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Rolex Datejust Ref. 5030 - 'Ovettone' w/ 'Roulette' Date
SOLD
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.
While the 16xx series of Datejusts are plentiful, coming across the earlier references is actually uncommon, as Rolex simply was not making as many watches in the 40s and 50s as they later would. So its a special day when we are able to find not only an early Datejust, but one in the condition like the piece that we have here....
This is a Reference 5030, and despite being from the late 1940s, this piece has many of the characteristic, and yes, iconic, features that the Datejusts of today still have, but with some subtle differences that are unique to Rolexes from this era: The 'roulette' date disk has alternating red and black numerals, and the aperture window is beautifully framed. The applied indices are of the 'arrowhead' style and are complimented by a matching 'alpha'-style handset. And last but not least, the case itself has a few minor differences, namely the caseback carrying over some of the 'bubble-back' shape of even older Rolex models.
This particular example dates to circa 1948 and happens to be in excellent overall condition. The case shows signs of having been lightly previously polished, while remaining nice and symmetrical and showing normal signs of wear throughout. The smooth polished yellow gold bezel is in matching condition. The dial inside is beautiful. Gloss black in color, it shows light signs of aging resulting in a uniform 'starry' patina and retains fully-intact luminous plots. The correct 'alpha' handset matches beautifully. The crown is a slightly later unit and features both the Brevet 'cross' and Rolex Coronet signatures.
We cannot overstate how special and hard to come by these are, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this piece on the site.
Condition Report & Details
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Every Oliver & Clarke timepiece comes with a one-year mechanical warranty starting from the date of delivery. We ensure all watches are in wonderful working condition and are ready for daily wear. Many have been fully serviced by our team of watchmakers.
Please note:
- Due to the vintage or antique nature of many of our watches, they may not keep time as accurately as when new, nor as precisely as quartz or electronic devices.
- We do not guarantee water resistance and do not warranty against moisture or water damage. Deliberate exposure to water or steam is not recommended.
Warranty Exclusions:
- Internal or external damage caused by accidents, mishandling, abuse, modifications, or services performed by anyone other than our authorized personnel.
- Our warranty is non-transferable.
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At Oliver & Clarke, we meticulously vet each watch to ensure its authenticity and quality. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and our mission is to help you find the perfect timepiece. If you have any questions, we are here to assist you promptly.
Our Guarantee:
- Each timepiece is thoroughly evaluated, authenticated, and approved by our expert team before it is offered for sale.
- We guarantee the period-correctness of all components unless otherwise stated.
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Rolex Datejust Ref. 5030 - 'Ovettone' w/ 'Roulette' DateSale price$15,450.00 USD Regular price
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