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Lot Essay
The present timepiece is a rare and highly coveted representative of the reference 5512, featuring not only the coveted pointed crown guards, but also a black lacquer "exclamation" dial. These types of dial are very hard to come by and garner immediate attention from Rolex aficionados. Characterized by an additional luminous dot positioned underneath the 6 o'clock hour marker.
Exclamation dials were used by Rolex as a means to indicate that the radium used on the dial to make it luminous was within the norm approved by the Atomic Energy Commission in the U.S. These types of dials are found only on models from the late 1950s to early 1960s. The radioactive radium used on luminous watch dials in the first part of the 20th century was replaced in the middle of the century by less harmful tritium.
The case is fitted with pointed crown guards, also referred to as "cornino" by Italian Rolex enthusiasts, found on early examples of references 5512 and 5513 only. All later Submariner cases feature the now standard rounded crown guard shoulders.
Exclamation dials were used by Rolex as a means to indicate that the radium used on the dial to make it luminous was within the norm approved by the Atomic Energy Commission in the U.S. These types of dials are found only on models from the late 1950s to early 1960s. The radioactive radium used on luminous watch dials in the first part of the 20th century was replaced in the middle of the century by less harmful tritium.
The case is fitted with pointed crown guards, also referred to as "cornino" by Italian Rolex enthusiasts, found on early examples of references 5512 and 5513 only. All later Submariner cases feature the now standard rounded crown guard shoulders.