Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18038 - Coral Dial
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.
However, this is no ordinary ‘President’
The present watch has an elusive dial that is part of a family known as “Stone Dials.” Done in a series of rare and exotic stones including Onyx, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Fossilized Bone, and the present Coral dial. These dials are as rare as they are beautiful. They were produced for a very limited time and were handmade by artisans which is not something we usually associate with the sports watches of Rolex. The present coral example is exceedingly rare, and as these thin delicate dials tend to do, has cracked and spidered albeit in a very attractive and uniform way. This ultimately allows for a significant discount to a perfect dial, and the ability to wear it care-free - so you can truly enjoy the colors this gives off. Original T Swiss T Coral dials do not come up very often!
Dial aside, the present watch is in great condition, featuring a strong case and a very tight hidden clasp presidential bracelet, this is an opportunity not to be missed.
*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.
About the brand
Case
Condition
Movement
Bracelet
Shipping & Returns
At Oliver & Clarke, domestic shipping is on us. If you are international and require a quote – please feel free to reach out to us at info@oliverandclarke.com so we can get you squared away!
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 always love, trades are final, except of course if the watch is grossly misdescribed or misrepresented.
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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.
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