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Lot Essay
'A hydrogen diver just can't survive without his Rolex' - Henri-Germain Delauze
Striking example of the rare reference 5513 made for COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d’Expertise), the present wristwatch impresses with its splendid overall condition. The very well preserved dial displays attractively discolored luminous material and is assembled with a stainless steel case of strong proportions. Furthermore, the present early reference 5513 features not only a Helium Escape Valve but it is correctly engraved Rolex Comex on the caseback, the three last digits of the serial number are also repeated inside the caseback.
As of the late 1960s, Rolex supplied different Submariner models featuring the patented gas escape valve to the side to COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertise) in Marseille, a professional diving operation for the oil industry.
Watches supplied to Comex include following references:
Ref. 5513 Submariner 660ft=200m: approx. 1971 - 1973
Ref. 5514 Submariner 660ft=200m: approx. 1974 - 1977
Ref. 16600 Sea-Dweller 4000f6=1220m: approx. 1972 - 1997
Ref. 1665 Sea-Dweller, 200ft=600m: approx. 1977 - 1982
Ref. 1680 Submariner Date, 660ft=200m: approx. 1978 - 1979
Ref. 16600 Sea-Dweller 4000ft=1220m: approx. 2003
Ref. 16610 Submariner Date 1000ft=300m: approx. 1986 - 1997
Ref. 16660 Sea-Dweller 4000ft=1220m: approx. 1980 - 1984
Ref. 16800 Submariner Date 1000ft=300m: approx. 1982 - 1986
Ref. 168000 Submariner Date 1000ft=300 m: approx. 1988 - 1989
Founded in 1961 in Marseille by Henri-Germain Delauze, Comex or Compagnie Maritime d'Expertise pioneered in professional diving in the commercial field, requiring tool watches designed for conducting safe diving operations at greater depths, known as saturation diving. The successful collaboration between Comex and Rolex started in the early 1970s when all divers were progressively equipped with watches especially made for Comex: the improved "Submariner" model meeting the most stringent technical and professional demands of the professional deep-sea diver. Over the years, the watches featuring the legendary Comex name have undergone major technological innovations, the most famous still today remaining the gas escape valve, a crucial feature on diver's watches.
Striking example of the rare reference 5513 made for COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d’Expertise), the present wristwatch impresses with its splendid overall condition. The very well preserved dial displays attractively discolored luminous material and is assembled with a stainless steel case of strong proportions. Furthermore, the present early reference 5513 features not only a Helium Escape Valve but it is correctly engraved Rolex Comex on the caseback, the three last digits of the serial number are also repeated inside the caseback.
As of the late 1960s, Rolex supplied different Submariner models featuring the patented gas escape valve to the side to COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertise) in Marseille, a professional diving operation for the oil industry.
Watches supplied to Comex include following references:
Ref. 5513 Submariner 660ft=200m: approx. 1971 - 1973
Ref. 5514 Submariner 660ft=200m: approx. 1974 - 1977
Ref. 16600 Sea-Dweller 4000f6=1220m: approx. 1972 - 1997
Ref. 1665 Sea-Dweller, 200ft=600m: approx. 1977 - 1982
Ref. 1680 Submariner Date, 660ft=200m: approx. 1978 - 1979
Ref. 16600 Sea-Dweller 4000ft=1220m: approx. 2003
Ref. 16610 Submariner Date 1000ft=300m: approx. 1986 - 1997
Ref. 16660 Sea-Dweller 4000ft=1220m: approx. 1980 - 1984
Ref. 16800 Submariner Date 1000ft=300m: approx. 1982 - 1986
Ref. 168000 Submariner Date 1000ft=300 m: approx. 1988 - 1989
Founded in 1961 in Marseille by Henri-Germain Delauze, Comex or Compagnie Maritime d'Expertise pioneered in professional diving in the commercial field, requiring tool watches designed for conducting safe diving operations at greater depths, known as saturation diving. The successful collaboration between Comex and Rolex started in the early 1970s when all divers were progressively equipped with watches especially made for Comex: the improved "Submariner" model meeting the most stringent technical and professional demands of the professional deep-sea diver. Over the years, the watches featuring the legendary Comex name have undergone major technological innovations, the most famous still today remaining the gas escape valve, a crucial feature on diver's watches.