Rolex Comex 5513 HEV Diver's Watch History

Key Points from the Discussion

• Comex divers were highly skilled 'rock stars' of their era, earning significant income based on dive depth and duration, and their watches were integral tools in these challenging, often dangerous, operations.
• The discussion delves into the serial number ranges and delivery dates of early Comex 5513 watches, noting that while Rolex often states 1972 delivery, many watches with 2.83 million serials (like the author's) were produced around 1970-1971, suggesting a spread in actual delivery to divers.
• The author's watch, number 103, retains its original small logo dial, and its provenance is supported by diver's logs detailing its use in various global operations, from the Persian Gulf to Norway, including the salvage of a US Navy P3 Orion aircraft.
• The lives of these early Comex divers were characterized by extreme conditions, risk-taking, and a focus on difficult jobs rather than the watches themselves, leading to less precise record-keeping regarding watch delivery.
• The faded bezel insert on the author's watch adds to its 'lived-in' realism, enhancing its appeal as a true tool watch with a storied past.
• Rolex's internal production tables indicate that 2.2 million serial ranges are shared between 1969-1970, and 3.5 million between 1973-1974, highlighting potential inaccuracies in publicly available 'self-made tables' for dating.