The Rolex 5512 (Circa 1966) is an important reference in Submariner history; It was the first Submariner to feature crown guards, a detail that all Subs would have going forward and still do today. Throughout the production of the 5512 Rolex made many different variations, from glossy dials to matte dials with many slight updates and changes. The 5512 may look nearly identical to the 5513 (that came out in 1962, three years later) but the main difference would be that the 5512 has the chronometer certified movement (COSC). Since the 5512 had a COSC movement, they were more expensive than the 5513 and were not as popular, we see less of them in general. The 5512’s would typically have four lines of text at the bottom of the dial and the 5513 always has two; that is one good way of telling apart the references at a glance Its not always that simple, early examples of the 5512 also have two lines of text, but still have the COSC movement. Speaking of the movement, when looking closely at the movement on this example, it is stamped with the US import code “ROW” indicating it was made for the US market. Overall the 5512 is a cult favorite and we see many collectors gravitate towards these especially after they have gone down the rabbit hole. This example dates to circa 1966 and features a gilt, glossy dial—one of the last glossy variations before Rolex transitioned to matte dials. Over time, the surface has developed a distinctive cracks, earning it the nickname “Spider Dial,” as the pattern resembles a spider’s web. The term gilt refers to the gold-colored printing of the Rolex logo, model name, and depth rating, while glossy describes the deep, shiny black surface of the dial. This dial has the additional two lines of text beneath the depth rating, applied directly to the dial. There’s something special about these gilt glossy Submariners that collectors covet and this one with its “Spider dial” has a unique look you wont find on another one. Shop Rolex Submariner Collection