{"product_id":"rolex-datejust-ref-16018-onyx-stone-dial-unpolished","title":"Rolex Datejust Ref. 16018 - 'Onyx' Stone Dial Unpolished","description":"\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHard 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 Datejusts was the first series to become available with a myriad of dial colors and case and bracelet materials — something that has stuck with the Datejust name ever since. What the 4-digits watches do lack, is a quickset date — something that was resolved with the introduction of the 5-digit pieces in the late 1970s. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere are levels to collecting. For starters, this is a solid-gold Datejust which are rare to begin with - Rolex did not make a lot of these so it didn’t compete with its more expensive sibling, \u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003ethe Day-Date, which were exclusively produced in solid gold.\u003c\/span\u003e Not only is this one such example of a solid gold Datejust, but this also houses a factory stone dial. Throughout the years Rolex produced a number of highly exclusive, limited production, stone dials. These were dials made from shaved down pieces of Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Coral, and in this case - Onyx. These dials were fragile and difficult to work with - but when they got it right they offer such depth and natural beauty it easy to see why collectors lust for these pieces. While these were also made as Day-Dates, we actually prefer the cleaner dial of the Datejust which allows for more of the stone to come through to a truly stunning effect.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe piece that we have here, a Ref. 16018, features a black 'onyx' dial, which belongs to a family of watches produced with a series of rare and exotic stones, and are as rare as they are beautiful to behold. Produced by Rolex for a limited time, these dials were handmade by artisans — something we don't usually associate with Rolex and the sports watches that they are know for — and have always been coveted as some of the more collectible vintage Rolexes, full stop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis example dates to circa 1988 and is offered in strong overall condition, with a fantastic, unpolished Oyster case and 'fluted' yellow gold bezel. The stone dial within exhibits a faint vertical hairline fracture — hardly visible to the naked eye — along with a framed date aperture and a non-luminous yellow gold handset. This of course means that you can wear this one freely!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eWhile not the rarest of the stone dials, the variety of color ranging from gold to brown in the stone is always a pleaser and never short in demand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-info__block-item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"prose\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eWhile not the rarest of the stone dials, the depth of the black Onyx is always a pleaser and never short in demand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Oliver \u0026 Clarke","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52937200501053,"sku":"OC3335","price":22500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0765\/6138\/3741\/files\/ROLEX_DATEJUST_ONYX_STRAP_WEB_1.jpg?v=1788210122","url":"https:\/\/oliverandclarke.com\/products\/rolex-datejust-ref-16018-onyx-stone-dial-unpolished","provider":"Oliver \u0026 Clarke Vintage Watches","version":"1.0","type":"link"}