Lapis Dial 18039 Rolex Day-Date, White Gold

I don’t believe one can state frequently enough how great stone dials look in white metal Day-Dates. This is 18039, white gold, but with a dial for the ages. We see lapis dials like candy in yellow gold cases, but in white gold or later platinum they’re hen’s teeth. How many have we seen at auction? Two. At least that I can find. There are certainly more, but this is not Oxblood-Stella-common at all. It’s on par with Jasper rarity in white metal. But isn’t it just perfect? Welcome to a very professional level of Day-Date collecting.

Right around the expansion to five digits which included sapphire and a quick-set (thank God), Rolex became quite experimental with the Day-Date. Stone dials were a part of this, alongside stella, guilloché and wood. The wheels began to be optioned in 24 languages. This was the era of the President as the watch of the powerful and famous. The 18039, 9 denotes white gold, is amongst the most subtle from this time.

Lapis dials in white gold have matching window metals, meaning you can’t just swap them between yellow gold and this (or at least, you shouldn’t). They’re really quite uncommon in the wild. Now, it should be noted that this dial is signed with T SWISS T but has non-luminous hands. This is entirely correct. Prior to the 2000s, Rolex would frequently print all dial blanks at once, all with the same signature. Luminous or non-luminous hands would be applied depending on the dial. It seems careless, but is a mark of charm indicating how Rolex operated back then. Just like the Eastern market no lume dials are also signed T. All is right here, and it is lovely.

There aren’t recent auction comps to make here. You’ll more frequently see lapis dials diamond set in later smooth-bezel 18206 cases. Without diamonds and pure blue stone, it is vanishingly uncommon. Which explains why it’s terrifyingly valuable. But if any Day-Date deserves to be hotly contested, this should be it. Just stare for a while.  

This example sports matching windows, correct non-luminous hands, ad fantastically sharp case, and correct hidden clasp President bracelet. It can't fault it at least as far as everything that I can tell through a few images. It comes from a well-regarded Dubai-based retailer. One final note: if you buy this, fly to pick it up. Don't ship it; that's how you get hairlines. Keep it perfect for the future, few are.