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The Top 5 Rolex References From Iconic Movies: The Rolex Submariner ref. 6538 from Dr. No
We can look at the first coming together of the world’s favorite dive watch and the world’s favorite fictional secret agent as the opening salvo in two of the most successful and lucrative endeavors of all time.
Rolex’s Submariner and the screen persona of James Bond met in Dr. No and, looked at objectively, it’s fun to see the similarities of each in their embryonic state.
The Bond/Submariner Parallels
1962 saw both Bond and the Sub very much still finding their feet.
The two entities are certainly identifiable for what they are as we look back today, but each is missing some key ingredients which we now unavoidably associate with them.
Dr. No, for instance, does not have the pre-credits set piece we’re used to, nor are there any of Q’s gadgets to speak of. The character of Bond himself, played by Sean Connery, is charming and suave, but as equally tough and ruthless, with far less in the way of devastating one-liners as later incarnations (although, ‘That’s a Smith and Wesson. And you’ve had your shix,’ is as badass as it gets).
The whole movie is more a noir thriller than the action blockbusters we have now, with no world-ending threats or hidden volcanic lairs, exploding pens or invisible Astons. In short, EON Productions, headed up by the legendary Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, were yet to hit on the ‘Bond Formula’ which would make the series such a global phenomenon.
Similarly, Rolex were also in the process of finetuning their world-beating diver. Or rather, the reference of the Submariner featured in the movie was part of that development.
The Sub had debuted nearly a decade earlier, in 1953. The ref. 6538 Big Crown we see in the film was released in 1956 and, as evidence of just how hard Rolex were working on it, it was already the fifth iteration in just three years. Now, some of those early references ran side-by-side with others, but it is clear the brand knew they already had a major hit on their hands. In fact, by the time Dr. No premiered, the Sub was into its ninth generation with the ref. 5513. And, interestingly enough, that was the model which cemented all the aspects we have now come to expect.
By contrast, the ref. 6538 had a smaller 38mm diameter. It had a large, 8mm winding crown (leading to its common nickname, the Big Crown Sub, or, alternatively, the Bond Sub). Its bezel was bidirectional, with an aluminum insert. It had no date and its movement, the Cal. 1030, offered no hacking function. Its dial was gloss black with painted lume plot markers. And, the biggest giveaway of its vintage, it had no crown guards.
Basically, most of the characteristics which now personify the Rolex Submariner were either of a different type or absent completely—but, like the films, the spirit was there.
Bond’s Sub
We’ve known the specific reference Connery wore in Dr. No for a long time. The ref. 6538 ran from 1956 up to 1959, concurrently with several others.
The model was available in either chronometer or non-chronometer versions, leading to the so-called two-liner or four-liner dials.
That description refers to the number of lines of text on the dial. Essentially, the non-chronometer variants are the two-liners, as they are missing out the ‘Officially Certified Chronometer’ script present on the chronometer-rated four-liners. Curiously, however, both types ran on the same movement; it’s simply that some of them were sent for testing at the COSC and others weren’t. For the record, Bond’s version in Dr. No is a two-liner.
Where there is a certain amount of confusion is in regards to the bracelet. Although, I guess when you know how the watch came to feature in the movie, it really should’ve been obvious.
Dr. No had a $1m budget, tiny even for 1962. Within that, there was very little money for props, and certainly not for a Rolex. However, it was important for the development of the character that Bond be seen with a watch, and a high quality one at that. Fleming had already established his superspy as a Rolex fan in his novels, so when time came for the wrist closeup, Cubby Broccoli simply removed his personal model had handed it over to Connery. It’s Broccoli’s watch we see in the movie.
Yet, if you do any kind of search for the ‘original Bond Sub’ it tends to throw up movie screen grabs of the watch on the famous red, black and green-striped NATO strap, the one slightly too thin for the lugs.
It seems odd that a Hollywood power player like Broccoli would wear his Sub thusly, and indeed he didn’t. That common image search result is the ref. 6538 Connery sported in Goldfinger; you know, the bit where Bond peels off his diving drysuit to reveal his perfectly pressed white tuxedo then checks the time via his cigarette lighter.
No, the piece he wore in Dr. No was fitted with a brown leather strap; much more in keeping with Broccoli’s persona.
The Rolex Submariner and the Later Bonds
The Sub was such a hit that it went on to star in three subsequent 007 outings. Connery wore it on a leather strap again in the follow-up From Russia with Love in 1963, then the aforementioned Goldfinger in 1964 and finally Thunderball in 1965. In both of the last two films we see that regimental-striped NATO.
That was definitely not the end of the line for Bond and his Submariner though.
George ‘hit-it-and-quit-it’ Lazenby donned a ref. 5513 in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969, before handing the reins (and the watches) over to Roger Moore. Moore’s debut in Live and Let Die in 1973 and second jaunt, The Man With The Golden Gun in 1974, both gave plenty of screentime to his own 5513, in particular the former, where we are treated to the infamous buzz-saw bezel and magnetic field generator; good for deflecting bullets and undoing zippers. Finally, Timothy Dalton had his ref. 16610 for 1989’s License to Kill.
For all that priceless advertising, Rolex paid not a penny. The costume designers merely chose the timepiece which best summed up the Bond persona—stylish and cultured, yet tough and masculine when needed.
Buying a Bond Sub
The ref. 6538 was not around for very long, and existed in a time long before Rolex was the production powerhouse it is today. As such, there is a limited supply of Bond Subs on the preowned market.
Despite all that, buying in may not be as expensive as you think. Entry level examples can be priced as low as $20,000. That should secure you a later run piece, or one in less than prime condition.
At the business end of the spectrum, a Connery-worn, pristine model sold at auction for $567,000 in 2018, while a mint, original owner super early piece later went for around the $1.1M mark, according to Christies.
Should you be in the market for one of these iconic watches yourself, it is impossible to overstress the importance of indulging in some fearsome due diligence. As wonderful as the watch collecting industry is, there is enough money involved to attract its own version of Bond villains, all with designs on fleecing you out of your cash in exchange for fakes, falsities and Frankenwatches.
Always verify what you’re buying and from whom and, as always, pay attention, 007!
Featured Photo: Mixed art by Oriol Mendivil for BKT Archive.
