Rolex Submariner No-Date “Small Crown James Bond” ca. 1960

Rolex Submariner No-Date “Small Crown James Bond,” Ref. 5508, No. 599886, ca. 1960.
Steel wristwatch. Oyster case with screw-down caseback and small Rolex crown (6 mm). Black dial with luminescent hour markers featuring a cream-colored patina and Mercedes hands. Central seconds hand. Bidirectional rotating bezel with graduated black insert. Plexiglass/acrylic crystal.
Rolex Oyster steel bracelet, ref. 7206, with visible 80-link links and folding clasp.
Rolex Caliber 1530 automatic movement, signed. It works.
Comes with an additional link in a small Rolex metal box. With a vintage green Rolex case.
Case number partially worn away by bracelet friction, legible as ref. 5508 and no. 599886; between the lugs and on the inside of the case back, stamped “5508” and dated III.1958.
Last serviced by Rolex in March 2016 (copy of receipt attached).
Measurements: 38 mm (case diameter)

Condition: Exhibits wear consistent with age and use: scratches, small marks, and wear on the case, caseback, lugs, bracelet, and clasp. Bezel shows wear, and the luminescent dot at 12 o’clock is missing. Dial and luminescent material show patina, oxidation, and minor losses consistent with its age. Bracelet shows signs of use and has slight slack. Case number partially eroded by friction from the bracelet.

For collectors and vintage Rolex enthusiasts, the 5508 model holds a particularly appealing place in the historical evolution of the Submariner: it belongs to the last generation of models without crown guards and with a 100m/330ft depth rating, preceding the consolidation of cases with crown guards that would define the collection’s modern aesthetic. Its compact case, 6mm crown, bidirectional bezel, and black dial with natural patina encapsulate the character of Rolex’s early tool watches, now sought after as much for their technical significance as for their strong aesthetic identity. The nickname “Small Crown James Bond,” now firmly established in the international market for this reference, adds a highly recognizable cultural element. In a market particularly sensitive to the harmony between case, dial, movement, bracelet, and accessories, this example is notable for retaining the automatic caliber 1530, an Oyster bracelet ref. 7206 with 80-type end links, a vintage Rolex case, an additional link, and Rolex service documentation, while bearing the signs of wear typical of a tool watch over six decades old.

In the watch descriptions, when it states “it works,” it means the watch is functioning at the time of listing. Since collector’s watches often have delicate and complex mechanisms, the buyer is responsible for any general servicing, inspection, battery replacement, adjustment, or repair that may be necessary. We do not guarantee the perfect functioning of any watch. Nor do we guarantee their water resistance, regardless of the manufacturer’s or model’s specifications. All photographs of our watches are original and have been taken by our photographers; that is, we do not use stock photography, and therefore the photographs are considered part of the listing.