Actor George Lazenby spotted wearing a Rolex

The sighting comes from the 1967 EON Productions film 'You Only Live Twice,' where George Lazenby — soon to become the second actor to portray James Bond — appeared wearing a Rolex Submariner reference 5513 on screen. While Sean Connery held the 007 title at the time of the film, Lazenby's presence alongside the 5513 adds a fascinating footnote to the watch's already storied cinematic history, linking two consecutive Bond eras to a single reference.

The Rolex Submariner 5513 was introduced in 1962 as the non-date counterpart to the 5512, remaining in production until 1989 — an unusually long run that produced several distinct dial and bezel variations highly prized by collectors. Early references featured a matte black dial without the 200m/660ft depth rating, while later examples incorporated the rating text and glossy dials. The case measured 40mm in stainless steel, housing the reliable Calibre 1520 automatic movement, later updated to the 1530. Its clean, uncluttered dial — free of the date complication — gives the 5513 a sporting purity that many collectors prefer over its sibling.

Within the vintage Rolex community, the 5513 occupies a special tier. It is accessible enough to attract new collectors yet complex enough in its variants — including the rare 'Mk I' pointed crown guard cases and tropical dials — to reward deep expertise. Bond provenance, even tangential, adds measurable premium to individual examples. A 5513 with documented screen or set use would transcend typical grey-market pricing entirely.

George Lazenby, the Australian actor who succeeded Connery in 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' (1969), appeared in 'You Only Live Twice' prior to taking the Bond role himself. His association with the 5513 in that context underscores how deeply the Submariner was woven into the Bond production universe across the late 1960s, worn by cast and crew alike.

On the current grey market, a clean Rolex Submariner 5513 in solid condition trades between $8,000 and $20,000 depending on dial variant, case sharpness, and originality. Tropical dials or early pointed crown guard examples can exceed $30,000. The 5513 never had an official retail price in today's market — it was discontinued in 1989 — making grey-market valuations the definitive pricing reference.