Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18038 - Burlwood Dial with Papers

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.

Like its less prestigious sibling the Datejust, The Day-Date was available with a wide variety and choice of bezels, finishes, and dials. The present example is fitted with an exceptionally well-preserved Burlwood dial - made from thin slices of Burl Veneer. When looking at the watch in direct light, you will notice that it has incredible depth of color that allows for the graining to really shine through in both natural, and direct light. It also adds a decidedly 1980s flair to the otherwise ‘mundane’ 18K yellow gold Day-Date.

Beyond the Burlwood dial, this 18038 is fitted to that iconic yellow gold Presidential bracelet, making this ‘single-quick’ a pleasure to use in daily life. The condition is truly exceptional throughout, with the outer track of this present example featuring beautifully printed gold markings, and no signs of wear or chipping. The concealed clasp Presidential has minimal signs of stretch, and the watch even retains its original papers from Rolex. The presence of the papers, plus the incredible unpolished condition of this watch, likely means it was worn only sparingly and treated with the utmost care from its previous owner.

*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