Unfortunately it didn't come with pictures of the owner frying eggs with Superman or any other movie stars like the infamous "Bobles' 5510" on eBay :lol: but my latest acquisition, which has sat languishing forgotten in a drawer for thirty years, is pretty much the crowning glory of my milSub collection!

The watch is a 1957 ref. A/6538, with a number of characteristics which make it unique to the British military, and very significantly, the only A/6538 which I have ever seen still retaining its original "German silver" bezel.



A very small number of Submariners were ordered by the Bristish Ministry of Defence in the late 1950's, possibly for experimental purposes. It is likely the watches were originally fitted with standard 200m 660ft Submariner dials with radium luminous markers, radium hands, and radium bezel marker, similar to the watch below



As the real danger of radium became apparent, the watches were recalled to the Ministry of Defence in the early 1960's, where the watchmakers at the observatory at Herstmonceaux Castle in southern England fitted dials with tritium luminous markers, tritium hands, and bezel inserts with tritium markers dots. The dials were printed for the Ministry of Defence with a very clear and legible 3-6-9 lay-out, with a very tall Rolex coronet, and the T-circle signifying tritium luminous compound. The dials are also referred to as the "Burford dials".

The bezel on the watch is unique to the A/6538, being much deeper than that fitted to the civilian Submariner watch (possibly for better grip when wearing thick diving gloves?), and is made from a metal alloy referred to as German silver. The extra height of the bezel necessitates a "double height" glass retaining ring, but the bezel does not clip very securely and invariably these watches lose their original bezels (replacements are unobtainable :-( ). I'm pleased to say my watch also retains its original period super-dome crystal, which buffed up nicely with a little Poli-watch! The winder is the big 8mm Brevet crown, and althought the bezel "champfers" are still quite sharp, the watch has a few battle scars!



The watch also retains its original fixed strap retaining bars. These look like regular spring bars, but are again made from a metal alloy similar to the German silver bezel, and the ends of the pins are brazed into place. The Rolex reference number A/6538 is clearly engraved at the 12 o'clock case-end



but a case number was never engraved at the 6 o'clock case-end, and the case side is left brushed



The case back is engraved with British military issue numbers. These appear to be electro-eroded into the case back. The 0552 code signifies Royal Navy issue, with a five digit number below. Other watches have appeared with H.S. caseback engravings, signifying use by the Hydrographic Service (map making and exploration).



Inside, the watch is powered by the Rolex calibre 1030 movement





The inside of the caseback has a few more unique characteristics: the model reference number 6540 is struck-out three times, and replaced by a larger A/6538; and as with other A/6538 milSubs, the caseback is punched with the date code III.57



I'd like to think my Christmas came early, but I'm hoping Santa may grant my wish for a new arm and leg to replace the ones I sold to pay for this one!

Hopefully, that has to tick all the British milSub boxes for my collection now (A/6538; 5513; double-reference 5513/5517; 5517 Army-issue; 5517 Navy-issue)... if you can think of any more, keep it to yourself!!

MW

:shock: :D 8) :D :shock: