Rolex. An extremely rare and attractive 18K gold, diamond and ruby-set calendar wristwatch with sweep centre seconds and bracelet

To fulfil the demand for sporty, yet elegant wristwatches Rolex produced exceedingly small series of highly gem-set models mainly in the 1970s and 1980s.

The present reference 18068 is part of a very limited number of such jewelled "Day-Date" models, furthermore distinguished by its very good, original overall condition. Another appealing aspect of this unusual wristwatch are the day and date windows, coloured in burgundy red with the calendar indications printed in gold to match the ruby-set numerals and bezel. In order to obtain a uniformly diamond-setting on the dial, Rolex signature and crown were applied in gold to the crystal.

The watch is further enhanced by its highly exclusive President bracelet, highlighted with baguette-cut rubies on the central links, flanked by prominently raised diamond-set studs. This ultra fancy bracelet style is often nick-named "Octopussy" due to the resemblances of the cylindrical diamond mountings to the suction cups of its tentacles.

Given the extreme rarity of this model, its close to mint condition and hard to beat visual appearance, this Day-Date is a fantastic opportunity for a forward-thinking collector to secure a true trophy for his (or hers...) Rolex collection.