Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803 - Sunburst Grey 'Sigma' Dial W/ Diamond Indices 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 Lyndon B. Johnson 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, dates to circa 1976 and is a fantastic example finished in solid yellow gold with a very rare dial within. The Oyster case, 'President' bracelet, and characteristic 'fluted' yellow gold bezel all remain in unpolished condition and show normal, uniform wear throughout. However, the real highlight here is that dial inside. Grey in color — already rare for a Day-Date of this vintage — it features a vibrant sunburst surface with factory applied diamond indices and a yellow gold handset to match.
This 1803 is nothing short of exceptional. Any watch from this era in condition like this is a treat.... A Day-Date in yellow gold with an interesting dial is a dream.
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