530), non-hacking
  • Domed acrylic crystal, not sapphire or mineral glass
  • 40 mm case, 20 mm lug width, drilled lugs
  • Matte dial from about 1967, gilt glossy dial before that

Prerequisites

  • 10x jeweler's loupe
  • Digital caliper
  • Caseback wrench sized for Rolex
  • Bright, diffused light and a white background
  • Reference photos of a known-original 5513 from the same production era

Authentication Steps

  1. Read the reference engraving. Look between the lugs at the 6 o'clock side for the 5513 stamp and at the 12 o'clock side for the serial. Hand-stamped numbers look uneven and wear soft. Laser-cut, evenly spaced, crisp digits on a 1960s case point to a fake case.
  2. Measure the case. Expect about 40 mm across the bezel, roughly 47 mm lug to lug, and 20 mm between the lugs. A 42 mm case is not a 5513.
  3. Test the crystal. Original watches use a domed acrylic Tropic crystal. Press a fingernail against the edge. Acrylic marks, sapphire and mineral glass do not. A flat crystal on a 5513 is a replacement at best.
  4. Check whether the movement hacks. Pull the crown to the time-setting position and watch the seconds hand. The 1520 and 1530 keep running. If the seconds hand stops, the movement is not original.
  5. Inspect the crown guards. Genuine guards taper thin and sit slightly asymmetric. Replicas often show thick blocks, square shoulders, or soft rounded edges with no taper.
  6. Study the dial text. Confirm the depth rating reads 200m = 660ft or 660ft = 200m, matching the era. Check the spacing of the Submariner line, the coronet shape, and the Swiss or Swiss T<25 marking under 6 o'clock.
  7. Match the lume and patina. Tritium plots should age to the same tone as the hands. Bright, uniform white lume on a 1970s dial is a warning sign.
  8. Examine the bezel insert. Period inserts use fat-font, serif numerals with a tritium pearl. Thin sans-serif printing and a glowing pip with no age are common replica traits.
  9. Confirm drilled lugs and spring bars. Every 5513 leaves the factory with drilled lugs and 2 mm spring bars. Non-drilled lugs mean a swapped case or a fake.
  10. Open the caseback. The outside is plain. The inside carries the 5513 reference and case stamps. Generic or decorative backs do not belong on this reference.
  11. Verify the bracelet and end links. Expect period-correct rivet, folded, or Oyster links with matching end links and a correct clasp code for the year.
  12. Book an independent inspection. Have a vintage specialist or an authorized service center confirm the movement, case, and dial before money changes hands.

Common Replica Tells

  • Sapphire crystal or flat glass on a watch that should have acrylic
  • Hacking seconds on a movement that should run non-hacking
  • Engraved rehaut, which did not appear on Rolex sports models until the 2000s
  • Laser-etched coronet at 6 o'clock, a modern feature absent from any 5513
  • Date window or cyclops at 3 o'clock
  • Fat, square crown guards with no taper
  • Wrong font weight and spacing on the bezel insert
  • Serial and reference stamps applied with a laser rather than a die
  • Cases measuring 41 mm or larger

Era Variations That Trip Up Buyers

Gilt dials with glossy finishes appear on early production, matte dials dominate from the late 1960s onward, and depth-rating order changes across the run. A watch with a 1985 serial and a gilt dial is a mismatch, even if every individual part looks correct. Build a timeline for the exact serial range before you judge any single component.

When to Walk Away

Genuine 5513 examples trade in the five-figure range at auction and from established dealers. Any offer far below market, any seller who refuses to open the caseback, and any listing with photos that hide the lugs or the crystal edge should end the conversation. A watch that passes the crystal, movement, and dial checks is still worth a professional inspection before purchase.