The quick answer: a fake Rolex Submariner 5513 gives itself away in three places. The dial printing, the engraving between the lugs, and the movement under the caseback. Nail those three and you have filtered out most of what is out there. Everything after that is a patient read of the bezel, crystal, hands, and case shape.
Why the 5513 Attracts Fakes
Rolex built the reference 5513 from 1962 into 1989, one of the longest runs of any no-date Submariner. That span created a wide spread of dial types and a wide spread of prices. It also gave dishonest sellers a useful excuse. Almost any flaw can be described as a transitional detail, and a buyer with no reference point has nothing to compare against. I look at a lot of listings, and the same three or four mistakes show up again and again.
Dial Printing and Lume
Start with the text. On a correct dial the coronet sits centered above the ROLEX line, and the serifs on the R and the X stay sharp. Fakes print thick, soft type, and the coronet often looks flat across the top. Lume plots should sit in round wells with even borders.
- Early gilt dials run into the mid 1960s and carry SWISS at the bottom, with a glossy finish.
- Matte dials from the late 1960s through the 1980s are marked SWISS - T <25.
- Tritium on an untouched dial will not glow under UV. If the plots light up green, the lume is new.
Hands have to match the dial era. A matte dial with glossy gilt hands is a mismatch, and mismatched hands are common on assembled watches.
Case, Lugs, and Engravings
Flip the watch and read between the lugs. The reference and serial on an original were stamped with a punch, so the numbers have depth and a slight irregularity. Lasered numbers sit shallow and look machine perfect. The caseback should carry a 5513 stamp inside as well.
- Lug width is 20mm, with drilled lug holes set near the outer edge on most examples.
- Fake cases often have lugs that look thick and soft, with weak bevels and holes set too high.
- Crown guards on a 5513 are thin and symmetrical. Chunky or asymmetric guards point to a replacement case.
Bezel Insert and Crystal
Original inserts have a matte anodized finish and a font with weight. The famous kissing 4 and fat font variants are period details, not decoration. Aftermarket inserts usually have thinner, taller numerals and a glossy sheen. As for the crystal, the 5513 kept an acrylic crystal for its whole life, so sapphire is a clear sign of a swap or a fake.
Movement
The 5513 used the Rolex caliber 1520. It is a slow beat automatic that does not hack, meaning the seconds hand keeps running when you pull the crown. A watch that hacks is either a different movement or not a Rolex at all. Ask for a photo of the movement with the caseback off, then look at the finish on the bridges and the rotor. Clone movements look busy and stamped, with rough edges on the wheels.
Frankenwatches Are the Real Trap
A genuine case with a reprinted dial, a later insert, and service hands will pass a case inspection and still be a bad buy. Dealers call these frankenwatches. They are harder to catch than a fully fake watch because part of the watch is real. On a 5513 the dial carries most of the value, so a reprint is a serious loss. Compare lume color across the dial and hands, look for paint sitting outside the printed lines, and check whether the dial feet match the movement.
What to Do Before You Pay
- Ask for photos of the dial under a loupe and of the numbers between the lugs.
- Get a movement photo with the caseback removed.
- Compare the serial range against known production dates for the reference.
- Have an independent watchmaker open the watch before money changes hands.
One last point. If a listing calls the watch a 1:1 replica, a first copy, or a mirror quality build, it is not a Rolex, no matter how good the photos look. A watch sold as a replica is a replica. Paying genuine money for one is the only mistake that cannot be fixed later.