The Rolex Day-Date, without a doubt, has to be one of the most iconic watches ever produced. Even to those who don’t know about watches, the Day-Date is something that is instantly recognizable. First released in 1956, the vintage reference that is the most well known is the example you see here today, the Ref. 1803.
One rule that has stuck to the Day-Date since day one is that it was only to be produced in precious metals, with yellow gold being the preferred choice. Quickly, with Rolex’s iconic branding and reputation for high quality, it became one of the most revered luxury watches and became known as ‘the President’. Mind you, while the Day-Date was certainly a luxury watch, it was also built like a tank as per Rolex’s standards.
Rolex made many Day-Dates in all sorts of configurations with different precious metals and dial configurations with this example featuring a stunning matte black dial. This dial is one of the more uncommon dials and if you do find them, they tend to be in bad condition with the matte surface prone to tarnishing. This example, on the other hand, has a fantastically preserved dial with all luminous plots intact and on the wrist, it is beautifully elegant.
