We appreciate you contacting us. One of our colleagues will get back in touch with you soon!
Have a great day!
Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803 - Blue 'Buckley' Dial
SOLD
When the Day-Date was released in 1956, it was the only complicated Rolex for sale. Hard to believe, but after numerous References and attempts to capture the market with more complicated timepieces, it seemed like buyers were not particularly fond of Rolex’s previous attempts at complicated wristwatches. All of that changed when President Dwight D. Eisenhower was spotted wearing on Rolex in particular: a Day-Date. The model has since become known worldwide as ‘The President’ and as symbol of success and prestige.
The Day-Date was available for many years on amatching solid gold bracelet (called a 'President' bracelet), but also on a leather strap like the example that we have here.
The piece that we have here, a Reference 1803 from circa 1978, is a very cool example, featuring a yellow gold case with a blue 'Buckley' dial within. The case has seen an extremely light, tasteful previous polishing and shows normal wear throughout with thick symmetrical lugs and only one small blemish on the tip of the bottom left lug. The 'fluted' yellow gold bezel also shows signs of a faint previous polishing, retaining clear, defined finishing. The beautiful blue dial inside remains in absolutely fantastic condition, showing only the faintest of wear around a few of the Tritium plots — all of which are consistent in color and show only light loss at the 2 o'clock marker.
'Buckleys' are very much a love-it-or-hate-it sort of thing, but we're huge fans and these blue-dial examples are amongst our favorites. And is something about one on leather that just works.
Condition Report & Details
Condition:
Movement:
Bracelet/Strap:
Shipping, Returns, & Warranty
At Oliver & Clarke, we offer free global shipping on all orders over $150.
Returns (accepted within 3 days of initial delivery of your purchase) must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. For payments via Credit Card, a 5% restocking fee will be in place for any returns or cancellations in order to cover our processing fee. Of course, watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.
If you happen to trade a watch with us, which we welcome, trades are final, except of course if the watch is grossly misdescribed or misrepresented.
We back each Oliver & Clarke timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty starting at the date of first delivery. We service or perform necessary maintenance to the extent necessary to all of our watches, unless otherwise noted. All watches are listed and sold running and functioning as intended.
*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.
We do not guarantee water resistance, thus do not warranty against moisture incursion or water damage.
*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.
Our warranty is non-transferable.
The Oliver & Clarke Guarantee
Through rigorous vetting of each watch offered, we’re able to guarantee authenticity of our pieces. Ultimately, your satisfaction is our mission, as is helping you get YOUR perfect watch. If you have any questions at all, we will get back to you ASAP.
Each of our timepieces are vetted, evaluated, authenticated, and approved by our experienced team prior to sale. We guarantee the period-correctness of all components unless otherwise disclosed. We guarantee the authenticity of each watch in perpetuity.
Choose options
Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803 - Blue 'Buckley' DialSale price$11,950.00 USD Regular price
"As collectors themselves, Oliver and Clarke are on a mission to make buying vintage watches as painless as possible."
"The company focuses on good prices for its pieces, elite customer service and full transparency."
"The appointment-only space is inviting, with comfortable seating areas and exposed brick walls."
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.
Oliver & Clarke