Go on. Try it.
Google Rolex submariner 6205. Hardly any useful information comes up. How can that be?! One of the earliest and most important submariners in the world from Rolex and no information?
Yes. Some Rolex submariners are still overlooked.
While most collectors dream of 5510 & 6538 big crowns, I think the 6205 is an even more important watch. Think I am crazy? Perhaps. Give me a chance to explain.
First a bit of history.
Rolex did not know at the time but in 1954 when it introduced the first submariner the 6204 to the general public at the Basel fair it would create a legend.
Today when you talk about Rolex and their DNA – it is clear that most people are referring to the submariner line. Perhaps it is the simple dial layout or the magic of gilt dials (for more information on how gilt dials are made see report here).
The most iconic and collectable of all submariners remains the big crown 6200,* one of the first submariners introduced- also in 1954. They are not only rare in number but their large and thicker case and big brevet crown (8mm) are what collectors dream of.
While the 6200 is ‘the submariner’ to own; a nice example today will be $500′ooo and it is well documented, (for a decent report on the 6200 please see here) much less is known about another iconic reference, also introduced in 1954- the 6205. While most experts agree that the 6204 was the first submariner introduced it is not so clear which came after, the 6205 or 6200. It is really a matter of small detail only as all three references (6200, 6204 & 6205) were introduced in 1954. What is known is that the 6205 is a very rare reference.
Made only for one year it is the second so called ‘small crown’ submariner after the 6204. However there were several changes. The 6205 was the first submariner which would carry the DNA of all subsequent models. Mercedes hands (early 6205 could have pencil hands). Gilt dial. Lume plots to mark the hours.
Lets look at the details with the aid of pictures.
Dial, hands & bezel
(Credit: D. Bourne)
The dial of the 6205 is a marvel- as it is an early dial – still in the times of radium.
The watch gives a hint of the radium warning by the lighter marker at six o’clock. Rolex would continue this tradition with other models like the 6536-1 (see example here) and the 5510 big crown.
There are a few similarities with its predecessor the 6204. To start with both have a gilt dial. Secondly both carry the word submariner with no depth rating. The first depth rating would be introduced later with the 6536-1 and big crowns 6538 and 5510. What is also important to note is that both the 6205 and the 6204 were issued with no wording (no submariner) on the dial (for a 6205 no wording dial please see here)*.
This is because at the time (experts assume) Rolex was not granted the trademark on the word ‘submariner’ yet.
The bezel insert of both the 6204 and the 6205 are the same. No individual first fithteen minute markers – just the five minute intervals. While there are some similarities- the differences between both references are greater. Whereas the 6204 had pencil hands (there were very few 6205 with pencil hands see here)** most of the 6205 had ‘mercedes’ hands which be the trademark hands for all future generation of submariners.
What is also interesting to note is that the mercedes hands are very similar to the hands of the 6200 and not similar to later models like the 6536/1 which were ‘mercedes’ in type but shorter and not as ‘fat’ (see picture of 6536-1 hands here). Also the seconds hand in the 6205 was significantly larger than the 6204 and reminds us more of the big crown submariners (like the 6200).
In terms of depth rating (although not indicated) both the 6204 and 6205 had an official depth rating of 100m. On a last note concerning the dial, while most early submariner tend to be matt in finish (gloss dials would come a little later around the 1956/57 period with the 6536) this 6205 is quite glossy which is untypical for early submariner (for a glossy dial picture of the 6205 click here).
*Credit goes to Mondani. ** Credit to the 6205 pencil hands goes to Sheartime of Andrew Shear in NYC.
(Credit: D. Bourne)
Movement and case back and case
The movement of the 6205 carries the A260 calibre much like the 6204 before it. (Credit: Hatem Fawzy – owner).
The case like many early Rolex submariner models should be signed Brevet and have a plus sign +.
This is visible below (see picture). Most early submariner are brevet signed like the 6200 and 6204 that were almost produced at the same time as the 6205. (Credit Hatem Fawzy – owner).
The case back is also similar to the 6204 and the 6200.
All have the early ‘octopus’ symbol (so called because the Rolex symbol or crown carries lines that resemble an octopus) on the case back with the model number (in this case the 6205) written beneath the symbol (see picture below). I have made the picture larger as this case-back is very rare. It is only found on the 6200 big crown and on the 6204 and 6205.
The models after like the 6536-1 carried a different case-back. There are only two small differences between the 6204 and the 6205.
First, the ‘R’ which is not found on the 6205 but is found below the Rolex crown on the 6204 (see picture). Secondly the absence of the word ‘patented’ on the 6205 below.
Winding crown
Although the winding crown is a small detail with Rolex wristwatches- I think it is an important one as so many watches come with the wrong crown. It is a small detail but for the perfectionist (which we all try to be) it is an crucial one.
To use a car analogy it is similar to driving around in a great 275 GTB/4 Ferrari and having the prancing horse sign where the rear lights are instead of on the trunk lid. The correct winding crown for a 6205 is not the exact same winding crown as the 6204.
The winding crown grew to 6mm and would be a standard size on all future submariners like the 6536-1, 5508 and 5512. Size apart the crown has not changed from the 6204 and it should be (see picture below) a Rolex crown with the plus sign (+) right below it.
Most early submariner watches like the 5508, 6536 for sale come with the ‘underline’ sign below which is incorrect as this would first be introduced in the 1970s.
(Credit J.Baron from PuristSPro)
Comment on the Serial Nr on 6205 & literature provenance
The 6205 used in this report is a well known example and is considered to be one of the finest 6205 in existence.
It has a serial Nr 2140x and can be seen on P18 of the original Submariner book by Mondani. The watch is also illustrated in the newest Rolex book by Mondani ‘Rolex Story’ on page 181.
You might wonder why the serial Nr is so low with a 6205?
The reference 6204 before is often found with serial Nr like 988xxx. How can this be that a reference before has a higher serial Nr than the next reference? The explanation is that in 1954 Rolex reached the number 999 999 and thus started over again with their numbers.
This has caused quite some confusion among collectors who were initially not aware of the serial Nr starting over again.
Concluding remarks
The 6205 submariner is fascinating watch – as not much is know about this reference – larger crown versions like the infamous 6200 have overshadowed the ‘smaller brother’.
But I personally think the 6205 has a strong attraction due to its purity.
If you think about no other submariner has this simple layout with only the word submariner (and no depth rating) and ‘normal’ non- explorer type dial. The 6204 has this purity but still retains the ‘pencil hands’ not reflective of the real DNA of the submariner.
The 6200 has this dial purity but comes with the explorer dial, which is attractive but only made in very few pieces and also not reflective of what we think as the submariner DNA down the road. The 6205 is thus the first model to really represent what future Submariners like the 6536-1, 5508, 5512m 5513 would look like.
That is why I think historically seen it is much more important than any of the big crowns that came much later (3-4 years) like the 5510 and the 6538.
Furthermore I personally have weakness for the early gilt and radium dials and especially the golden gilt hands, which only models such as the 6200, 6204, 6536, 6536-1, 6538 and 5510 would have. Later models like the 5508 and even the 5512 would still have the gilt dial but often lose the gilt-golden hands (only a handful of 5508 I have ever seen have the golden hands) that even in the early 1960s would already be more silver in nature.
On a last point, the 6205 is extremely rare.
Type in 6205 and auctions into google and see how many have been sold in the past 5 or 10 years. Barely a handful. While rarity is not the most important criteria in collecting watches, it does add to its allure.
Here some supplementary information / pictures concerning this Rolex reference 6205 serial Nr 2140x. Below the first picture is of the watch in the new Mondani book ‘Rolex Story’ where the watch is featured on page 181. Credit: Mondani Publishing
What would this report be without a few wrist shots of the watch in the main report on the owners wrist?
In the next picture the watch is captured in ‘natural’ sunlight and you see the strong ‘gilt’ printing.
Notice also the radium on the dial that left its traces. And the lume at six o’clock the is slightly lighter than the rest – common for early submariner of the 1950s.
Lastly we are using another 6205 – belonging to Mr. Hatem Fawzy – case Nr 8585x who allowed us to use this exceptional picture and watch.
For readers interested in more wristshots of the the 6205 please see Hodinkee short write-up here
The provenance of the 6205 Serial Nr 2140x which is the main watch in this report is as follows:
- 2008 sold via Christies for an oustanding CHF 51’500 – see full details here
- Thereafter owned by various British collectors including Joe Roseman
- In 2014 bought by a Zurich based collector via Vintage DB
- Literature: published by Mondani original Submariner book (p18) & Rolex Only (p181).
For those collectors interested in other submariners, I have written reports for the following models:
- Small crown 5508 & 6536-1 See in depth report here
- 6204 Submariner See in depth report here
- 5512 Submariner See in depth report here
