The “MilSub,” or “Military Submariner” is a rare variant of the cheap replica Rolex Submariner that was issued to the British armed forces. But when most of us think of the term “MilSub”, we think of the 5513 or 5517 with the sword hards, fully graduated bezel insert, and circled “T” on the dial that we see on Instagram or in a few different episodes of Talking Watches. But those watches date to the 1970s – and they’re pretty well studied. Today over on the Vintage Rolex Forum, Australian dealer Jed McCormack has given us a pretty detailed look at the other Rolex military Submariners.

He provides information on Submariners issued to the MOD as early as the reference 6538 Big Crown in the 1950s, followed up by the rare A/6538 and military-issued 5512s. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the report is his look at the so-called “Burford” dials, which were dials refinished by a company called Burford at the request of the MOD to replace the radium components with tritium. Needless to say, this is one that the vintage UK Copy Cheap Rolex Watches lovers will find fascinating, and everyone else will, well, not.