A grail story
Rolex 5513 “Spider Dial” from 1986
I still remember
The first time I consciously saw a Rolex 5513, I was working as a freelance graphic designer, helping a saturation diver with a logo for his new bicycle apparel business. He was sharing his professional life on instagram, and among the many photos of various dives, he posted some of his watches, and one of those was a matte dial Rolex 5513. This was more than ten years ago, so I can’t remember if he actually used it diving, but I remember thinking it was such a cool piece. This planted a seed, and even though the watch was way out of my price range, I hoped to one day call a 5513 my own.
This was more than ten years ago, so I’ve had plenty of time to window shop and figure out exactly which iteration of the 5513 I want to own. Production ran from 1962 all the way through 1989, resulting in a wide range of configurations, different crown guards, dials, marker sizes etc. I won’t get too nerdy by listing them all, but I always assumed I’d end up with a matte maxi dial. From those early days of browsing 5513s, though, there was one particular variant that kept pulling me in, the Spider Dial. Found on the final iteration of the model in the latter part of the 1980s, the spider dial is not a design choice but a defect. On some examples, the lacquer would crack over time, creating a spider web pattern, only visible when the light hits at a certain angle.
“Having the dial crack on this luxury product, is almost like it’s refusing to change and become something it wasn’t originally meant to be.”
Reading peoples opinions on this defect, it’s clear that it’s not loved by everyone. Many argue why anyone would buy a broken watch, especially as they usually come with a premium price tag. Personally I don’t care if spider dials are more collectible or not, I just think they look awesome! The thing I love most about the spider dial, besides the aesthetics, is its irony. With the introduction of white gold hour markers and a glossy dial, Rolex was clearly trying to steer the Submariner from pure tool watch towards a true luxury product. Having the dial crack on this luxury product, is almost like it’s refusing to change and become something it wasn’t originally meant to be.
Buying a watch, like most of you probably know, is a lot about finding the right one. I normally don’t hunt for watches in “perfect condition”, at least not in the traditional sense. I like to find watches that have lived a full life, with the marks to prove it. If they’re polished or not doesn’t really matter as long as it’s done correctly. Although, a badly or excessively polished watch is an instant no. The best way I can describe it, is trying to find watches that could have been owned by me from new.
When I found “the one”
I was browsing Bulang & Sons back in July 2025 with no intention of adding another watch to my collection, yet here we are. I came across the one and couldn’t pass on the opportunity of finally acquiring my grail. It ticked nearly every box, with only two minor exceptions. It isn’t a birth year(1988) watch and it came with the less domed service plexi. But I guess you can’t have everything, the plexi can easily be swapped and the birth year detail is really just a bonus anyway. In the end I got a newly serviced 5513 in excellent condition, bought with guarantee from a reputable dealer.
There’s no getting around the fact that a steel sports Rolex is expensive. Because of that, I was a little nervous how I’d actually feel and behave when I finally got it, especially given its near perfect condition. Would I stray from my usual ethos of wearing the hell out of my watches? As it turns out, any concern about its value disappeared almost immediately. I’ve been wearing and enjoying it as much as, if not more than, any other watch I own. Maybe it’s because I’ve dreamed of owning one for over a decade, and now that it’s finally mine, I want to embrace it fully. It’s a strange feeling, almost as if it’s always been my watch, with no previous owners. I want to leave my mark on it and take it places. I’ll never be a OWG(one watch guy), there’s just too much fun to be had out there, but I can absolutely see this becoming the watch my children remember as the one I wore the most.
So what happens next? Does owning my dream watch mean I’ve reached the end of my collecting journey? Not at all. Even though I finally have what I consider to be my grail watch, there are still plenty of pieces that I’m eager to explore. My passion and collecting was never about finding “the one”, it’s always been the experience itself. I own a Mk1 Tudor Submariner 7016 from 1968 which I genuinely consider to be the best submariner ever made, better evan than the 5513. Yet I would still part with it before I’d let go of the 5513. Some watches are meant to be experienced, while others are meant to stay with you for life. And my spider dial 5513? That’s one for life.
