Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18038 - Blue Sunburst Dial, Original Owner Watch

Straight Facts

When the Day-Date was released in 1956, it was the only complicated Rolex for sale. Hard to believe, but people didn’t want Rolex’s previous attempts at complicated wristwatches. All of that changed when President Dwight D. Eisenhower was spotted wearing the Rolex, and the watch became known as ‘The President’. An internationally known symbol of success and prestige, the Rolex Day-Date was available for many years on a strap or matching solid gold bracelet.

This present example comes to us directly from the original owner, who was a successful businessman in New York City during the later half of the 20th Century. Purchased in 1978 in New York, he very rarely wore the watch - keeping it more as a trophy of his success, which explains the watches time-capsule like condition.

Fitted to the iconic yellow gold presidential bracelet, and finished a stunning blue sunburst dial, this ‘single-quick’ 18038 is a stunner with quick-set date to boot. The original owner rarely wore the watch, and as you’d expect the dial condition is flawless with fully in-tact lume plots and perfectly matching handset. The outer track of this example also features Roman numerals, as opposed to the far more common rail-scale which adds an additional air of refinement. The concealed clasp Presidential has no signs of stretch, and the case is truly unpolished with signs of handling wear only. All for about half the cost of a brand new 36mm Day-Date - and you can say you have something in common with President Eisenhower. Hows that for bragging rights?

*Some marks or spots on the dial are reflections or dust on the crystal and are due to high intensity strobe lighting used while photographing. They are not actually on the watch or visible in natural lighting.