Rolex Datejust Ref. 1601 - Grey 'Ghost' 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 were also the first series to become available with a myriad of dial colors and case and bracelet materials.
This particular piece, a Reference 1601 from circa 1971, comes to us with an honest case showing signs of wear throughout. It exhibits some blemishes on the right case profile and 'matting' on the left, with the top of the lugs showing some factory finishing and less wear. The folded-link Jubilee bracelet shows normal wear and moderate stretch for its age with a signed blade clasp. Inside, the satin grey dial — known to collectors as a 'ghost dial' for its tendency for the white printing to seemingly vanish in certain lighting — shows some wear on the left edge extending onto the 9 o'clock side of the dial, and is otherwise very clean with evenly patinated lume across the plots and handset.
All in all, this is a watch with a few touches of if you know, you know.
Pretty neat!
Watch + Condition Details
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*Please note that due to the vintage or antique nature of many of our watches, these machines may not run as accurately as they did when new, nor will any mechanical timepiece keep time as accurately as a quartz or electronic device.
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*We also do not recommend deliberate exposure to water or worse - steam!
Our warranty is voided under the following circumstances:
- Internal or external damage caused by an accident, mishandling, abuse, modification, or handling/service performed by a third party individual other than one of our own.
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From Rolex & Patek Philippe, to Cartier & Audemars Piguet. As collectors first, we love the small details that separate the Submariner from Daytona and Calatrava from Royal Oak. This is why you'll find our curated assortment spans decades of generations of models and brands. We believe that watches don't just tell time, they tell history - and life is too short to wear a boring watch.
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