Rolex Submariner 6536 Ultimate Buying Guide

First introduced in 1953 and kept in production ever since, the Rolex Submariner is the most famous dive watch in the world. Although it was originally designed specifically for scuba diving, the Submariner has transcended its tool watch roots and is now worn by countless people around the world – both above and below the surface. Produced for only a few years in the 1950s, the Rolex Submariner 6536 was one of the earliest versions of the brand’s iconic dive watch, and despite its very short production run, there is a surprising range of variations within this single model.  
While it’s not Rolex’s most famous vintage submariner (that honor probably goes to the Ref. 6538, which Sean Connery wore in the original James Bond movie), the Ref. 6536 is one of the most studied and collectible vintage Rolex models. Below we take a closer look at the fake Rolex Submariner 6536, including its history, key details, some notable variations, and (of course) how much it would cost if you wanted to add one of these historic vintage Submariners to your collection.
By the end of the 1950s, the Rolex Submariner design had (more or less) stabilized and become the icon we know it as today. However, in the first few years after the watch’s release, Rolex introduced a number of different Submariner models, each with its own unique characteristics. The Reference 6536 was one of these early models, first appearing around 1956 (although some of the earliest examples are thought to have been made in 1955), but was discontinued before the end of that decade.
Although the Reference 5512, introduced in 1959, featured a larger 40mm case size and added crown protection, the early models (including the Reference 6536) were collectively referred to as front-crown-protected Submariner watches. As their name implies, these models predate the implementation of the crown guard and feature smaller cases that offer a distinctly vintage overall aesthetic.  
Although reference 6536 first appeared only a few years after the introduction of the Submariner, there are several other references that predate it. Moreover, although the Submariner 6536 has only been in Rolex’s catalog for about three years, the extensive changes that can be observed in the surviving examples are entirely representative of the many changes that have occurred in the years replica Rolex has been perfecting its now legendary dive watch design.
Whether it is the dial, the hands, the bezel, or even the only thing that appears to define the Ref. 6536 is its 6 mm “small crown” – unlike the 8 mm “large crown” of the Submariner 6536’s sibling, the “007” Submariner 6538. Moreover, unlike its sibling with a large crown, the 6536 was also the last Submariner model to have a 100-meter depth rating, before Rolex increased it to 200 meters.
The presence of a great deal of variation is quite common among vintage Rolex replica watches, and this is especially true of the 1950s Submariner. With this in mind, the 6536 collection offers more variety than any of its predecessors, and it may just be the single most diverse collection of crown-guarded ex-Submariners Rolex has ever produced.