Short Answer
A fake Rolex 5513 Big Triangle is a counterfeit no-date Submariner built around a dial with an oversized triangle at 12 o'clock. Genuine Big Triangle dials come from a narrow slice of 5513 production in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The dial outline is simple to copy. The rest of the watch is not. Lume chemistry, case geometry, bezel feel, crystal material, and movement beat rate are where replicas fall apart.
What the 5513 Big Triangle Is
Rolex produced the Submariner reference 5513 from 1962 to 1989. It has no date window and no cyclops. Its caliber 1520 movement runs at 19,800 vibrations per hour and carries no chronometer certification. The 5512 was the certified version of the same basic watch.
Big Triangle is a dial variant, not a case or movement variant. The triangle at 12 o'clock is noticeably larger than the other lume plots, and the rest of the dial follows the matte black, tritium-lumed pattern of the period. Variant names and transition dates come from collectors, not from Rolex, so published dates vary by a year or more.
Why This Reference Gets Copied
Matte dials with painted markers are cheaper to reproduce than sunburst or gem-set dials. The 5513 also has no date, which removes the hardest part of any Submariner replica: the cyclops and the date wheel alignment. A counterfeit workshop can print a large triangle, drop it into a generic case, and produce something that reads correctly in a photo.
How to Inspect a Suspected Replica
- Shine a UV light on the dial. Genuine tritium from this era is dead or nearly dead. Bright, even glow points to modern lume.
- Measure the case across the bezel. It should read close to 40 mm, with lugs that taper thin.
- Look at the crystal. The 5513 uses an acrylic Tropic crystal with a dome. Factory sapphire is wrong.
- Turn the bezel. It should rotate both directions with friction and no clicks.
- Check the insert printing and the pearl at 12. Sloppy text and a flat pearl are common faults.
- Compare the reference and serial stamping between the lugs. Fonts, depth, and spacing should match known examples.
- Have a watchmaker put the movement on a timing machine. A 28,800 beat rate means the movement is not a caliber 1520.
Details Replicas Get Wrong
- Marker size relative to the triangle. Fakers enlarge the triangle and leave the hour plots stock.
- Lume color. Artificial patina looks uniform and often turns orange under UV.
- Crown guard shape. Real guards are asymmetric and blend into the case.
- Caseback stamping inside the case. It is often missing or wrong.
- Dial printing weight. Genuine text sits under the lacquer in a specific order.
Legal Position in the United States
Counterfeit watches are not a gray market item. Trafficking in them is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320, and trademark owners can sue under the Lanham Act. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit shipments and can act on personal imports as well. Reselling a replica carries more exposure than owning one, and a counterfeit never gains value.