5513 Submariner 200m=660ft

[YewchD]

My sub has 200m=660ft on the dial but others I see have 660ft=200m. Does anyone know why some dials have the order different? Is it a country variation?

[Rolex Lover]

Originally Posted by YewchD

My sub has 200m=660ft on the dial but others I see have 660ft=200m. Does anyone know why some dials have the order different? Is it a country variation?

I have never seen the one with meters before feet. May be I'm mistaken or my eyes are not used to it!!! Do you have pic please?

Thanks...

[spirotechnique]

Early exemples of the 5513 do have meter first

[Spark]

Originally Posted by YewchD

My sub has 200m=660ft on the dial but others I see have 660ft=200m. Does anyone know why some dials have the order different? Is it a country variation?

Early 5512/5513 and 1680 Subs have meters first dials.
They are more rare than feet first dials.
I don't believe there is any conclusive answer to why it started as meters first and then changed to feet first as far as I am aware.


Here's a picture of mine

[Subexplorer]

Hi Mark!! That 5513 of yours is very nice. I wish the one I´m after now, will be near as nice as yours.

Regarding meters first, I have noticed it in several 5513 I´ve seen.

I was told (but unconfirmed) that meters first was in use for marketing in European and South American markets, using the decimal units, like here in Argentina, for example.
Those for markets like USA would go 660 first.
Then in some point of the story, they uniformed the practice of showing feet first.
Don´t know if this is true, but sounds possible.
May be other TRF members can add to this.
Kind regards, Abel

[Spark]

Originally Posted by Subexplorer

Hi Mark!! That 5513 of yours is very nice. I wish the one I´m after now, will be near as nice as yours.

Regarding meters first, I have noticed it in several 5513 I´ve seen.

I was told (but unconfirmed) that meters first was in use for marketing in European and South American markets, using the decimal units, like here in Argentina, for example.
Those for markets like USA would go 660 first.
Then in some point of the story, they uniformed the practice of showing feet first.
Don´t know if this is true, but sounds possible.
May be other TRF members can add to this.
Kind regards, Abel

Abel,
That would make sense if they kept to metric first, but as the watches are made in Europe you would expect them to be meters first not feet first now.
During meters first production there wasn't any feet first watches as far as I am aware.

[Subexplorer]

Hi Mark!
Yes, your comments make sense.

Anyway, I felt that Rolex has a very big market in USA, and this could influence them in changing to feet first, though they are of course an European Company.
Well, as said before, there are lots of misterys and things to be learned around Rolex.
That´s fascinating!
Please see some nice interesting summary in the answer sent by Mike in my other post about 5513: http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...t=71396&page=2

Really fascinating!!
Kind regards, Abel

[JohnEaton]

Here's the 1680 meters first, caseback dates to 1 69, a 2.25 million serial:



Close up:



I think 1680's changed somewhere around 2.4 million or late '72 or '73 from meters first to feet first, don't know exactly when on 5513s, I've heard it may have been different dates for different countries.