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ROLEX Submariner ‘COMEX 292’ Ref. 5514
See original version (French)
152
-
ROLEX Submariner ‘COMEX 292’ Ref. 5514
See original version (French)
Estimate €30,000 - €50,000
Voluntary lot
Description
ROLEX
Submariner ‘COMEX 292’
Ref. 5514
No. 3804877
Circa 1975
Steel diving wristwatch with helium escape valve, supplied to Comex
Case: round, bezel missing, caseback engraved ‘I.72’ with double numbering on the inside, number 292 on the back, signed
Dial: black, luminescent hands and hour markers, central seconds hand, date window, signed
Movement: automatic cal. 1570, signed
Bracelet: Oyster, ref. 93150, end links 580
Clasp: folding clasp, ref. 93150/F, signed
Diameter: 40 mm
Includes: a diver’s logbook, a Comex Pro diving torch, a Mistral diving regulator, a Scubavision diving mask, a Spirotechnique diving cylinder, a Fenzy buoyancy compensator, a Fenzy ascent jacket, an album entitled ‘Les Travailleurs sous la mer, Sogetram’, a booklet entitled ‘Diving Systems International © Bob Kirby & Bel Morgan’.
Provenance: this watch comes directly from the family of its original owner, a diver at Comex.
A stainless steel automatic diver’s wristwatch, Oyster bracelet with diver’s extension and Rolex deployant clasp. Includes a diver’s logbook, a Comex Pro diving torch, a Mistral diving regulator, a Scubavision diving mask, a Spirotechnique diving cylinder, a Fenzy buoyancy compensator, a Fenzy lifting vest, a copy of *Les Travailleurs sous la mer, Sogetram*, and a copy of *Diving Systems International* © Bob Kirby & Bel Morgan.
Submariner 5514 ‘Small Caseback Number’
Introduced in 1974, the Rolex Submariner ref. 5514 was produced until around 1978 and has become a cult watch in the Comex legend. An iconic model in Rolex’s history, it was developed exclusively for the company founded by Henri-Germain Delauze and was never made available to the general public.
Designed specifically for saturation diving, the Ref. 5514 is distinguished by its helium escape valve, which is particularly useful during decompression phases. All watches supplied to Comex feature the reference ‘5514’ engraved between the lugs, as well as a 5513-style case back bearing a double numbering system: the Rolex serial number and a three-digit Comex number. Within the Marseille-based organisation, the 5514 was generally assigned to the most experienced divers, those involved in the most demanding operations or who had attained a very high level of responsibility.
From its original owner, a professional diver specialising in offshore work, our example stands out both for its provenance and for its rare Comex number, known as a ‘Small Caseback Number’. Engraved with ‘292’ on the back of the case, it belongs to one of the earliest Comex numbering series. Exemplars bearing a number below 300 are particularly rare on the market. Their engraving, which is more discreet and shallower than that of later series, has often faded significantly over the decades. To our knowledge, only one other example similar to ours, bearing the Rolex serial number 3'804'882 and a Comex number likely around 262, has recently reappeared at public auction with this type of early marking.
Trained as a professional diver with the Société Générale de Travaux Maritimes (Sogetram) in 1974, the owner of this watch played an active role in the development of offshore activities in the North Sea in the late 1970s. This period coincided with the considerable boom in the oil industry following the second oil crisis. For Comex, the year 1980 marked a major turning point, as the company returned to growth after several difficult financial years.
The watch is accompanied by a letter from Comex Services dated 7 November 1980 concerning the terms of its owner’s employment for the group’s offshore operations. The records kept with the watch indicate that he worked, in particular, at Comex Houlder Diving in Aberdeen, the company’s Scottish subsidiary, alongside Georges Arnoux, a leading figure in professional diving in the North Sea and a key player in improving safety standards in this sector.
Following his time in Aberdeen, his career took him on numerous offshore operations in Norway, Africa, the United Arab Emirates and South America, notably on projects linked to Total, then a shareholder in Comex SA.
Accompanied by a collection of personal archives including, notably, Air France flight tickets, travel documents and several administrative records from the period, this Submariner 5514 boasts a particularly well-documented provenance. Increasingly rare on the market, these records enable us to trace with precision the career path of a Comex diver during the golden age of offshore diving.
Submariner 5514 “Small Caseback Number”
Introduced in 1974, the Rolex Submariner ref. 5514 remained in production until approximately 1978 and has since become one of the most iconic watches in Comex history. An emblematic model in Rolex lore, it was developed exclusively for the company founded by Henri-Germain Delauze and was never made available to the public.
Designed specifically for saturation diving, the reference 5514 is distinguished by its helium escape valve, a feature particularly useful during decompression phases. All watches supplied to Comex feature the reference “5514” engraved between the lugs, as well as a type 5513 caseback bearing a dual numbering system: the Rolex serial number and a three-digit Comex inventory number.
Within the Marseille-based organisation, the 5514 was generally assigned to the most experienced divers, those entrusted with the most demanding operations or holding positions of significant responsibility.
Coming directly from its original owner, a professional diver specialising in offshore operations, this particular example stands out not only for its provenance but also for its rare Comex “Small Caseback Number”. Engraved with “292” on the caseback, it belongs to one of the earliest Comex numbering series. Examples bearing a number below 300 are particularly rare on the market. Their engraving, which is shallower and more discreet than that found on later examples, has often become heavily worn over the decades. To the best of our knowledge, only one other comparable example, bearing Rolex serial number 3'804'882 and a Comex number believed to be around 262, has recently resurfaced at public auction displaying this early style of caseback engraving.
Trained as a professional diver by the Société Générale de Travaux Maritimes (Sogetram) in 1974, the owner of this watch played an active role in the expansion of offshore operations in the North Sea during the late 1970s. This period coincided with the considerable growth of the oil industry following the Second Oil Crisis. For Comex, 1980 marked a major turning point, as the company returned to growth after several difficult financial years.
The watch is accompanied by a letter from Comex Services dated 7 November 1980 concerning the owner’s recruitment for the group’s offshore operations. The archives preserved with the watch indicate that he notably worked for Comex Houlder Diving in Aberdeen, the group’s Scottish subsidiary, alongside Georges Arnoux, a legendary figure in North Sea commercial diving who made a significant contribution to improving safety standards within the profession.
Following his time in Aberdeen, his career took him to numerous offshore operations in Norway, Africa, the United Arab Emirates and South America, including projects linked to Total, then a shareholder in Comex SA.
Accompanied by a collection of personal archives including Air France flight tickets, travel documents and various administrative records from the period, this Submariner 5514 boasts an exceptionally well-documented provenance. Increasingly rare on today’s market, such archives provide a unique opportunity to retrace the professional career of a Comex diver during the golden age of offshore diving.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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