Lapis Dial 1601/8 Rolex Datejust

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Here’s a hot take to some: stone dials suit the Datejust even better than a Day-Date. If you’ve been into the more formal side of Rolex for any time at all, most roads lead to vintage Day-Date. But stone dials are the only place where a Datejust stands on equal footing with the Day-Date, spec…

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‘Havana’ Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

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Not all Datejust are created equal. This will become immediately apparent if you check out Monaco Legends 2021 result for a red jasper white gold 1601, which hammered at 186K US. Many think of the Datejust as that two-tone thing you have to buy for your significant other to get a GMT. This does immense…

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Malachite Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

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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…

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Red Jasper Dial 1601/8 Rolex Datejust

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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…

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‘Obsidian’ Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

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Here’s just about the most controversial Rolex around today. It goes by Obsidian, a volcanic glass, and for recent years it has been hyped as one of the rarest stone dials made. But is it? That’s not an easy question to answer. The last few years have seen stone dial Day-Dates and Datejusts rise stratospherically…

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‘Tiger Eye’ Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

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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…

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Red Jasper Dial 1601/8 Rolex Datejust

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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…

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Cartier CPCP Tank Louis in Platinum

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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…

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Gilt Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust

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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…

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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…

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