Malachite Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

Malachite-Dial-Rolex-Datejust-1601

There is no dial like a stone Datejust dial. The charm here is that this was effectively the base model Rolex at the time, elevated above the RRP of most Day-Dates because someone wanted a stone dial. That’s why we don’t see as many stone dials in 1601 as 1803, the premium was such that…

Read More

Red Jasper Dial 1601/8 Rolex Datejust

Red-Jasper-Rolex-Datejust-1601/8

In Datejust collecting, this is the peak. It’s a stone that’s not found in Day-Dates, a shade of royalty reserved for the Datejust only, which elevates the model to something far beyond 1601. It’s what’s known as a red jasper dial and it’s far less common than the already hard-to-find green jasper. Interestingly, while traditional…

Read More

Obsidian Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

Obsidian-Dial-Rolex-Datejust-1601

This isn’t tropical sun damage and it’s not even patina. This is Obsidian, a naturally occurring glass which forms when volcanic lava cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. Some areas are of this volcanic dial are translucent, true glass. The areas here where you see deep gold on the dial are in fact the dial…

Read More

‘Tiger Eye’ Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

Tiger-Eye-Rolex-Datejust-1601

The perfect companion for a Rocky III-style training montage, Rolex’s ‘Tiger Eye’ dials are one of the lesser seen but always noticed hardstone dials. They’re a product of the 70s, unapologetically so, and carry the flag for the brown aesthetic revolution still today. Lapis and Onyx dials have soared in recent years but somehow Tiger…

Read More

Red Jasper Dial 1601/8 Rolex Datejust

Red-Jasper-Dial-Rolex-Datejust-1601/8

Meet the only Rolex dial, Datejust or Day-Date, that can make Lapis look utterly plebeian. When you hear someone say jasper dial Rolex, they’re normally talking about a green hardstone with red veins. But jasper occurs naturally in varying shades and one of those is this rich red. It’s what’s known as a red jasper…

Read More

Cartier CPCP Tank Louis in Platinum

Cartier-CPCP-Tank-Louis-Platinum

It’s quite a luxury Cartier enjoy to both be viewed as a design-first watchmaker and simultaneously preside over a handful of the most timeless cases ever penned. Rolex’s Sub, Patek Philippe’s Perpetual Calendar, and indeed Cartier’s Tank all take a different approach to marketing, one best explained by looking at its antithesis. Trilobe are bringing…

Read More

Gilt Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

Gilt-Dial-1601-Rolex-Datejust

A true gilt dial always hits a bit different. When we hear the word gilt, the first thing that usually comes to mind are Subs. But that era of Rolex saw gilt print on dials of Day-Dates, Datejusts, and every sport watch right down to the Thunderbird. It was just how dials were made in…

Read More

Red Jasper Dial 1601/8 Rolex Datejust

Red-Jasper-Datejust

In stone dial Rolex, most will know the sought-after, vibrant, verdant jasper. It’s a deep green with red veins. But jasper occurs naturally in varying shades and one of those is this rich red. It’s what’s known as a red jasper dial and it’s far less common than the already hard-to-find green jasper. Interestingly, while…

Read More

Ghost Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

The 1601 Datejust is precisely what someone who doesn’t know watches imagines when you say ‘a nice watch’. This is one unit of Rolex, in exactly the same way that you would purchase one foot of fabric for curtains (or one meter for our more cultured friends, we know we’re backwards). Some may think that…

Read More