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A quick and fresh picture of the 5513 Submariner Marine Nationale Meters First.

 
 By: amanico : October 15th, 2014-10:07
From II / 1967. Taken with the Leica D Lux 4 just back from the service. Still waiting for the D Lux 6 and life will be good! Best, Nicolas...  

Ooh.....a M.N. A true MilSpec sub. Looks superb!!...

 
 By: DivingT : October 15th, 2014-11:10
Very very clean looking. Love the nice simple and clean dial!! Upgrading to a D-Lux 6? I thought you had tried one out, with not the best results? Or does it just need some time to adjust to it? Lovely Sub. A true classic. Cheers Tony

I kept the D Lux 4, but lastly, I took a bit more than 7000 pictures with the " 6 ".

 
 By: amanico : October 15th, 2014-11:30
With some very good results. But I had to send the 6 back, with a small issue. All my fault. As for the 5513 M.N, this is a beast, for sure. Best, Tony. Nicolas

Wonderful watch!

 
 By: dr.kol : October 15th, 2014-12:49
During the last four weeks I got a 5513 from 1971 and another from 1989. Now hunting for a nice gilt plus a 5512. It's difficult because I want to get the watch with box and papers. Best, Kari

I'm missing both...

 
 By: dr.kol : October 15th, 2014-13:16
Luckily, the other one is relatively easy to make. Best, Kari

Wow! [nt]

 
 By: descartes1 : October 15th, 2014-17:15

Thanks, Descartes. [nt]

 
 By: amanico : October 15th, 2014-22:41

Thanks, my friend. [nt]

 
 By: amanico : October 16th, 2014-00:14

Very nice picture.....not bad watch either:)

 
 By: Sandgroper : October 16th, 2014-02:48
Wow! I have D Lux 6.9 and I can tell you that life is sublime! Cheers Francois

This is a true beast my friend!! Did I ever told you that I love Subs?? :)))

 
 By: Subexplorer : October 17th, 2014-12:24
Have you got any pictures of its case back & inscriptions? Enjoy that dear Nicolas!! HAGWE!! Abrazos afectuosos, Abel.

Just for you...

 
 By: amanico : October 17th, 2014-13:25
...  

Wow!! Thank you my friend!! Just viewing the picture makes my heart...

 
 By: Subexplorer : October 17th, 2014-14:47
... pound so fast!! Can´t imagine what could happen with it on my hands!! Terrific piece my dear Nicolas!! Thank you so much for giving the pleasure of viewing its back!! Un abrazo!! Afectuosamente, Abel.

Great! I take your word! [nt]

 
 By: Subexplorer : October 17th, 2014-20:38

So do we know now who engraved these casebacks ?

 
 By: DrStrong : October 17th, 2014-22:59
it definitely does not look like a 1960's Rolex factory engraving and I have heard different stories about these casebacks. Do you have more informations ?

I did the job myself. ;)

 
 By: amanico : October 17th, 2014-23:03
I don't have facts about that. Best,Nicolas

Ciao Nic

 
 By: eparisini : November 5th, 2014-01:28
Do you have any paper from MN? I don't know much about this watch for MN... I knew about Tudors, and some of them are STUNNERS! Cheers EP

No, I never saw one coming with papers, as I never saw a 7924 coming

 
 By: amanico : November 5th, 2014-02:03
With military papers, either.... Best, my friend. Nicolas

Yes, but the 7924 is a 1950's watch...

 
 By: DrStrong : November 5th, 2014-03:57
...so you don't expect much paperwork in the first place. Besides, the MN ones are never sold as military watches in terms of price premium.

Military provenance...

 
 By: Le Monde Edmond : October 18th, 2014-10:39
is always interesting. While not my favourite area to collect-there is definately something fascinating to think a British Navy, US or Peruvian airforce pilot or French Marine used a watch. Congratulations on your new catch! Happy for you Nicolas. Best Ed... 

Not a new catch... By far, as I own it for 5 years, now.

 
 By: amanico : October 18th, 2014-11:23
But thanks for your kind words. For your information, it is said that there are something like 70 or 100 of these.... Best, Nicolas

NOT TRUE, they can have papers because I have 5513 MN with papers!

 
 By: rolro5517 : November 12th, 2014-12:49
The watch comes with attribution papers from "ministere des armée". We can clearly read the brand of the watch (Rolex), its serial number,and MN issue year. The watch comes also with rolex geneva service papers. Almost like Bexley!

Hi, Rolro, I too have a service paper from Rolex Geneva, but I would like to see...

 
 By: amanico : November 12th, 2014-13:20
The papers from the Ministere de la Defense.... Very curious to see it! That would be a very interesting first, at least for me. Best, and welcome here, by the way. Nicolas

Ok

 
 By: rolro5517 : November 28th, 2014-03:34
Difficult with this website... Could you send a post on VRF and I will post pics Moreover, we speak about 4 series of 25 watches But I can only find MN68, 70 and 73 on the net No Rolex MN75...... Only Tudor We should ask collectors... Regards

Same here. Never saw, even in pictures, a 5513 MN from 1975.

 
 By: amanico : November 28th, 2014-03:40
Yuo can send me pictures by mail, I will post them. All the best, Nicolas PS: I sent you a PM some weeks ago, did you receive it?

PM???

 
 By: rolro5517 : November 28th, 2014-04:02
what is PM? We need to ask collectors Maybe only 75 pieces... I have papers from army with case number and mN... Exceptional This confirm that Rolex MN exist as true military watches Last point, were they bought directly from Rolex or from AD...?

P M Private Message. Just after your first post.

 
 By: amanico : November 28th, 2014-07:05
My guess is that the MN bought these 5513 from an AD. Can you please send me your email by private message, I would love to see these papers. Best, Nicolas

Skepticism is not relevant

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 1st, 2014-03:51
Hello Until 68 Tudor After 73 Tudor Both directly from Rolex Why would it be different for 68-73 Rolex Era??? Before we had no proof but I have an attribution letter. 5513 MN are true military watches That is why it is important to convince the skeptics D... 

Add the MN 70 Nr 18.

 
 By: amanico : December 1st, 2014-04:08
Here it is, side by side with mine. In the case of the MN Rolex 5513, the provenance is very important... Best, Nicolas ...  

SN

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 1st, 2014-04:23
Yes how differs the SN??? They sould be in the same SN range, because they belong to the same batch We need Graham SN And number 17 SN (which has a lug engraved?????) Will get mine asap to compare Also they never come with box and original warranty papers... 

Both of the 2 I posted came from II / 1967.

 
 By: amanico : December 1st, 2014-04:50
I checked that point. And both in the 1, 7xx xxx range. Yours? Best, Nicolas

MN

 
 By: navyeight : December 3rd, 2014-09:13
I Have No 025 from the 1970 batch :)

case back

 
 By: navyeight : December 3rd, 2014-11:33
caseback ...  

Thanks for posting!

 
 By: amanico : December 3rd, 2014-11:37
Is your dial meters first?

face of 25

 
 By: navyeight : December 3rd, 2014-11:37
Face Please forgive the aftermarket insert :/ ...  

Thanks again. Are you sure about your serial number?

 
 By: amanico : December 3rd, 2014-11:39
You wrote 27x xxx, isn't rather 1, 7xx xxx? Meters first were on 1967 dials, AFAIK... Later it should be feet first. But I can be wrong. Best, Nicolas

Serial. Number is 257xxx [nt]

 
 By: navyeight : December 3rd, 2014-11:16

You meant 2 7xx xxx? [nt]

 
 By: amanico : December 3rd, 2014-11:23

No its 257xxxx [nt]

 
 By: navyeight : December 3rd, 2014-11:44

meters first dials got fitted to 5513's into the

 
 By: navyeight : December 3rd, 2014-12:28
early 70's did they not?

Can you post pictures of these documents please ?

 
 By: DrStrong : December 1st, 2014-12:59
also, what does the Rolex Geneva service document state ? It would be very interesting to see them, even if the serial number of the watch is hidden of course. Do I also understand that you have a Bexley letter ? Thanks

I have the service document from Rolex Geneva, it doesn't say anything specific.

 
 By: amanico : December 1st, 2014-14:00
It just says that the Watch was serviced, and of course, the price of the service + what was made on the Watch. Best, Nicolas

Done

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 3rd, 2014-12:27
with hidden SN

What a beautiful and interesting watch! I can´t stop thinkin...

 
 By: Subexplorer : November 28th, 2014-13:28
... that every time I view its photographs! I forgot to ask you to show it to me during our last meeting! What a nice excuse to go to Paris again!! Un abrazo mi amigo! Abel (El Dexter pampeano!)

With pleasure, Amigo. [nt]

 
 By: amanico : December 1st, 2014-09:31

My SN

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 2nd, 2014-00:18
hello Mine is 2 29x xxx 68 I think... MN 70 number higher than yours Attributed in 1970 on official document from French army It looks like these watches were not delivered at the same time Was it the same with Tudor? We also need more SN even from MN68 b... 

I don't see it as an issue.

 
 By: amanico : December 2nd, 2014-00:33
If the French Marine bought some 5513 to an AD, which seems to be the case, some 2 or three years after the AD took delivery of the watches, which is something not uncommon, the AD may have not receive a series of 5513 in the same range number. As for TUD... 

The 275,XXX are within a very small batch

 
 By: DrStrong : December 2nd, 2014-01:57
the serial numbers are very close to each other. It should be the same for the 5513 IMHO, but I have never seen any edidence of this

Is it possible to see this document ?

 
 By: DrStrong : December 2nd, 2014-01:55
I would also be interested in any coment appearing on the Rolex Geneva service. Thanks

Story + attribution papers

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 2nd, 2014-11:09
Hello. Here are the document. Somebody needs to translate... Nothing special about MN on Rolex Geneva service document After research (2 different sources), it seems that French Navy ordered Rolex watches (and Tudor) from PRIEUR, an AD located in Brest an...  

Thank you, Rolro 5517.

 
 By: amanico : December 2nd, 2014-11:20
Very interesting document. I heard the same about Prieur and some other ADs all over France. It is clear that Rolex didn't deliver these 5513 directly to the M.N, but that the M.N bought them to ADs. The thing is that PRIEUR won't help us to have more inf... 

Admiral

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 2nd, 2014-11:45
Moreover the attribution letter is signed by admiral of marine nationale... This man works after for secret service (boss of DGSE)

Who

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 2nd, 2014-13:09
I have the name and a copy of the military card of the man who was given this watch:))

He was

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 2nd, 2014-23:20
a military engineer. It looks like he contributed a lot to the navy during a mission or a development program Because attribution comes from admiralty, and Lacoste thanks him a lot! We can imagine everything...

MF

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 3rd, 2014-12:33
mine is Meters first also

New information from the son of the owner

 
 By: rolro5517 : February 1st, 2015-08:03
His father was military engineer, working with commando divers of the french navy. He was diving with them during technical missions. During his military career, in 1971, Admiral Lacoste (futur boss of french secret service...) rewarded him with a Rolex S... 

the case in your watch ...

 
 By: marcello pisani : December 2nd, 2014-03:53
has been produced at the end of 1969.

5513MN

 
 By: rolro5517 : December 3rd, 2014-12:31
we need more info about MN5513 Any info are welcome If you own one, let us know And If you have attribution papers+++ Another point: why do we only see MN68, MN70 and MN73 Any 75????