‘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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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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Wood Dial 16019 Rolex Datejust

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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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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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Malachite Dial 16018 Rolex Datejust

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There is an unspoken rule, one which I’ve completely made up, in Rolex. If someone is wearing a dial without any indices, made of some exotic material, they’re doing so because they’re well enough off to advertise that they don’t need to know the time. They own it; they may arrive to all occasions at…

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‘Thunderbird’ 6609 Rolex Datejust

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If you love a good mystery thriller with countless loose ends, this your kind of Datejust. No one knows precisely how the Turn-O-Graph bezel wound up on the wrists of the USAF Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Thunderbirds. Lore holds that one pilot previously bought one for himself on his wedding, and, after discovering…

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‘State of Qatar’ 16014 Rolex Datejust

Trigger warning here, I’m about to assault an icon. I’ve always found the name Datejust a bit hilariously apologetic. It’s as if Hans himself went, ‘Well, we can do a Day-Date, but this one is just a date, sincerest apologies.’ Make no mistake, any DJ is an excellent watch. But this one has less to…

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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…

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A Very Unique Rolex 1611 Datejust Khanjar

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In today’s collector climate, where Rolex buyers obsess over the slightest font alignment of a rail dial, it’s refreshing to find an authentically unique dial. An authentically unique piece, at that. Khanjar or Omani Rolex are their own market with a dedicated following. In recent years, they’ve become more highly sought after. This could be…

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