

Stainless steel 'Big Logo' Clasp with matching year, original Rolex
6538
A superlative “Big Crown” Submariner with tropical 2-liner dial, which retained a mesmerizing gloss.
Firstly, let's dive into the origin stories of this captivating find that started with a phone call from a French speaking gentleman. He wanted to show us a Submariner that he ensured would be interesting to us. We requested him to provide us with some images before making the trip from Brussel, but he was reluctant to do so; to preserve the mystery. It reminded us to the days of watch trading before the internet but rather being surprised on the spot. Yet, high expectations may lead to let-downs; not this time however! How could we expect that this Belgium art-dealer would present one of the nicest "Big Crowns" in history?
The watch spent numerous years disassembled in a watchmakers drawer, as he was unable to repair it due to a missing hour wheel. The previously mentioned art-dealer purchased it from him and had it brought back to live by the locally renowned Gilles Clavareau (Artisan du Temps) -in his words- "like a phoenix rising from its ashes". Some 5 years later it found its way to Amsterdam, landed in our collection and captivated our hearts. This timepiece probably doesn't need much of an introduction to understand how important it is, but allow us to make an ode.
Firstly, this iteration was on the wrist of Sean Connery as James Bond in "Dr. No". So 007 choose the 6538 as his reliable companion and this was hardly a surprise back then. Not only was it one of the sturdiest watches one could obtain in the 50's, Ian Fleming was a huge Rolex enthusiast. In the movie they supplied it with a Nato, but we are happy ours has the "Big Logo" Riveted Oyster, stamped the same year as the watch.
The 38mm measuring case is very strong, with thick lugs and appealing chamfers. The ridged periphery of the caseback shows it hasn't been opened all too often and has never been mishandled. The 8mm Brevet crown, a staple that resulted in a coveted nickname, is still present. The pristine state is emphasised by the brass bezel with black aluminium inlay, showing little to no damage and flaunts a vibrant red triangle. You'll be hard pressed to find an equally well-preserved toolwatch that dates back 65 years. But we haven't even talked about its most seductive aspect.
With enormous pride we present you this 2-liner dial that adopted a brown hue overtime, whilst not losing any of its shine. The galvanic dial, born black, has the tendency to discolour overtime due to outside agents and the influence of the radioactivity -found in the markers and hands- on the lacquer. This unique aging effect can go hand-in-hand with diminishing the gloss of the surface and subsequently results in a dull look. Luckily, this is not the case with our example. Furthermore, the Radium in both the hands as on the dial obtained a brown tint, complimenting the overall warm appearance.
There would be little debate about our claim that this belongs in the top 10 of nicest Submariners in the world. We are humbled to have this fresh-to-the-market diver.