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Reference: 1803
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Movement: Automatic Rolex Cal. 1555
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Age: 1965
- Case Size: 36mm
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Case Condition: Very good.
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Bracelet Condition: Very good.
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Box & Papers: Watch only
- Case Material: 18k yellow gold
The Day-Date was the first wristwatch to display both the day and date spelled out in full, and when it launched in the late 1950s it set a template that Rolex has never needed to fundamentally change. This 1965 ref. 1803 is a very early example, and the thing that sets it apart immediately is the case.
Gold is soft, and sixty years of ownership, polishing, and servicing takes a toll. Finding a 1960s Day-Date with its original geometry intact is genuinely difficult. This one has it. The edges are crisp, the proportions are strong throughout, and the fluted bezel retains real definition. It wears exactly as Rolex intended.
The champagne dial presents cleanly and evenly, with the warmth of the gold case and dial working together in the way these early references do best. Understated, elegant, and completely assured.
Inside runs the Calibre 1555, the movement that powered the earliest Day-Dates and one that collectors actively seek out. This is pre-quickset, which for many is part of the appeal, a watch that rewards the ritual of setting it properly.
Fitted with a new handmade leather strap.
Condition
Exceptional for the age. The case has not been polished into submission, and it shows. Sharp lines, strong lugs, correct proportions. The dial is clean and even. The movement has been inspected and runs well.
Why this one
Case condition is the entire conversation with solid gold vintage Rolex, and this one sits at the top of that conversation. Early calibre 1555 Day-Dates in unpolished condition are becoming genuinely scarce. This is a collector-grade example by any measure, and it rewards the closer you look.
