5512 meters first 4-liner from 1970 - introduction

[Bjoern88]

Hello, I am new here and recently got my first Vintage Rolex

I am collecting watches for some years now I have pieces from Omega, Oris, Panerai, Hanhart, Tissot and even Zodiac. But just recently I got my first Rolex… I have always been fascinated by vintages Sub’s and GMT’s and during this pandemic I spend more time online as usual and I got more familiar with the history and models. I finally went on a hunt and after 8 months of searching around I finally got my first Submariner a 5512 from 1970 and here is the story.

Believe it or not it nearly landed in the trash … but let’s start from the beginning a young waitress bought her very first house via an estate sale in Northern Ontario it was a “fixer upper”, the previous owner died and the family sold the house with all belongings in it. During cleaning and emptying the house she throw out the so called “junk-drawer” in the garbage and only by luck her father saw the watch… he told her that this is a Rolex; but she thought it was an old fake Rolex … however they took the watch to a local jeweler and he convinced her to send it to Rolex Canada which she did. Rolex Canada confirmed the watch is original and Rolex quoted her to service the watch – gladly she denied as Rolex wanted to replace a bunch of parts such as the dial and hands …

Through the internet I have connected with her and when she picked up the watch at Rolex Canada in Toronto we’ve met at a vintage watch dealer to get his opinion. Her mom was with her and she was quite funny (side story her mom liked my name because when her kids where little she and her husband used the name Bjoern Borg every time they wanted to smoke a joint … so the kids wouldn’t know what it means… lol)

The watch has never been polished and that it has a quite nice dial with the meter first 4-line. The serial number dates the watch to 1970 same does the case back it is stamped inside with 5512 and Q1/1970. Weirdly enough the dealer wanted to buy the watch too but he backed off and I bought the watch from the girl.
I paid what I thought is fair and the girl was super happy because I paid her cash and I paid her more than a watch dealer from California offered her. She now can do more renovations in the house and she is just thrilled... I am thrilled too because I finally have my first vintage sub.

Now what makes me super excited is that my Rolex must be one of the very last 5512 with the meters first dial… I have read on Hodinkee that the Reference 5512 (Matte Dial, Meters First) was made 1967 to 1969. But my Sub is all original with a 1970 serial number and case back stamped 5512 and Q1/1970… so I would argue that Rolex made the matte dial meters first 4-Liner between 1967 – 1970 and not just 1967 – 1969.

I only have a few pictures at this time because the watch is in service right now. I will post more pictures when I get it back in 3-4 weeks.

Thanks for reading and glad to be here!
You all stay healthy,
Bjoern