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Lot 2655
ROLEX. A FINE 18K GOLD AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH DAY, DATE, SWEEP CENTRE SECONDS AND LAPIS LAZULI DIAL
SIGNED ROLEX, OYSTER PERPETUAL, DAY-DATE, REF. 18238, CASE NO. T424765, CIRCA 1996
Closed30 May 2016
Price Realised
HKD 112,500
More Information
Specialist note
This Day-Date is fitted with the extremely collectible and captivating lapis lazuli blue dial.
The Day-Date is well known for having been a canvas onto which Rolex unleashed an innumerable amount of variations and experiments. Among the most appreciated stylistic exercises, the collector will without a doubt mention the famed hard stone dials. Rolex experimented with a number of different materials for these dials: coral, malachite, marble, fossils and others. The lapis lazuli version is perhaps the most eye-pleasing of them all: not only the deep blue color in itself is breathtaking, but the lapis lazuli natural inclusions add movement and flair to the dial. Indeed, most of the lapis dials, such as the present one, are free from scales or numerals: Rolex probably realized that the material in itself achieves a mesmerizing aesthetic result, and decided to leave the dial without further decorations.
The Day-Date is well known for having been a canvas onto which Rolex unleashed an innumerable amount of variations and experiments. Among the most appreciated stylistic exercises, the collector will without a doubt mention the famed hard stone dials. Rolex experimented with a number of different materials for these dials: coral, malachite, marble, fossils and others. The lapis lazuli version is perhaps the most eye-pleasing of them all: not only the deep blue color in itself is breathtaking, but the lapis lazuli natural inclusions add movement and flair to the dial. Indeed, most of the lapis dials, such as the present one, are free from scales or numerals: Rolex probably realized that the material in itself achieves a mesmerizing aesthetic result, and decided to leave the dial without further decorations.