Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803 - Satin Blue Dial Unpolished
When the Day-Date was released in 1956, Rolex had made numerous attempts to capture the market with more complicated timepieces such as the Ref. 6036, the Ref. 8171, and the Ref. 6062, but it seemed like buyers were not particularly fond of complicated Rolexes. All of that changed when President Dwight D. Eisenhower was spotted wearing one Rolex in particular: a Day-Date. The model has since become known worldwide as ‘The President’ and as a symbol of success and prestige. Simply put, this one stuck.
The Day-Date was available for many years on a leather strap with a matching gold buckle, but also on a solid gold bracelet (called a 'President' bracelet), like the example that we have here.
The piece that we have here, a Reference 1803 from circa 1978, is a superb example finished in solid white gold. The case and matching white gold 'President' bracelet are unpolished and both show normal signs of wear throughout and visible factory finishing with one small blemish on the top edge of the left case profile just left of center. The 'fluted' white gold bezel is also likely-unpolished and shows matching normal wear. The real treat with this particular Day-Date, however, is the stunning and exceedingly rare satin blue dial housed inside the case. Rarity aside, the condition resembles a dial that was just produced. It is virtually-flawless with no signs of degradation or wear around the indices or date aperture, and has fully-intact Tritium plots — all of which show a light, even patina throughout — and the Tritium handset matches perfectly.
This 'elevated' piece remains very much under-the-radar and is a phenomenal example of an icon with a splash of color. And while you're unlikely to see another in the wild, you should probably tip your hat at that person.
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.
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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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