Introduced in 1955, the Rolex Submariner ref. 6536/1 usurped the preceeding ref. 6536 and remained in production until 1959.
Framed in a robust stainless steel 37mm diameter Oyster case, the ref. 6536/1 features a small Brevet crown measuring at 6mm only and much smaller in comparison to the ref. 6538 “Big Crown” with an 8mm Brevet crown.
Bearing a 155 thousand serial, the present example is from circa 1956 and is offered in excellent overall condition boasting an attractive case with crisp and desirable bevels, not to mention thick and prominent lugs. Furthermore, the dial is nice and original with strong radium readings under a Geiger counter. The luminous material on the dial has aged beautifully and further heightens the vintage appeal of this present example.
The dial is preserved in equally impressive condition with its strong gilt print. The luminous marker at 6 o'clock is most notably much brighter than the other luminous plots, as to be expected from Submariner dials from this period.
Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.