Servicing An Ultra-Rare Vintage Rolex Submariner Ref. 6200 “King Sub”
Vintage Rolex is a treasure trove for dedicated collectors. Within that little sub-universe, there are grail watches that stand out above the rest. Today, we are looking at one that is pretty high up on many aficionados’ lists. This is the Rolex Submariner ref. 6200, also known as the King Sub. My friends at Tempus had one in for service and kindly provided a ton of great pictures of the process. This gives me a good excuse to have a closer look at this rare beast.
The Rolex Submariner ref. 6200 is also referred to as the Explorer-dial Sub for its atypical numerals at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. With an estimated 300 produced almost 70 years ago, this is about as collectible as they come.
Image: Tempus
The Rolex Submariners leading up to ref. 6200
The first-ever Rolex to say “Submariner” on the dial had the reference number 6204. That watch was presented to the public in 1954, but the earliest serial numbers date back to late 1953. You will easily recognize a 6204 as a Rolex Submariner, although many of its characteristic features hadn’t materialized. There was no Mercedes-style hour hand just yet, for instance. Rolex also used a small crown at first before getting into the big-crown era that would soon follow.
Image: Tempus
The Submariner ref. 6200 was produced from 1955 to 1956, putting it very close to the first model, ref. 6204. Paired with the fact that it has a lower reference number, it makes you wonder whether the original plans for it perhaps predate the 6204. I don’t think so because some of the aesthetic features here debuted on the 1954 ref. 6205. The Mercedes hand, for instance, was introduced during the 6205 window. The crown on that watch had also started to grow, forming a perfect stepping stone between refs. 6204 and 6200.
In 1955, the 6200 made its debut, and it remains a bit of an outlier in the Submariner line thanks to its dial. The so-called “Explorer dial” features the 3-6-9 Arabic-numeral layout. This is usually reserved for the Explorer, with hashes in place of the numerals on most Submariners.
Image: Tempus
The Submariner ref. 6200
Early Submariner references follow each other in quick succession. As a result, the 6200’s production window only lasted from 1955 to 1956. The 6200 measures 38mm across, but it is a bit thicker than its predecessors. This was also the first Sub to have its water resistance officially rated to 200 meters, though it is not printed on the dial as it would be on later models.
Speaking of the dial, it is a true gilt one. This means a brass blank is printed with a clear lacquer and then galvanized black. The black doesn’t adhere to the previously clear-lacquered dial features, which then appear as exposed brass lying “in” the black rather than gold paint on top of the black. If you take a loupe to these dials, you will see the text is lower than the surrounding black. There were likely two main dial variants — one with a small logo and one with a large logo. Some feature “Submariner” above 6 o’clock, and some don’t.
Image: Tempus
Another key characteristic of the Submariner ref. 6200 is the oversized crown without crown guards. This became iconic of early Submariners, although, as you can see, it took a while to get there. These crowns are signed “Brevet,” French for “Patented.” All of these unique features led to the “King Sub” nickname.
Image: Tempus
Hunting down a King Sub ref. 6200
The King Sub you see here belongs to a Dutch collector. Having already collected several rare Tudor watches, he set his sights on a Rolex ref. 6200. Now, we all set our sights on something ambitious now and then, but this is on another level. At the time of writing, there isn’t a single one on Chrono24, for instance. This isn’t surprising, though, as only an estimated 300 units were ever produced. This isn’t a vintage Rolex for the masses either. Good examples have sold for hundreds of thousands of euros when they’ve finally popped up.
The collector in question involved the watchmakers from Tempus early on to assist in the search. As you can imagine, you need an expert eye to purchase something like this. I can only assume having two extra pairs of expert eyes on board is very welcome.
The collector finally identified this 1954 specimen with a rare lollipop seconds hand as his grail watch and set out to acquire it. This big-logo example is in fantastic condition and looks highly original. It was then up to the team at Tempus to give it a proper revision with great respect for originality and condition.
Image: Tempus
Servicing the King Sub
As you can see from the images, this rare Submariner was in excellent aesthetic condition. The case is nice and thick rather than over-polished, the dial has a lovely, even patina, and the lume, hands, and bezel insert look superb. Now, I am not getting into what is and isn’t 100% original, restored, or replaced before this service. I am no expert on these early Subs, and even if I were, I couldn’t judge it from a distance. Let me instead limit myself to what Tempus did this time.
The only thing Tempus did to the exterior was fit a new-old-stock replacement crystal and refit the bezel. The 1957-dated stretch Oyster bracelet and the case were left alone. I would say this is the only right decision with a watch like this. Speaking of the exterior, have a look at its beautiful bezel. It was plated brass, but the plating wore off. The exposed brass matches the gilt dial perfectly, almost as if designed this way. It is quite understandable that brands sometimes use bronze bezels to mimic this look today.
The movement did receive a full overhaul. This took some expert work. Jasper from Tempus adjusted the thread on the crown tube, for instance, to ensure perfectly smooth operation. As watches get older, such custom work is sometimes necessary. Luckily, people like Jasper are around to do it with great respect for the original watch.
Image: Tempus
Closing thoughts
Looking at these pictures reminds me why I love properly built mechanical watches. Just look at how perfect everything still is after a cleanup. These watches were rudimentary in the best possible sense of the word. If you regularly service them, they will just last and last. To me, this is a testament to the heirloom nature of great watches.
It is also good to see a fantastic watch like this end up with a dedicated collector and proper watchmakers. I am sure the new owner and the team at Tempus will ensure this beauty stays in working condition for the foreseeable future. I know Tempus is making a comprehensive report containing the smallest details about the watch. The company also specializes in the hard work of tracking down rare parts needed for repairs like this. In short, it seems to be in good hands.
The best thing is that its new owner wears it all the time. Though it is rare and special, it will not disappear in some speculator’s safe.
What do you think of this Rolex Submariner ref. 6200 King Sub? Let us know in the comments below!
