Live Auction 16153Rare Watches
Rolex. A very fine and rare 18K gold and diamond-set automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, day, date, bracelet, "dégradé dial" and box
Lot 101 Lot 101 - 103: The Property of an Important Private European Collector

ROLEX
Day-Date

Rolex. A very fine and rare 18K gold and diamond-set automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, day, date, bracelet, "dégradé dial" and box

Signed Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, Day-Date, ref. 18038, case no. 5’812’185, circa 1979

Closed12 November 2018

Price Realised

CHF 27,500

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Rolex. A very fine and rare 18K gold and diamond-set automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, day, date, bracelet, "dégradé dial" and box
Signed Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, Day-Date, ref. 18038, case no. 5’812’185, circa 1979
Movement: cal. 3055, automatic, 27 jewels, signed
Dial: signed
Case: screw back, inside case back stamped 18000, 36 mm. diam., signed
With: 18K gold Rolex President bracelet with hidden deployant clasp stamped 18000, overall length of approx. 180 mm., seal hand tag, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.

Specialist note

Widely acknowledged as being one of the most varied and unusual model created by Rolex, the Day-Date was manufactured in an impressive number of examples, some adorned with precious stones, lacquered or unusual dials, now much sought after by the most astute collectors.

Highly attractive and rare, the present timepiece features a beautiful “dégradé” dial set with diamond indexes and allied to an 18k gold case of strong proportions.

Introduced in 1977, reference 18000 incorporated innovations within the Day-Date line. The reference embodied the division between models crafted with the Plexiglas crystal and the highly resistant sapphire crystal. The model was assembled with an improved screw down crown and case back, enhancing the waterproof abilities of the model to 100 meters. Caliber 1556 used on previous models gave way to caliber 3055 with quick-set date.