Rolex Datejust Ref. 1601/8 - Champagne 'Sigma' Dial w/ Provenance & Documentation

Hard to believe - but the Datejust has been around since 1945. It is far older than its bigger and attention-hogging Submariner brethren. The Datejust was Rolex’s idea of the perfect everyday watch. The robustness of the Oyster case, combined with the elegance of an Oyster Perpetual. The ‘4 digit’ series of Datejust are particularly attractive for their pie-pan dials which offer a layer of three-dimensionality to the dials that went away with the advent of quickset date and 5-digit Datejusts. These early Datejusts were available as the 1601, with a fluted white gold bezel, or the 1603, with an engine-turned steel bezel. The 4-Digit Datejusts wear also the first series to become available with a myriad of dial colors and case and bracelet materials.

This particular piece, for starters, is a solid-gold Datejust, which are rare to begin with, full stop. Rolex did not make a lot of these so it didn’t compete with its more expensive sibling, the Day-Date, which were exclusively produced in solid gold.

Dating to circa 1973, the piece that we have here comes to us with a fantastic unpolished case with beautiful thick lugs, a perfectly matching 18k Jubilee bracelet, and matching unpolished 'fluted' yellow gold bezel. They all show normal signs of wear from age and use with only one small noteworthy impression on the lower right lug profile. Inside, the sunburst champagne-tone 'Sigma' dial is simply immaculate — seemingly-flawless, in fact. The Tritium plots exhibit an even and uniform patina and are complimented by a perfectly matching handset.

As if this piece did not speak for itself, it also comes with a very special caseback engraving and very interesting provenance that comes along with it. The engraving reads "1973 Archie Carr World Wildlife Fund" — a hint into the life work of the original owner of this piece.

Included in this purchase is a book with a letter from the family of the original owner of the watch confirming the provenance. The book features Mr. Carr and is also accompanied by a period green vinyl folder, a period booklet, the COSC hangtag, and last but not least, the punched papers stamped from Rolex themselves.

We cannot overstate how special it is to be able to offer not only a stunning example of a rare watch, but one with provenance and supporting documentation like what we have here.