Throw Back Thursday - Comex Submariner

This week’s Throw Back Thursday is another classic from the 100perecntRolex blog about a legendary Comex Submariner. Enjoy!

Here is a fantastic watch. Very rare and from a real nice collector and friend of ours.
A 5513 Comex with an incredible story, in fact probably a whole lot of tales! If only they could all be told!

Originally issued in 1972, this watch become the daily partner of a great diver who stayed in commercial diving for over 27 years. He worked in all over the world, but especially the North Sea. He also worked extensively on special salvage operations, in the aftermath of the Piper Alpha disaster.

Wikepeda > Piper Alpha

The watch was also worn when its owner was part of the team that undertook the salvage of a P3 Orion anti-submarine aircraft, lost off the coast of Oman.
A lot of salvage operations around the world were done by, or involved, Comex divers.

And seems the most famous operation the diver and what participated in is the salvage of the gold bullion of the HMS Edinburgh.

Wikepeda > HMS Edinbourgh

This watch does not only tell stories, but is rare also. Also a ‘medium numbers’ backcase engraving and matte logo dial Rolex Submariner reference 5513.

Estimates indicate that are only about 20-30 left in this special configuration, which makes it far rarer then any Big Numbers Rolex Submariner reference 5514 (a ref unique for Comex).

The 5513 Comex with valve is the ‘biggest’ Comex reference to me, one of the early prototypes used by Comex divers when testing the watches in collaboration with Rolex. This was a time when everything associated with diving was still in development and divers took tremendous risks to build the industry and society we grew up with.

Big congrats to my friend for this grail watch!