Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18038 - Pinball 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.

This present example is even more special by the presence of one of the rarest dials ever fitted to a standard production Day-Date: The Pinball ‘No Diamonds’ Dial. The Pinball dial is rare enough, but typically the signature lume plot shape is executed by the use of high quality diamonds. In this dial variant, the round plots are of a stunning and bright gold variant, which furthers the resemblance the arcade game.

Beyond the dial, this 18038 is fitted to the iconic yellow gold Presidential bracelet, making this ‘single-quick’ a stunner with quick-set date to boot. The condition is truly exceptional throughout, with the outer track of this present example featuring roman numerals, as opposed to the far more common rail-scale. The concealed clasp Presidential has minimal signs of stretch, and the case is well preserved - 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.