Posts Tagged ‘Datejust’
Serpico Y Laino Dial 6605 Rolex Datejust ‘Ovettone’, Pink Gold
Before Paul Newmans got everyone hot and bothered and way before anyone cared about the Nautilus, early Ovettone Datejust were what collectors thought should be all the rage. When there was no social media and you weren’t yet qualified to operate a motor vehicle, this was original hype watch at auction. And, honestly, I think…
Read MoreMalachite Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust
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 MoreOnyx Dial 16238 Rolex Datejust
Staring into an onyx Datejust is the horological equivalent of a black hole. Both aesthetically and financially, they will suck you in. Normally, I would always slightly preference a Day-Date, everything else being equal. But in stone dials, Datejusts really sing. You get more of the stone, to start. But I really love that fact…
Read MoreObsidian Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust
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 MoreRed Jasper Dial 1600/8 Rolex Datejust
It took a very particular person to buy a stone dial Datejust in 1972. You’re adding very significant premium to the base model, sort of the Cayman GT4 of the vintage Rolex range. You could’ve purchased a Day-Date for the premium, but you chose discretion on purpose. They’re rare for this reason alone. But this…
Read MoreHoneycomb Dial ‘Ovettone’ 6305 Rolex Datejust
Rolex didn’t have the formula perfectly defined in 1955. They had some brilliant ideas around creating tool watches for professionals to use, but weren’t yet certain how to go about it. We observe wild experimentation around these years with what it meant to be an Explorer, Submariner, Milgauss, Oyster Chronograph (there was no Cosmograph yet),…
Read More‘Tiger Eye’ Dial 1601 Rolex Datejust
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 MoreRed Jasper Dial 1601/8 Rolex Datejust
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 MoreGilt 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 MoreWood Dial 16019 Rolex Datejust
If you were ever in any doubt that Rolex are, in fact, the preeminent masters of marketing, consider this. Rolex convinced their clientele back in the 4-digit era that wood was a luxury material. Wood; you know, the stuff you burn to keep warm, that’s always decomposing slowly. Granted, they chose very lovely varieties, lacquered…
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