Rolex Datejust Ref. 1601/8 - Satin Blue 'Sigma' Dial

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, this Ref. 1601/8 comes to us in excellent overall condition, with a thick and symmetrical case, a crisp 'fluted' yellow gold bezel, and a properly rare South American market Jubilee bracelet with a blade clasp. Inside, the dial features satin finishing and is blue in color, with some of the usual degradation on the edge of the pie-pan and retains fully-intact and evenly patinated Tritium plots with a matching handset.

This is a fun and interesting alternative to it's much more common Day-Date sibling, with a sneaky rare if you know, you know bracelet.